When you are in lower Manhattan and are visiting the Battery Park and/or Wall Street area don’t miss the Charging Bull statue by artist Arturo Di Modica. The artist created this piece of ‘guerrilla’ art after the Crash of 1987, when we were about to enter the depths of another major recession, one that went from the end of 1987 until the summer of 1995.
This interesting piece of New York history is actually a recent addition to the street art of New York City. The statue was created and cast in 1987 following the Crash and made its first appearance outside the New York Stock Exchange on December 15, 1989.
The bull according to the artist, “represents the symbol of the strength and power of the American people’ following the Crash. It has taken on many meanings since such as the power of Wall Street and the progressiveness of money and power in the Financial industry.
During the high tourist season expect to see the statue surrounded by tourist taking pictures in all directions. The statue of ‘Charging Bull’ is now paired with ‘Fearless Girl’ by artist Kristen Visbal. Some have commented that it has changed the meaning of the statue but I think it is how you interpret both works. Its best to visit and make your own opinion.
The ‘Charging Bull’ with ‘Fearless Girl’
While you are visiting the statue, take time to visit this historic section of Manhattan and visit the other sites that include Bowling Green Park, the Museum of the Native Americans, Frances Tavern and Stone Street as well as the boats to Governor’s, Ellis and Liberty Islands. It is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.
Please refer to my blog, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’- “Day One Hundred and Thirteen Tour of Historic Pubs and Bars in Lower Manhattan with the Cornell Club” for a full list of things to see in this section of the City.
History of Charging Bull:
Construction and installation:
The Bull by Bowling Green Park in the early morning hours.
The bull was cast by the Bedi-Makky Art Foundry in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Di Modica spent around $360,000 to create, cast and install the sculpture following the 1987 stock market crash as a symbol of the ‘strength and power of the American people’. The sculpture was Di Modica’s idea and in an act of ‘guerrilla art’, Bedi Makky Art Foundry and Di Modica trucked it to Lower Manhattan. On December 15, 1989, they installed it beneath a 60 foot (18m) Christmas tree in the middle of Broad Street in front of the New York Stock Exchange as a Christmas gift to New Yorkers. That day, hundreds of onlookers stopped to admire and analyze it as Di Modica handed out copies of a flier about his artwork (Wiki).
NYSE officials called the police later that day and the NYPD seized the sculpture and placed it into a impound lot. The ensuing public outcry led the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to reinstall it two blocks south of the Exchange in the Bowling Green, with a ceremony on December 21, 1989. It faces up Broadway at Whitehall Street (Wiki).
Confusion over ownership:
The sculpture technically has a temporary permit allowing it to stand on city property since the city does not own the sculpture but the temporary permission has lasted since 1989, when city officials said the new location would not be permanent. Art on loan is usually limited to a year’s display and although the city does not buy art, it does accept donations. A writer in the New York Daily News wrote in 1998 that the statue’s placement was ‘beginning to look a mite permanent.’ According to an article in Art Monthly, Di Modica as well as officials and New Yorkers, ‘view it as a permanent feature of Lower Manhattan (Wiki).
In 2004, Di Modica announced that the bull sculpture was for sale, on condition the buyer does not move it from its present location. Di Modica continues to own the artistic copyright to the statue. In 2006, Di Modica sued Walmart and other companies for illegally benefiting from his copyright, by selling replicas of the bull and using it in advertising campaigns. In 2009, Di Modica sued Random House for using a photo of the bull on the cover of a book discussing the collapse of financial services firm Lehman Brothers (Wiki).
Arturo Di Modica first conceived of the Charging Bull as a way to celebrate the can-do spirit of America and especially New York, where people from all over the world come regardless of their origin or circumstances and through determination and hard work overcome every obstacle to become successful. It’s this symbol of virility and courage that Arturo saw as the perfect antidote to the Wall Street Crash of 1987.
The artist was born in Vittoria, Italy in 1941 and studied at the Academia Del Nudo Libra in Florence, Italy in 1960. In 1973, he relocated to New York City to a Lower Manhattan space. ‘Charging Bull’ is his most famous piece (Artnet).
