The Largest Mansions Ever in Manhattan
Journey with us as we delve deep into Manhattan's opulent past, where industry barons and the nouveau riche, including the likes of Charles Tiffany, Otto H. Kahn, Mrs. Astor, Charles Schwab, William Henry Vanderbilt, Henry Clay Frick, William A. Clark, and Cornelius Vanderbilt II, built majestic palaces, embodying their affluence and influence. In this exploration, witness the grandeur of their homes, many of which have vanished, but whose legacy remains etched in the heart of New York.
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Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress, Jim.henderson, Wurts Bros, Frick Family Albums and Scrapbooks, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Cornell University Library
CC SA 1.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Photos from: Jim.henderson
CC BY 2.0(creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Photos from: Flickr User: Ajay Suresh
CC BY-SA 3.0(creativecommons.org/licenses/... from: Wikipedia User: Gryffindor, Itub, Summ,
CC BY-SA 4.0(creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Photos from: Wikipedia User: Joyofmuseums, Jim.henderson
Assets from: Envato Elements
Music from Epidemic Sound
To paraphrase one historian, "New York destroyed more exquisite architecture in 50 years than the barbarian hordes did to Rome in 300 years." Perhaps its greatest loss was Pennsylvania Station, smashed into rubble and dumped into a New Jersey swamp.
I just started to read and watch documentaries about this. I'm from Romania, ex communist, Bucharest, our capital was destroyed by communists to destroy the nobility architectural styles to make space for communists buildings. I really thought this was a practice executed by despots, but to my surprise New York had architectural buildings that rivaled the ones in Parsi, Prague, London or Berlin. Is mind bending that they destroyed in mass beautiful buildings like this, thet literally destroyed history and New York identity.
Seems money had more to do with this and apathy!!!
I'm glad GCT got a restoration, but it is public property. Penn is private. I abhor current Penn and MSG, but Moynihan Station is pretty nice.
We are a “through away” society, still are, we hold on to very little of historic value or traditions.. When you go to Europe, Prague, France, England , Etc.. you see beautiful centuries old buildings that for the most part have been well cared for and tell a story, their people take pride in these architectural buildings .. It’s sad that our countrymen did not see the future value and history these magnificent places would tell.. that greed in the times built , to have bigger/better to keep up or outshine their neighbors, that their wealth would make these works of art expendable, to rebuild grander…. (Greed, Arrogance, Pridefulness) only to again, be reduced to rubble, is a telling story of our culture as a whole presently .. absolutely a travesty!
@@AITreeBranchesso u would’ve preferred living under a monarchy? they probably destroyed it bc it was a symbol of oppression and greed.
It is such a great loss that these buildings were torn down.
It really is. I get a pain in my gut Everytime I think of all the beautiful history, art, and amazing architecture we've lost for the sake of 'progress'.
These homes are in no way practical to support our growing population and rising inflation. It was an economic decision. EAT THE RICH@@AellaAstra
@@AellaAstra Meh. If these architectures still existed, NYC housing prices will be almost double right now due to lack of space
nope. That would be the end of NewYork as it is if they stayed
@@Aromblinot really it would have evolved like Paris and alll the tall buildings will be in Brooklyn
But for me, the saddest part of his story is yes of course all the mansions are gone but, all of the artisans and amazing craftsman that had the skills to create simply amazing and intricate marble, stone and wood work with no computers or any design software is something that will never be seen again.
Nope, none of these artisans are gone - they were never here to begin with. Do you believe these buildings were constructed in 19th century? LOL and LOL again. You are getting closer with your statement, just keep thinking in this direction and ask why these building were NEVER recreated, our modern tech notwithstanding. What a mystery....
WTF@@idoran17
what are you talking about@@idoran17
TARTARIA
My favorite Tartarian city is Disneyland. People think 1950’s era technology built it? Fools
The Astor ballroom is incomprehensible that it was someone's private residence. The scale of the sculptures and artwork is phenomenal.
Amazing how short-lived is grand old houses lasted
If KZhead gave the equivalent of an Emmy Award, "This House" would have quite a lineup on its exquisitely carved mantlepiece.
