Friday, May 24, 2019

Ventfort Hall and the Gilded Age, Part One

Last March when we were in Massachusetts and Rick was in a recliner with his leg up, I took off for a bit of an exploring trip and came to Ventfort Hall.


When one visits Ventfort Hall, in the town of Lenox in the Massachusetts Berkshires, you realize they didn't call it "The Gilded Age" for nothing. The house is a 28,000 square foot Jacobean Revival mansion with 54 rooms and was completed in 1893. (If the exterior of the house looks familiar, it was because it served as exterior scenes of the orphanage in "The Cider House Rules.")


Unlike many homes of the period, it had electric lighting, indoor plumbing, central heating, a burglar alarm system and an electric elevator, things considered standard today. (Well, OK, elevators aren't exactly standard and burglar alarms optional, but for the period, pretty avant garde!)


The mansion was built for Sarah Morgan, the sister of financier J.P. Morgan as her summer cottage and now serves as the home of the Museum of the Gilded Age. The first floor and much of the second is open to the public for tours. (I can tell you right now -- my up-north Michigan cottage is nothing like this!)


When you enter, you are first confronted by an enormous staircase on the right...


...and the lovely, somewhat overpriced gift shop, which was in the former salon, to the left. However, the details were lovely. This used to be the Salon and the fireplace is marble.

 
I was doing the self-guided tour but since I was the only person there, I would later be joined by staffer Alix who accompanied me to the second floor. But first, the main floor, beginning with the Great Hall. Maybe I've watched too many Downton Abbey episodes but even in my jeans and tennies it took about a quarter of a second to imagine I was standing in some elegant gown, listening to the orchestra playing above in the minstrel's gallery. The walls were of American red oak, the fireplace of limestone.


I started on the main floor and headed first to the Library. The light was bad, and so were the photos. Then on to the Dining Room, which was set up with round tables, possibly for an upcoming event. Portraits of Sarah Morgan and her husband hang on the walls.


I loved the beautiful cabinet with its silver service.


Unfortunately they don't open the doors to the veranda in the winter but I suspect the view would be lovely!


As you leave the dining room one walks through a long hallway leading to the Billiard Room. (This view looks FROM the Billiard Room to the Great Hall.)


Alas, no billiard table, but the room had a beautiful fireplace. The antique oak panels on either side of the center are antique with one dated 1630. .


...and an elegant Grand piano.


I loved the detail on the piano shawl.


Beside the beautiful windows was a corner for jigsaw puzzles.


And the stained glass was lovely!


The site purchased by the Morgans already had some history.


The site and the small house that sat upon it was once known as Vent Fort and Robert Gould Shaw, the colonel of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, had spent his honeymoon at a small now located across the street from the property.  The 54th was one of the first military units of the union army in the Civil War to be comprised of all African-American soldiers and was the subject of the film "Glory." Matthew Broderick played Shaw in the film. His story is told on several displays in the long hallway.


 There were also displays of the house as it looked in its glory days.


One can only imagine the beautiful gardens in the spring. The original garden covered 26 acres.


You can get a bit of an idea from the postcard above.


Not so pretty in the winter! But next time we'll venture inside again to see the upstairs floor of Ventfort Hall.

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51 comments:

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Oh Jeanie, what a grand gilded cottage this is! I can imagine the tales the walls could tell! I'm amazed at the wealth that must accompany such a lifestyle. Thank you for showing it in your pretty photos. How nice to have the place to yourself!

Valerie-Jael said...

Now I could get used to a little cottage like this! Super place, thanks for sharing te photos, hugs, Valerie

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It staggers one to imagine the wealth people had to own places like this.

bobbie said...

Just a little cottage, eh?!?!!

***sigh***

PS ~ you are right ~ the detail on the piano shawl IS scrumptious!!!

Pam said...

What a cool place. I love those windows...

DUTA said...

I like the solid colors both inside and outside. I don't like the stairs.

William Kendall said...

Quite impressive!

The Shaw connection is a surprising one.

Susan Kane said...

An utterly beautiful place! I can also picture the music, dancing, people...

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Beautiful! A 55 room "cottage" with so much handcrafted ambiance makes you wonder, doesn't it, about wealth disparity. Glad it's open to the public. I remember the building from the Cider House Rules movie, one of my favorites.

Pam Richardson said...