Bowling Green Park on the first day of summer 2024
I visited this wonderful park for my walking project, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com-Day 113-Walking the Historical Bars & Pubs of New York City’.
The entrance to the park.
This is one of the most fascinating parks in New York City and probably one the most historical in the shaping of the United States. Located on the grounds of the original Dutch settlement, this tiny park placed an important role in the confrontation of the Loyalist versus the Patriots when deciding who to support during the Revolutionary War.
The toppling of the King George Statue was the beginning of a new Republic. Along the historic fence which has been standing in the park since the late 1700’s are the markings where the tiny crowns were sawed off by the Patriots in defiance to the Crown.
The toppling of the statute of King George (parts of the statue are at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA-read my blog on this.)
The exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia on the King George Statue
Now it is a resting spot for tired tourists off the boats from Ellis and Liberty Islands and for Wall Street workers who need a nice place to eat their lunch. It is still a relaxing little park with tree lined paths and a beautifully landscaped fountain area. In the later summer, the flowers are still in bloom and the colorful highlights of the trees accent all sides of the park and keep it private. Even in this secrete setting it is mind boggling of the fact that people put their lives on the line to establish this country right from this tiny park.
Map of Lower Manhattan
Take time to walk through the cool paths of trees to the edges of the park, which are lines with historic buildings with decorative stone work and look at the beautiful statuary work on the old U.S. Custom House that now serves as the Museum of the American Indian. Take a quick tour of Stone Street just a few blocks away and see the development of the New York City after the Great Fire of 1823, which destroyed most of lower Manhattan.
Just at the tip of the norther part of the park is the famous statue of ‘Charging Bull’ a gift to the City by artist Arturo Di Modica to show the ‘strength of the American people’ and the now becoming famous statue of “Fearless Girl” by artist Kristen Visbal which was erected for International Women’s Day. Both statues have created quite the debate since they were both placed here in 1989 and 2017 and their fate is up to the City.
Take time to really see what all these symbols mean to the Bowling Green.
History of the Park:
The beauty of Bowling Green Park in the early morning hours.
The Bowling Green is New York City’s oldest park. According to tradition, this spot served as the council ground for Native American tribes and was the site of the legendary sale of Manhattan to Peter Minuit in 1626. The Dutch called the area “the Plain” and used it for several purposes including a parade ground, meeting place and cattle market. It marked the beginning of Heere Staat (High Street, now Broadway), a trade route which extended north through Manhattan and the Bronx. In 1686, the site was designated as public property, when the City Charter put all ‘waste, vacant, unpatented and unappropriated lands’ under municipal domain (NYC Parks.org).
The historic marker for the park.
Bowling Green was first designated as a park in 1733, when it was offered for rent at the cost of one peppercorn per year. Lessees John Chambers, Peter Bayard and Peter Jay were responsible for improving the site with grass, trees and a wood fence “for the Beauty & Ornament of the Said Street as well as for the Recreation & delight of the Inhabitants of this City.”
A gilded lead statue of King George III was erected here in 1770 and the iron fence (now a New York City landmark) was installed in 1771. On July 9, 1776, after the first public reading in New York State of the Declaration of Independence, this monument was toppled by angry citizens who dragged it up Broadway, sent it Connecticut, melted it down and recast it as ammunition.
The exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia:
The pieces of the statue are on display at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia
The pieces of the statue
Portions of the statue are held by the Museum of the City of New York and the New York Historical Society (which also possesses musket balls made from the statue’s head) (NYC Parks.org).
The park with the buildings in the background.
By the late 18th Century, Bowling Green was the center of New York’s most fashionable residential district, surrounded by rows of Federal-style townhouses. In 1819, the Common Council that neighbors could plant and tend the area in return for the exclusive use of the park by their families. By mid-century, shipping offices inhabited the old townhouses and the park was returned to more public use. Monuments installed in the park in the 19th century include two fountains (now gone) and a statue of New York’s early Mayor and later colonial Supreme Court Judge Abraham DePeyster (1896, by artist George Bissell). DePeyster was moved to nearby Hanover Square in 1976 and finally to Thomas Paine Park in 2014 (NYC Parks.org).