Amazing how short-lived some of these mansions were. They could have added so much to NY's historical landscape if they still existed today. It's too bad that they weren't marked as national landmarks and saved and turned into museums. Hard to believe that they were okay with investing so much money and resources into building them, only to have them bulldozed in in such a short time. I guess it was a different mentality back then for the uber rich. The only thing I could think of today that comes close to this would be in Las Vegas where they implode old casinos and rebuild them as new, more glamorous ones.
The Frick house stands today as the Frick Museum
The Frick museum is a must visit when going to NYC. GORGEOUS ❤❤
I agree!
All of them were fabulous, but those Vanderbilts really could put together a nice place!
Totally blown away by the opulence of these grand home. Great research and wonderful narration... thanks Ken.
As where the buildings
honestly NY would be astonishing if all those magnificent buildings were there, less people, more beauty
TBH, these mansions have such a large scale that they're beyond the scope of my life. I can't begin to imagine the owners' lifestyles, because I don't think I know enough people to invite to even one of their parties! I've no doubt that their activities crossed the paths of so many people that they could indeed fill up their huge halls, but unfortunately, that lifestyle did not last, and neither did their huge mansions. I was sorry to hear that no sooner had the original owner died that their huge houses were either torn down or repurposed. I feel especially sorry for Mr. John Jacob Astor who died in the Titanic. But, it is still so interesting to see these mansions and hear all these stories!
I like to think that, somewhere among those dozens and dozens of rooms, each homeowner had a favorite room that was a little “cozier”. 🙂
@@emilyrosewell308 Yes, I agree! They probably spent the vast majority of their time in a small fraction of the space in their huge houses.
Their “friends” were probably more likely elite secret societies and family members. Keeping the wealth to themselves. That’s why we can’t imagine what it would be like on that level. They’re similar to royalty. Always trying to Rule Us. 😤
You should feel sorry for the hundreds of third class passengers who died on the Titanic.
@@eily_b Actually, I do. Feeling sorry for Mr. Astor does not preclude feeling sorry for everyone else who died in that terrific accident. My comment had to do with the observation that most if not all of the rich individuals mentioned died a short time after they acquired their huge homes, so they didn't get to enjoy them for long. I mentioned Mr. Astor's fate because I felt it was especially poignant since he died in the Titanic. It had nothing to do with not feeling sorry for everyone involved in that tragedy.
Wow. Where do I start? Rich history, emphasis on "rich."😊 Frick's Palace was intriguing. And a ballroom accommodating 1200? And another party hosting 6500! I'm speechless. Almost. Many thanks for another astounding video. Cheers!
Comparing old times rich people with modern ones, they're both arrogant (not all of them as there are good and bad people in every strate of the population). The main differences is how they spent their money making it circle around. They already bought arts and antiques, but the luxuries they spent their money on created jobs or sustained some for a long time. And the mansions and palaces they built were worth to be preserved at least as public buildings or museum. On that note NYC sucked and still go down that stupid path of only financial wealth whereas culture, history and buildings that were both architectural and artistic wonders were sacrificed to NYC administration. Sad. While modern days rich people do spend significative goods and properties, they do not hire an army of personnel to care for them. I'm not one who criticize people who are filthy rich or wealthy. I believe rich people who "waste" money on luxury, extravagant parties and such are more likeable as they do reinject money on the market, one way or another. They do enjoy they money instead of living to earn money. On the other hand, those who stack their wealth on abandonned properties, arts as a way to evade tax and hide money, pile up dozen of bank accounts with sleeping money, etc ... and only live for money are both pitiable as human and contemptible. Charity is good, but it doesn't help that much and its effect is only temporary. But well, that's a trend to evade taxes, gain popularity and somehow buy a conscience. It's not the same value, humanely and morally, as modest people giving to charity.
I used to give summer tours in the Vanderbilt’s Breakers in Newport Rhode Island. What fun it was!!
Thanks so much for keeping these mansions memories alive, Ken! Your videos really remind us of how important it is to preserve and adaptively reuse our historic buildings. We can't have a future without a past.
The studio at 1:30 is just utterly magical. Wow. A belle epoque playground!
😮so sad that none of these homes were reproduced in any scales , i.e. models in a museum or library !
That is such an incredible idea. A 3d model even of the homes lining central park. That would be so interesting to see.