What a lovely tour Jeanie. Those Gilded Age Mansions are something to see, it is hard to believe people lived so lavishly. Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Pamela said...

What a fabulous house and museum. And you had the place to yourself!

Antiques And Teacups said...

Would have loved to visit this house. Gorgeous. Love historic homes! So glad you shared with us!

Prims By The Water said...

Thanks for the tour. One can only imagine having that much money to built a home like this. Plus everything was larger than life in these magnificent mansions. Janice

Miss Val's Creations said...

A stunning mansion! It amazes me that people have homes like this that are their cottage. That woodwork and those ceilings are amazing. Those fireplaces are incredible. The old photo are fantastic to see. Thank you for showing us this beauty!

Mae Travels said...

Your photo compositions are really impressive! I just love the way you framed the architectural details. Fun post!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.om

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

This is really a lovely setting, and most impressive, but I fear it costs a bit more than I would be willing to pay and not have the chance to see the entire place. Your photos certainly captured the feel of the Gilded Age and the opulence of the place. Even the darker photos were exceptional. I've tried to photograph stained glass windows before and your photos are far better than any I've ever gotten.

Lisbeth said...

I love old houses and this looks absolutely lovely. One wonders how it would be to live in such a house. Big and deserted? Or they always filled it with guests? And servants of course. Wonderful building and gardens.

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, my goodness, seeing snow nearly gave me a ... ;-) Eww.
But, wow. High standard indeed! So many old houses here with high ceilings and many floors and no lifts.
When being fit that staircase there sure must be amazing.
Fireplaces. Yay (for the romance) nay (for the danger). For billiard - come visit us, if you like - Ingo has a keyboard that can fake a piano, too :-)
Looking forward to see and read of your next visit!

Carol said...

What a grand home! I was thinking of ballroom dances while I was reading your post and looking at those magnificent rooms.

La Table De Nana said...

My grandfather was a judge.He loved fine things.We have his chamber's quarters table..hutch..chairs..there were 16 we have 6..but it's Jacobean I am told and mahogany and features so many etails that hutch you love has.The lions heads..curves..I love it..hope it always stays in the family.Not modern or sleek so not sure;)

eileeninmd said...

Hello,


Wonderful tour of the grand mansion. the staircase is beautiful and I love the windows. Pretty fireplace and the piano shawl is lovely. Thanks for sharing your visit, wonderful photos. Wishing you a happy Memorial Day weekend!

shoreacres said...

The piano shawl and the stained glass are my favorite details. Otherwise? All I could think of was what it would take to maintain such a place. It's like owning a boat -- the cost of the boat itself is only the beginning. Here, it would take quite a staff just to keep the place polished and dusted!

Sandra said...

That sure looks like my summer cottage (if I had one:) Cough. Cough. Choke. Choke.
The fact that it had so many modern amenities is amazing.
I love going through historical homes.

Victoria Zigler said...

That's quite some "cottage" for sure!

Jenny Woolf said...

I go for these big pinnacled Victorian houses. What a place it must have been, and I'm so glad it has been preserved. I was reading someone's blog the other day in which he described an amazing house which had been razed for a Target! It would be really worth visiting. Look forward to another episode when you make it out there again.

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Jeanie, what a gorgeous place. Those old places always look so beautiful and the space is wonderful, but I wonder exactly how it was in real time before forced air heating? Still beautiful but it must have been uncomfortable at times trying to keep the occupants warm. Wouldn't it be fun to be able to go back for just one day?..Happy Weekend..xxoJudy

Bonnie said...

Nice adventure. Lovely home. Amazing woodwork.

Sally Wessely said...

This is truly a remarkable place. I’d love to go there.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Jeanie,
WOW, WOW and WOW!!!!! What an amazing place. As a lover of the Victorian Er, I would have been walking around with my mouth hanging open!!! Do they decorate it for Christmas?????Thanks so much for sharing!! I really enjoyed this post!!
Hugs,
Deb

My name is Erika. said...

I do a little catching up right now and glad I didn't miss this. I grew up in central Massachusetts but never knew about the Museum of the Gilded Age. It looks fascinating. And quite the home. I have never been to Lenox and it is one my must visit list. I am putting this on my want to visit places. Thanks for sharing Jeanie. Hugs-Erika

BeachGypsy said...