Bowling Green Park Spring 2024
Bowling Green Park Spring 2024.
In the first decade of the 20th Century, Bowling Green was disrupted by the construction of the IRT subway. The park was rebuilt as part of citywide improvements made in preparation for visitors to the 1939 World’s Fair. Renovations to Bowling Green included removing the fountain basin, relocating the interior walkways, installing new benches and providing new plantings. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, members of the Board of Estimate and local businessmen participated in the rededication ceremony held on April 6, 1939. Despite unseasonable late snow, the ceremony included a demonstration of colonial era lawn bowling (NYC Parks.org).
The tulips at Bowling Green Park in Spring 2024.
A 1976-77 capital investment restored Bowling Green to its 18th century appearance. Improvements included the redistribution of subway entrances, the installation of new lampposts and benches and landscaping. Publisher and philanthropist George Delacourte (best known for the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park) donated the park’s central fountain (NYC Parks.org).
The Spring time flowers at the Bowling Green Park.
Since December of 1989, the statue of Charging Bull (1987-89) has been on display at the north end of the park. Its sculptor, Arturo Di Modica, says the three ton and a half bronze statue represents “the strength, power and hope of the American people for the future.” It has been linked to the property enjoyed by Wall Street in the past decade.
The park in the Summer of 2025
In 2004, the reconstruction of the park included new perimeter bluestones sidewalks and interior paths, landscaping, plantings and the re-sodding of the lawn. Antique-style gas lamps and hoof benches were also placed in the park with the addition of a new irrigation system for the parks fountain (New York Parks.org).
The “Charging Bull” sculpture.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the New York City Parks.org site and I given them full credit for it. This is one of the special parks of the City so take some time to visit it while on your way to one of the other tourist sites or to Liberty Island or Ellis Island.
Hours: There are free house tours at 10:30am, 12:00pm and 1:30pm on Mondays only. Check their website for availability. This is one of the few rare treats of New York if you can snare one of the tours of Gracie Mansion. It is a really interesting tour of the first floor rooms and entrance to the gardens of this historic home and the Mayor of New York City’s residence.
This was really a wonderful tour of the mansion given by a woman who has been a docent for twenty years and has seen the changes of the administrations. We went room by room and discussed how the Gracie’s then the Wheaton’s and the other families who lived here use the house until Robert Moses, the great City Planner, decided this should become the Mayor’s residence.
The front of the mansion at the start of the tour in the Summer of 2025
The formal gardens in front of the house in full bloom
The formal gardens to the side of the house near the parking lot
We started the tour on the front porch of the old Gracie Mansion
The tour consists of the first floor only and you can not take pictures inside with the exception of the Wagner Ballroom. We saw the formal entrance, the Living Room, Library, Dining Room and then the hallway leading to the front of the house to the Susan Wagner Ballroom, the newest extension of the house (the front section is the original section of the home built during the Gracie period).
The front rooms you are not allowed to take pictures so as you tour the Living Room, the Dining Room and Parlor rooms, you can not take pictures. When we left the older section of the home and entered the hallway to the Susan Wagner Ballroom added in the Wagner Administration, then you could take pictures in this room only (outside the gardens).
The inside of the Susan Wagner Ballroom
The Chandelier in the ballroom was from an old mansion downtown
The Bayard Fireplace from the Bayard Mansion once located in lower Manhattan
The Wagner Ballroom details
History of the Mansion and Gracie Family:
Gracie Mansion, built in 1799 by shipping merchant Archibald Gracie, is the last of the elegant county estates that once lined Manhattan’s East River shore. Gracie hosted elegant dinner parties at his country estate for visitors including Alexander Hamilton, Rufus King, Joseph Bonaparte and Washington Irving.