A few of the homes have survived. The Frick Museum in Manhattan is a surviving Gilded Age mansion that was turned into an art museum (it only survived because Henry Clay Frick left his home and his art collection to be made into a museum in his will. Frick only lived in the home for 3 years after its completion before his death). Also, some of the homes from that era are now consulates, schools, etc. But, it is true that most of the best examples from that period were torn down, including the grand Vanderbilt estate.
Wow! What beautiful, magnificent houses and mansions. My eyes were glued to the screen. Thank you for sharing 💜
Their legacy lives on because of photos and drawings and great informative videos like yours Ken!
I would have loved to be able to go back in time and walk the streets of the city when all of these beautiful mansions were still there. The craftsmanship is outstanding! I loathe the steel and glass ice cube trays that are all over the city. They are cold and unattractive. The Plaza, The Dakota, The Ansonia and others thankfully are still around.
The Frick is definitely worth a visit.
Is it Fricking massive ?
Even though it was made fun of I think the Clark mansion was my favorite, especially with that awesome tower!
I agree, my favorite also!
My great grandmother came from Denmark, through Castle Garden, when she was 18 in 1888. Therefore, my grandfather was born in Manhattan in 1897. I still have my great grandmother's traveling papers. Thanks, Ken!
You should curse your ancestors for bringing you to America while Denmark is one of the best places on Earth to live.
Very well done, these mansions were over the top and they did it all without even power tools.
And in amazingly short timeframes considering the size of the project!
Large numbers of laborers, dirt cheap. They had steam powered earth movers, some still call them steamshovels.
1880 - 1950, pinnacle of design
The Clark's house is still my favorite. - Thks
Did you read the book about Huguette? Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune is a non-fiction book by the American authors Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. Excellent and fascinating.
Not just mansions, but palaces.
I truly love your old home presentations... both informative and entertaining! I echo with others the feeling of loss of such architectural history!
Great history lesson! Thanks for sharing😊
The current Manhattan, has much activity, apparently, but love the romance style of the eras gone by, If there was more access for people to use these beautiful structures, they surely should’ve been saved. But also back then they didn’t have some of the proper aides for medical treatments,so not wanting to spread common colds and flu es before they would become worse off. Because the community didn’t have access to more healthy measures, like when much of the population back before then had their own farms, but factory work called people to the cities where adjusting became problematic, wages,cramped areas for the workers,poorly orchestrated apartments because of the boom of working families that came in.Some areas would’ve still been progressive. Villages nearby would’ve been excellent choice, but still the short cut to work when the cars were just newly on the scene. The artists detailed architecture is just visually satisfying for me❣️Thanks for this episode ✅💖
Imagine a perfect virtual reality recreation of these places. That Tiffany workshop was just magical. 😁❤
Love the videos, but it always saddens me with the loss of it all. All of that so very expensive materials, paintings, wood, etc. is such a shame. Glad to know that a few are around.
I guess it would be Cornilus Vanderbilt's home. Love the portico and staircases so beautifully carved the best. Thank you for keeping this beautiful,so elegant times and homes alive!
“Clark’s Folly” is my favorite over-the-top opulent edifice
You should do a video of the mansion at what is now Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan. An amazing property with unequaled views. John D. Rockefeller bought the property and wanted to demolish but preservationists objected. However, the house was, "mysteriously", consumed by fire sometime later and John D. built the Cloisters museum in its place. He then donated the property as a park to the city of New York.
Thanks for another great video. I really enjoyed the comparison between these enormous houses. And how interesting to note the relatively short time many of these stood, given the time and money that went into building them. It is sad to see the incredible craftsmanship, the handiwork of countless artisans, destroyed and hauled off to landfill.
So true. I can only imagine what it must be like to build such skill and talent in millwork, carpentry, painting, plastering, and so forth - all to have a chance to contribute your work (probably for not much pay) to such homes as these - making something beautiful and lasting. Then, it is thrown away in a matter of a decade. How very sad.