LOVED THE TOUR!! What an elegant and stately old mansion, I loved seeing the rooms and the furnishings. I just love old houses like this! The big old fireplaces and the gleaming floors and big tall ceilings...you can't help but wonder what it would've been like to live in something like that!? My favorite part is that GORGEOUS PIANO SHAWL....wow, that is so pretty!

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good morning Jeanie!!!!

It's been way too long since I've been to your blog and now that it's a calm Memorial day weekend, I can sit with you for a while!

I lived in Massachusetts for 11 years but never made it to the Berkshires, but I know it's quite the place to explore. What a beautiful home to see! Luckily, we have many of the Gilded Age treasures here in Minneapolis and St. Paul, so it's always wonderful to escape to another era through a tour. I hope you are well! Thanks for having visited my blog post a few days ago. Cheers!

The Liberty Belle said...

Very beautiful. I love your photographs. That piano shawl was the loveliest I have ever seen. Thank you for taking us on a visit through your pictures.

Carola Bartz said...

That's quite an impressive mansion. The staircase is fabulous!

Lowcarb team member said...

Such a grand looking place, I loved seeing all of your photographs - especially the stained glass and the piano shawl.

All the best Jan

Mary Rose's said...

Vent Fort -- from the French 'strong wind?'

Thanks for the snow. 10th day of record heat here and no end in sight.

Sketchbook Wandering said...

A lot of history there...a lovely photo essay...

At first sight, I thought of buildings here in Maine...Ah ha! New England...

Hena Tayeb said...

Oh wow look at all that woodwork and those beautiful ceilings.

Marilyn Miller said...

Gorgeous! I would love visiting here and maybe staying for a night or two. I couldn't help noticing the ceilings in several rooms and tables with flowers too. I remember the movie that was filmed there too. Grand and glorious for sure. I can imagine it is beautiful in every season.

Tracy said...

Wow...what a place! Museum of the Gilded Age--great name! To think this was a cottage... a cottage! haha... Stunning, simple stunning every bit of it. The wood makes the interior a bit dark, though. So much finery, goodness...And that piano shawl is just gorgeous! So interesting the Civil War link to the place. I do recall seeing the film Glory many years back. Must say I didn't know much about this place before, so glad you took us along, Jeanie! :) ((HUGS))

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

What a grand place. Hard to imagine having so much wealth that a place like that is your summer home! Insane! I haven't seen the movie Glory but now I want to check it out!

Sandra said...

The windows are just gorgeous aren't they?

Red Rose Alley said...

What a grand mansion! Look at all the woodwork, and that staircase! I love that cabinet with the silver tea set. The piano shawl is exquisite, and so lovely. I can imagine all the music being played and enjoyed right there. I'm glad you got a chance to visit and explore this charming place. So much history here as well.

Have a splendid week. : )

~Sheri

Anca said...

Gorgeous pictures! I love this post. It's very interesting for me to see the difference between US period homes and the ones from UK. At 55 rooms it is a cottage for our standards as well. The small stately home I volunteer at has 200 rooms (now houses a college, a museum, and a venue for events, after the last Earl died without issue).

Those dark panels were installed in the Victorian era? Well, mid 1800s. That's the time when many homes were renovated in UK and were given a darker look, a bit gothic.

Marie Rayner said...

Love these grand old homes. It is mindboggling to think that this was someone summer house. How very wealthy they must have been. Somewhat difficult to comprehend! I can only imagine how beautiful the grounds would be in the summer months. I am not sure I would want to live in a house like that however. Very dark and forboding. I am a lover of light. However I know that light is not kind to the preservation of things. Love that you are not afraid to go and do these things on your own! xoxo

Sami said...

Fabulous mansion Jeanie.
That shawl is magnificent and the stained glass windows are very pretty too.

thepaintedapron.com said...

What an incredible mansion, it transports you to another time and way of life, fascinating Jeanie!

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Thanks for your last visit, Jeanie. Kai is managing and I hope the insert works out..Happy Wednesday..Judy

The French Hutch said...

What an incredible tour of the past. If ever I get to visit this part of our country I would love to tour this area and this estate. Thanks for all the amazing photos that takes us back to a different time. This just blows me away. I am going to stroll through again.........

Jennifer Richardson said...

I remember this building from the movie! Oh how cool is that:)
I love wondering what the walls would say if they could talk....what stories they could tell.
Fascinating piece of history.
I'm grateful I was born in a different time:)
- Jennifer

Louca por porcelana said...

Wonderful pictures!

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