Major losses during the years after the War of 1812 forced Gracie to sell his estate in 1823 to Joseph Foulke. In 1857, the Mansion was bought by Noah Wheaton. After Wheaton’s death in 1896, the City of New York appropriated the estate, incorporating ts 11 acres of grounds into the surrounding park that was renamed Carl Schurz Park in 1910.
After years as a comfort station and ice cream stand, Gracie Mansion became the first home of the Museum of the City of New York. When the museum moved to a larger building, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses convinced City Authorities to designate the Mansion as the official residence of the Mayor. In 1942, Fiorello H. La Guardia moved into Gracie Mansion.
In 1966, the Mansion was enlarged with the construction of the Susan E. Wagner Wing, which includes a ballroom and two additional rooms. Under the guidance of the Gracie Mansion Conservatory, major restorations to the Mansion were undertaken between 1981 and 1984 and in 2002.
The 2002 restoration transformed Gracie Mansion into the “People’s House” and increased accessibility to the public and City agencies. First Lady Rosalyn Carter and South African President Nelson Mandela are among the many notable visitors.
Gracie Mansion at the turn of the last century
Gracie Mansion is owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, operated by the Gracie Mansion Conservatory and is a member of the Historic House Trust.
(Gracie Mansion Pamphlet)
Gracie Mansion Conservatory:
After years of neglect and continual erosion of any trace of history, Mayor Edward I. Koch and founding Chair Joan K. Davison, established the Gracie Mansion Conservatory in 1981. as a public./private partnership.. Under its guidance, the first major restoration of the house was undertaken between 1981 and 1984. Besides creating a connection between the original house and the Wagner Wing, this effort included the display of art, furniture and decorative objects either purchased or more often, lent by the City’s many cultural institutions. The Charter mandate of the Conservatory was not to seal the residence in the past (especially as there is no record of how it originally appeared inside) but to protect its history while accommodating change and progress by successive generations of New Yorkers.
The Gracie Mansion Conservatory continues to operate as a charitable organization dedicated to enhancing and enlivening its namesake. Its mission is to preserve and honor Gracie Mansion’s Federal Period origins while also making sure it remains as forward-looking and welcoming as the city it serves. An increasing share of this work focuses on exploring the many different people and cultures whose contributions to Gracie Mansion and the New York at large gone unrecognized for far too long. The Conservatory also works to improve the surrounding landscape and gardens and provide public programming and educational services, including publications and tours for local school students, especially those studying in New York State’s 7th grade social studies curriculum.
(Gracie Mansion Conservatory pamphlet)
Disclaimer: This information was taken from the Gracie Mansion Conservatory pamphlet press kit given on my tour and I give the Conservatory full credit for it. Please check the website for tour information or call them to find out about group tours.
Hours: Open Thursday-Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm (the last tour is at 4:00pm)/Open Monday Holidays from April 19th to October 28th. The mansion then closes to prepare for the holiday season. Closed on Thanksgiving and Easter. There are special programs from January to April so please see the website.
Admission: $8.00 for adults/$6.00 for groups and Seniors/Children under 12 are free. Special events have separate fees and can run from $8.00 to $10.00 and above.
I have been a Friend of the Mills Mansion for about five years and have attended many special events at the mansion including their Afternoon Tea & Lectures, the Annual Meeting and Talk, The Holiday Party and the Isadora Duncan Dance and Reception. Their events are a lot of fun and are very engaging. It also includes a tour of the mansion which is very interesting. Try to get on one of their theme tours.
The Friends of Mills Mansion Meeting on April 2019
Their Special Events:
I recently attended their Summer fundraiser “Sunset on the Terrace”, an evening of cocktails, appetizers and music. On a beautiful sunny evening, there is nothing like it. We were entertained by the Perry Beekman Trio with an assortment of jazz music while passed hot and cold appetizers were passed around the room. It is a relaxing night of light food and cocktails and wine while chatting with members as the sun sets on the mansion’s terrace. Now I know why the Mills loved this house so much.
Another event I have attended over the past few years has been their “Christmas Cocktail Party” that is held in the formal dining room which is decorated for a Victorian Christmas.