Interesting to see that these early 19hundreds magnates built relatively similar European castel style mansions. I grew up next to the Faber-Castell castle/mansion. Yes, the pencil Faber-Castell family. The castle looks like its siblings in the US. With a courtyard and a chapel and a greenhouse but also a big park with fountains etc. It housed the US army press after WWII and they took everything with them from the interior except some very big tables etc. But silverware, tablecloths, china... all gone. But over the time quite some families/former soldiers gave items back they took from the castle. You can still visit it for special occasions but its heating system is broken and so they just use it temporarily for exhibitions etc. The bathrooms (one for the lady and one for the gentleman of the house) are very impressive. With full body showers and marble everywhere and floor heating (if it would work) and so on. Even the nursery looks quite modern for today's standards. Also with marble. Look it up, it's very pretty.
The motto of this video is "You can't take it with you." Or, wealth and security are just a fleeting dream.
Prior to income tax people were able to create great beauty for their homes, businesses, & built many needed hospitals & schools which benefited everyone.
Always loved William Andrews Clark house. Truly such a great and fascinating story that doesn't get told enough. Especially the wonderfully mysterious story of his daughter who live to be 104 almost no one knows anything about her.
I suppose I’m biased because I’ve visited there a number of times, but my favorite is always the Frick. I’m breathlessly awaiting its reopening.
Thank you very much. @ 7:15, the Frick has my vote for one of the coolest ever homes. When the recent restoration is complete, you'll see what I'm talking about. Been there many times, it is so calming.
You ALWAYS do such wonderful work with your creative architecture stories
Beautiful video, you did a great job! Keep up the excellent work.
Great video, Ken -- as always! I hope there will be a follow-up with still more Manhattan mansions. Wonderful houses, but all of them are too much for me (especially as arthritis makes walking a bit of a challenge!) though I find the interiors of the Frick mansion more my style: they're simpler and more restrained than many others. If I was to have a home in Manhattan I"d like to have an apartment in the Dakota. Also, Ken, I've recommended the fiction and non-fiction books of Louis Auchincloss for people interested in the wealthy of New York. As I watched today's video I was reminded of a novel by another author and that is also about the wealthy of New York City and that I'd like to recommend: "The Lady Who Loved New York" by R. L. Gordon, published in 1977.
The next-to-last house definitely was my favorite! There is a funeral home in Springfield Ohio that is smaller but has all of the design elements of these gilded mansions....food for thought.
Charles Schwab's beautiful home being torn down for an affordable housing monstrosity makes me want to weep 😭
They were WAY too fancy for me. I don't like hearing that they were mostly demolished, but the cost to maintain and heat them would've been astronomical today. And something that kind of bothers me, is the intricate wood work and the marble work was done by artisans and such, but the owner is the one that takes all the glory. The artisans are the ones that should be celebrated. I like these longer videos too. Well done Ken.
The artisans are celebrated by those of us who love beautiful craftsmanship….
They have no problems with the heating those buildings
Such a sad loss of beautiful and grand buildings, here in Argentina, more specifically in the City, it is illegal to torn down historic buildings and limited remodelation to preserve the interior too.
Fascinating! What would those rich fellas think if they knew their mansions had been torn down? 😊
3:32 is the most visually stunning image I've ever seen
Just wanted to say thank you for you and your channel, I sure enjoyed it.
It's amazing just how quickly the houses where torn down after being built. Less the 30years for many.
We tear so much down in this country for modernization. It saddens me we really don’t have much history left when I went to Europe this year there’s so much history in Denmark, Holland Germany, Paris, London, I could go on and on.
These mansions look way better than the cookie-cutter concrete blocks and glass towers there today.
There is no comparison. It’s like comparing a rolls Royce to a Yugo
Along with the Gates, there are two friezes (that once adorned the Porte Cochere) in the Lobby of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. That fireplace you show is on display at The Metropolitan Museum, along with several paintings that once hung in the old mansion.
their 'whispering tales' live on, but something in me weeps that these architectural marvels are lost...
Great vid! I just wish you gave square footage of these huge homes!
Can you imagine what kind of apartments could have been built in those mansions? It’s a crime they were torn down.
An absolute travesty
Меня больше всего восхитил особняк Кларка. Он похож на Лувр, при том весьма оригинален ассиметричной формой. Обожаю стиль бозар
Thank you for the memories- Beautiful, yes - yet time & space is such a nebulous date to work for, as the grave is our ultimate address - what an improbable end to it all
Charlie Schwab was such a character and his mansion being destroyed is just heartbreaking.
how did they order material when these houses were built
Great question! Often times, the architects would send a representative to purchase supplies and arrange deliveries via train.
