What happened to the mansions
of New York’s second wealthiest, High Society family? Hi everyone, Ken here,
today we are traveling back in time to uncover the many mansions of the Goelet Brothers.
Hit that like button to let YouTube know you enjoy videos about historic homes
and let’s begin exploring This House. Today’s video is sponsored by the Victorian
Society in America, more on them later. In 1676, Francois Goelet fled from France with
his only son, a ten year old named Jacobus. After making sure his son was in safe hands, Francois
returned to Europe never to be seen again. Perhaps this is where the Goelet Dynasty began, as
Jacobus grew up, he started purchasing rural land and leasing it to farmers, but never selling.
He passed his land down to his sons, who purchased more land, leased it, and passed it down to
their sons in turn. This cycle repeated itself for over 200 years until 1879, when brothers
Ogden and Robert Goelet inherited the family fortune. What was once considered rural land had
been consumed by the sprawl of New York City and was now some of the most valuable realestate
in the world. The brothers’ combined wealth and land holdings placed them second only to the
Astors who reigned at the top of high society. Both were named members of The 400, an
elite group of New Yorkers deemed to be the only people suitable for a high
society ballroom. With this status came the expectation of joining the ultra
wealthy by building mansions in Manhattan. In 1882, the brothers hired architect E.H.
Kendall to design each of them a mansion along 5th avenue to sit cattycorner
from one another across 49th street. When Ogden’s was completed in 1884, he
hosted a ball to celebrate the opening of the Spring Social Season, in which
most of The 400 were in attendance. Around the same time, Newport, Rhode Island
had become the fashionable summer retreat for High Society. The Goelet brothers decided
to join in with the other wealthy elites and build their summer cottages in Newport as
well. In 1881 Robert commissioned the esteemed architecture firm of McKim, Mead and White
to design for him a rambling mansion known as Southside. Ten years later, Ogden went
one step further and hired famed Gilded Age architect Richard Morris Hunt, tasking him
with designing the largest mansion in Newport. Before we explore both of these mansions, a quick word from today’s sponsor,
the Victorian Society in America. Thank you Victorian Society in
America for sponsoring today’s video, now let’s begin exploring these mansions. We’ll start at Robert’s Southside, which was
completed in 1884 at the grand cost of $100,000, the modern equivalent of nearly 3.2 million
dollars. Southside was positioned on Ochre Point with a commanding view of the sea
and finished out not to be ostentatious, but to be comfortable and spacious
enough for entertaining large groups. Though the interior was everything you
would expect of a lavish vacation house, with wood paneling cladding the walls of the
two story entrance hall and further decorated with antique European tapestries. Against this
formal backdrop, relaxed furniture was placed about the rooms with potted plants in almost
every corner to give it a refreshing ambiance. Not wanting to be outdone by any of the
palatial residences popping up around Newport, Ogden purchased the land next door to his
brother’s house on Ochre Point and spent 4.6 million dollars, or the modern equivalent
of nearly 160 million dollars developing Ochre Court. When it was finished in 1892, it was the
largest, most expensive, and most opulent mansion ever built in Rhode Island coming in at 44,229
square feet. Designed in the Chateauesque style, Ochre Court was faced on all sides in limestone
and surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens. And if the cottage’s imposing façade left you dazzled,
the interior would be sure to leave you stunned. We enter ochre court below the grand staircase
and continue across marble floors below a grand archway boasting delicate relief. This leads us
to the 3 story entrance hall finished out with gilded accents glistening below an expansive
ceiling mural spanning the barrel vault. The proportions of Ochre Court are almost
impossible to comprehend, when the dining table’s leaves were in place there was enough
space to seat a reported 200 dinner guests. Larger yet, the Rococo ballroom
came alive for a few weeks every summer social season with brightly colored
ballgowns swirling about the ballroom floor. The library continued in opulence,
serving more as a social space than a place to read with very few
books to be found on its shelves. In 1892, when Ochre Court was
opened for its first ball, it left guests stunned, but that
feeling would not last for long. Not too far away, the Vanderbilts had hired
the same architect to design the Breakers, which would end up taking the title of Newport’s
largest cottage upon its completion in 1895. Nonetheless, Ogden continued to enjoy his cottage for a couple weeks out of each
year until his passing in 1897. Robert followed his brother to
the grave shortly after in 1898, but their many mansions passed down
through their own respective families. Both of the Manhattan mansions were eventually
torn down an replaced by commercial buildings, but their Newport Mansions, on the other
hand both continue to stand. Southside, also known as Seaside today, is still owned
by Robert’s descendants. Ochre Cout has since been donated by Ogden’s descendants to Salve
Regina University where it continues to stand, meticulously maintained, and enjoyed
by students and faculty year round. Which of the Goelet mansions was your
favorite? Let me know down below in the comments section, and while you’re there, make sure to hit that subscribe button so you
never miss an exciting episode of This House!