Mill’s Mansion at the holidays is spectacular
What is nice is that everyone is dressed in suits or tuxes for the evening and like its Summer counterpart, it is a evening of light appetizers both passed and on the tables, light desserts and an assortment of wines from a local vineyard.
The Mills Mansion Holiday Party in 2018
The “Winter Lectures & Teas” have gotten more interesting over the years. The tables are laden with tea sandwiches, scones and small cakes and the Staatsburg blend of tea. They are always refilling everything for you and I have seen some big eaters at the table. The lectures this year were on various subjects taking place during the Victorian era that included “Bicycling and the Women’s Movement”, “Masquerade Balls during the Season” and “Etiquette & Calling Cards during a Social Visit” by visiting lecturers from colleges or local historians.
I have been a Friend of the Mills Mansion now for about four years finding that I was going to a lot of their events it just made it easier to join and get priority on their special events which are enjoyable. The ‘Halloween Tea’ was one of them the opened the holiday season.
The slide show as we were about to begin the lecture
The table set for the Halloween Tea
The guests arriving for the Halloween Afternoon Tea
The friendly witches getting ready to greet guests
This event was a tea and lecture of how the Victorians recreated Halloween from a dark more countryside evening wrapped in mystery to an engaging urban event with costumes, specialty foods and traditional events like apple bobbing that guests then made their own. Local Historian Carol Kohan discussed how the event went from a dark rural event to fun and engaging holiday.
The celebration was spooky and fun
From the old traditions to new ones
The Victorian’s made everything elaborate and overdone and the Halloween celebrations were ‘taken up a notch’ with elaborate costumes, parties, bonfires and desserts and candies that were to be served. There were special invitations and cards that were to sent and rules of etiquette.
The Ghosts and Ghouls of the holidays
Following the Civil War and at a time when disease was not understood the way it is now, there was an interest in spiritualism and seances were in vague as people want to reach out to their loved ones. So having a medium at a party was part of the activity. The Victorians knew how to transform a holiday.
The Menu for the afternoon
Our tables numbers on the table
During the discussion, we enjoyed an afternoon tea of the specialty Staatsburg Tea blend, a variety of finger sandwiches, pumpkin and cranberry scones and many types of pastries including mini pumpkin cheesecakes, tiny devil’s food cupcakes and assorted sweet cookies. The caterer always does a nice job with the food and service here.
The food at these function are excellent and plentiful. These were the current and raison scones
The Assorted delicious Tea Sandwiches
Sweets and cakes Afternoon tea here is wonderful
The estate in the Fall of 2024
The estate during the Fall of 2024
The last lecture I went to before things shut down in February 2020 was on “Masquerade Balls of the Gilded Age” which was very interesting. The enormous amount of money that was spent on a one night affair is almost mind boggling. The Vanderbilt Ball alone cost almost three million dollars in today’s money.
These were not just social occasions but a change to show off your wealth and creativity. It was what money could buy back then before the coming of personal and income tax and the Great Depression. The speaker discussed the food and the music and the fact the home was filled with flowers out of season.
The Famous Vanderbilt Ball
She discussed how the balls were created during Roman times in Venice for the start of Carnival (Mardi Gras was the next week) and how they developed during the Renaissance. She then discussed how they played a role in High Society during the Gilded Age and they were considered a little risque at the time. It was a very interesting discussion. As usual, the tea and cakes were delicious and they did a nice job decorating the room.
Hostess Alva Vanderbilt at her famous Ball
The Masked Cocktail Party for Christmas 2022 fundraiser:
The mansion ready for a Christmas party
The Mills Mansion, Staatsburgh, was decked out for the holidays on the night of December 9th, 2022 for a private fundraiser to raise money to replace the curtains in the library on top of other repairs at the mansion. This sold out event was packed the whole evening and was attending by over a 100 people who spilled over into the library and foyer.