@@ThisHouse problably little phone communication....I would think all that limestone came from Indiana.....how did they get drawings etc to them
Thank you for this wonderful albeit brief tour. I was born in Flower Fifth Avenue hospital.
What a shame these historical Architectual wonders were not preserved.
Another captivating video! Thank you. I love architecture. I was thinking about the Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion. You mentioned it had basements and "sub" basements. Wow! I wonder what the sub basements were like? I bet they were dark, cold, damp, smelled awful and had rats. That's probably where I would have worked if I had been alive and had a connection to that house. I've always been fascinated by that building.
And all the investigations into mud floods makes one wonder 💭 if they reclaimed existing structures, maybe 🤔
The subterranean levels of these mansions would have contained the immense kitchens and all of the other inner workings of the home. There would be a servants hall where they took their meals, wine cellars, laundry, ironing, sewing rooms, rooms for the care of leather goods. There would be huge furnaces and boilers, plus the tons of coal to fire them. Also storage for all of the consumable goods used by the household, including food. There were also likely some servants quarters as well. I'm sure I've missed lots of stuff! ☮️
really liked the Astor mansion. amazing. its crazy the way they have the windows at street level
Excellent, "the price of progress". Many thanks
I think the Tiffiny one...but I think they all were marvels.
This is simply astounding. I enjoyed the pipe organs the most 🎹🙂
So sad that these beautiful houses have been lost, but then there’s many more that need to be saved or they’ll go the same way. But the mega rich would rather have new builds rather than restoring these old homes 😢
Thank you for this video.
Excellent Ken! 😊
Amazing…such a shame so many were torn down! I really am impressed with the Clark mansion!
It’s interesting how short-lived most of these “homes” were.
I always tried to imagine these Manhattan mansions out in the countryside? Edit: No wonder the Vanderbilts squandered their fortune?!
Squandered? Accoridng to who?
Very informative. Thank you.
Wow!! Thanks for sharing what use to be there.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 🍁🍂🎃🍂🍁
Any architectue today would not know how to build such mansions these were here already built.founded
Самое ужасное, что нет заказчиков, которым нужна красота
And here i was thinking that wealthy people today had amazing homes, I've never seen anything that compares to these Palaces, such a shame they no longer exist, id give anything to travel back in time to see them all
Very interesting. Thanks Ken.
I’m an artist and sad that most of the one off gilding and wood carvings might have not have made it out before the wrecking ball. The buildings should have been repurposed, truly works of art
Woaw, that must have been so much more beautiful than right now !
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾., Those Vanderbilt knew how build Gorgeous Homes.
New York will never see such architectural beauty gain. How tragic and incredibly sad.
Utterly unbelievable that these treasures were demolished!
Really interesting video i never knew much about these mansions.
very good video! thank you!
J’ai eu la chance de visiter la Frick collection, c’est sublime
They are all my favorite the widow who let people in to take out what they could was very nice of her it's very sad that they are all gone such great memories of the people who owned them and wonderful mason works that are lost to time 😢 Thanks for sharing this video i enjoy seeing this type of stuff. I once read a book about the depression error and how some millionaires gave their own money to save the Banks from going under and to keep the economy going. Now days that would never happen
Tearing down these building to build ugly ones is a crime...
It’s so sad that so many stately homes from New York to California are all gone!!!
Снос исторических домов - трагедия не только для Америки, но и для других стран
Buildings from the old world will raise again 👍🧐💪
I love this. The great home, wow I would love to see them. But they are gone with the wind.
The decor is so over the top they look like palaces
In one hundred and twenty five years I wonder what building, that replaced a torn down grand building that itself once stood where a gilded age mansion stood before that, a "This House" host will be talking about.
Insane opulance .impressive construction and architecture.
It's hard to imagine the horse and buggy era built these homes as we are not capable to build like that today.
These mansions were certainly built to impress!
I can't just imagine if all the castles and old buildings we have in europe would be tore down for apartment building, instead we valorize them and make museums, and pay respect to the ones that built those buildings
I can't imagine living in any of these houses. Much less needing 40 servants to keep it running. They were beautiful and grand to an extreme level. Each one trying to out-do the other. Sad that so many were demolished. Noticed that one was constructed during WWI. Amazing!