National Historic Site Archives - National Parks With T

Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!

NPTC Meetup across the US➢

One of our club members came up with a fantastic idea: to sponsor meetups in all seven NPS regions on the same day in June. In 2024, I hosted the North Atlantic Region’s event at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Some attendees traveled from as far away as Texas, and one couple from Arkansas celebrated their 300th park visit during the meetup. After lunch, I headed to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

Vanderbilt Mansion➢

The Vanderbilt family expanded Cornelius Vanderbilt’s shipping and railroad empire during the Gilded Age. This era followed the Civil War and marked a time of rapid economic growth. To showcase their wealth, the Vanderbilt grandsons built lavish mansions. Notable examples include The Breakers in Rhode Island and The Biltmore in North Carolina.

The Vanderbilt Mansion, historically known as Hyde Park, is the only Gilded Age mansion owned by the National Park Service. Frederick Vanderbilt commissioned the 54-room Beaux-Arts estate, completed in 1898. He and his wife, Louise, used it as their country retreat, hosting intimate gatherings with a dozen or so guests. The mansion’s opulent design reflects the couple’s refined taste and the grandeur of the era.

Louise Vanderbilt was a fan of the palace at Versailles and emulated that style of decor in many rooms of the mansion.

The last time I visited, the Park Service had put many of the furnishings into storage during a major renovation. This time, the furniture was in place.

We noted that the walls in the foyers and hallways were unadorned and plain. The ranger guiding our tour of the mansion told us that Frederick Vanderbilt had collected antique tapestries and that it looked much different when they were all hanging.

Unfortunately the tapestries are in need of professional restoration and the park service lacks the funds for that project. Most of the tapestries have been put into storage indefinitely.

Frederick and Louise were childless. Frederick lived in Hyde Park full-time after Louise’s death and willed the estate to his niece, Margaret Van Alen.

Van Alen did not want the 600 acre estate and tried to sell it. Because it was the end of the Great Depression, no one could afford it.

Transfer to the NPS➢

Franklin D. Roosevelt had already willed his nearby Springwood estate to the American people. He collaborated with Margaret Van Alen to donate the Vanderbilt Mansion, along with 200 acres and several buildings, to the National Park Service. The remaining farmland was sold and eventually developed.

Before Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, the National Park Service primarily focused on preserving natural wonders and prehistoric sites. In 1933, Roosevelt expanded the agency’s mission to include national cemeteries, memorials, and military parks, integrating them into the National Park System . This expansion brought historical and cultural treasures under federal protection. Through his administration’s efforts, nearly a quarter of the current National Park units were established, significantly broadening the scope of the system

The National Park Service designated the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site to represent the Gilded Age, not to serve as a museum solely about the Vanderbilt family. While it may not be the grandest estate in the Hudson Valley, ranger-led tours offer visitors valuable insights into the era’s history and architecture.

Hyde Park 2024➢

Location: 4097 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, New York
Designation: National Historic Site
Date designated/established: December 18, 1940
Date of my visit: June 8, 2024