Entering the party through the decorated foyer lead to the festivities as it would have during the Gilded Age
The Christmas Tree in the foyer was amazing
There was an open bar with wines and spirits plus water and non-alcoholic choices, passed appetizers with items like gourmet cheese spreads, chicken on a skewer and Christmas cookies. The band was wonderful and played all sorts of contemporary hits as well as Christmas music.
Everyone dressed for the Mills Mansion Ball-The Masquerade Cocktail Party Fundraiser December 9th, 2022
The three main rooms on the top floor were decorated to the hilt for the party
The main dining room was decorated with the theme of masks
People were in a festive mood
The Dining Room table was the focal point of the room
People gathered all over the Dining Room for the event
There was an air of mystery in the Dining Room with everyone wearing masks
The lead singer of the band had the most beautiful 1920’s star outfit
People enjoying themselves in the Dining Room
The Dining Room was packed at the height of the evening
The Band was excellent
The mask decorations were amazing
The party continued in the Library which was also decorated for the holidays
The Library Christmas tree was ablaze the evening of the party
I was only at the party for about an hour but I had a really nice time and I needed it. I had to get my mind off school and with the few drinks and lively conversation mixed with wonderful food, it was an enchanting evening. It was so nice to see people all dressed up again and very age appropriate to the time period. I felt like I had been carried back to the mid-1920’s.
I was also nice to tour the mansion in such a lively time of the day. People were having such a good time.
Visiting the Mansion at the Christmas Holidays:
Don’t miss visiting the Mills Mansion during the Christmas holidays. The house is decked out for a Victorian Christmas even though the Mills did not spend much time at the mansion during the holiday season preferring to live in their New York mansion during the holiday social season.
The holidays are a sumptuous display of the beauty of the Christmas season and a way of showcasing all the nooks and crannies of the house. It showed how Victorians may have enjoyed the holiday season.
The Mills Mansion foyer Christmas tree in December 2022
The foyer was adorned with flowers and garland as you entered the home
The Mills daughter and grandson
The family portrait gallery
The Reception Room between the Foyer and the Dining Room
The Dining Room:
Masks were the theme in December 2022
Masks adorned the Dining Room for Christmas
Still the house is decked out every year with different decorations and the formal dining room has just had the ceiling repaired and new velvet curtains put on the windows. The foyer steps of the older part of the mansion have been repaired with new curtains and rugs as well. Don’t miss seeing the tree in the foyer.
The volunteers are all on staff to answer any questions so feel free to ask about how the Mills entertained and lived in this era. The mansion is so beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The Mills Mansion dining room at Christmas in December 2022
The Dining Room was designed for a Masquerade Ball theme in December 2022
The Butler’s Pantry off the Dining Room for the holidays in December 2022
Still the house is decked out every year with different decorations and the formal dining room has just had the ceiling repaired and new velvet curtains put on the windows. The foyer steps of the older part of the mansion have been repaired with new curtains and rugs as well.
The Library:
The Mills Mansion Library at Christmas in December 2022
The Christmas tree in the library is very elegant
Family portraits in the Library
Down the hall from the Dining Room and the Library are the bedrooms of the hosts of the house, Ruth and Ogden Mills. These elegant bedrooms shared a modern day bathroom.
Ruth’s Private Office:
Ruth conducted her business from her private office. Her portrait sits proudly in the room.
The Bedrooms and Personal Family Space:
Ogden Mills bedroom on the first floor
The modern bathroom at the Mills Mansion
Ruth Mills grand bedroom
The staircase was fully decorated for the holidays as well with garlands and trees
The landing of the staircase to the first floor
The decorated staircase
The mansion’s beautiful gift shop is located at the bottom of the stairs.
In 2020 and 2021: (During COVID)
With the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak affecting cultural sites all over the United States, New York State has enacted Phase 4 of reopening with the exception of opening museums, restaurants and bars for business so they all have to take it “outside”. That Staatsburg site is no different as the inside of the mansion has remained closed.
That leads to new creativity and ideas of how to show off the mansion and it’s grounds true beauty. The State Park site has now created two different programs for the Summer months, the ‘Landscape Tour’ of the mansion’s former ice house, greenhouse, boat house and walking paths and the ‘Programs on the Portico’, lectures of the mansion’s past starting with a lecture of “Staatsburg’s Servants”.
In 2020, 2021 and 2024 The Landscape Tour:
The mansion in the summer of 2024
The Landscape tour of the property was very interesting as our group strolled through the grounds first to the site of the old ‘icehouse’ by the river, where ice was cut in the wintertime and used for the ‘ice boxes’ in the home which was those days ‘modern refrigeration’. We also visited the site of the ‘boat house’ where water sports by the river started the day and the yachts that used to flow up and down the Hudson River.
The back of the mansion was our first stop of the tour
The extensive back lawn overlooking the Hudson River
The views of the Hudson River on the tour
Views of the lawn by the Hudson River
The views through the trees hide all the buildings on the estate grounds
Taking the pathways to the river front
The pathway to the Ice House and Boat House
The walk by the Hudson River where the old Boat House was located
The Hudson River edge by path where ice was harvested
The woods by the Hudson River
The view of the Hudson River by the old Ice House
We next visited the site of the old Carriage Houses that are now in ruin in the back of the estate. These are overgrown and in need of repair but still show their beauty through these ruins.
The old stables are now ruins on the estate
The garages in ruin in the back of the estate
The site of the stables is now an overgrown woods but once lead to bridle paths around the estate.
Our next stop on the tour were the sites of the old greenhouses that used to supply flowers for the mansion and fruits and vegetables for the kitchen. They disappeared over fifty years ago during WWII when the materials were needed for the war effort. They were never rebuilt. The tour is about 90 minutes.
The site of the old greenhouses of the estate
We ended the tour on the back lawn of the estate, admiring the views of the house and of the river. The views of the lighthouses in the river were just spectacular.
The view of the lighthouse in the distance
The view of the full lawn at the Mills Mansion after the tour
The ‘Programs on the Portico’ lectures started with the theme “Staatsburg’s Servants” later in the afternoon. These 3:00pm lectures on the ‘front porch’ of the mansion are socially distanced and under cool shade.
The front portico of the mansion was used for the Lectures series during the COVID years
The lecture was on items that the servants would use when the family was ‘in residence’ in the warmer months and how they would be used day to day. Items like a hand-cranked ice cream maker and a scoop for desserts, a bottle closer for beverages, a rug cleaner and a meat press for meals were just some of the items displayed and discussed. It was explained how the house would go through a deep cleaning when the family was away and when they were ‘at home’ how the house would be cleaned around them.
The ‘Lectures on the Portico’ series:
On a recent “Lecture on the Portico”, the topic of the “Titanic” was discussed. It seems that Mr. And Mrs. Mills had tickets on the return voyage to Europe from New York. They lost many friends and family members like J.J. Astor on the sinking of the ship. Our lecturer talked about what you would wear, you would eat and how you would dine on the ship and all the protocols of behavior. Between the sinking of the ship and WWI this ended the “Gilded Age” and ushered in the “Jazz Age” after the war was over. All of the these lectures and tours are free.
Exploring the Village of Staatsburgh:
Another tour I was on recently was the “Exploring the Village of Staatsburgh” tour where a small group of us toured the Village of Staatsburgh where the mansion was located and learn about the history of the town. It was taken from the perspective of how the mansion was dependent on it and the town benefited from the Mills family and the people that worked there.
The ‘Walking Tour of Staatsburgh’ is a semi-circle tour of this old hamlet whose fate was changed by the development of the mansions in the late 19th Century, the advent of WWI and WWII and then the coming of the modern era with new highways and less industry which has now created the sleepy village the town has become. Times progress.
We met at the Staatsburgh Library which was a old church at one time.
The beautiful neighborhood gardens by the library.
We visit the homes of the people who lived there like the Head Housekeeper, the Estate Manager and Butler and the footman. It was interesting to see how these people lived when they were not working.
The homes in Staatsburgh were beautifully decorated for the holidays
We learned how the town was created, how the businesses like the railroad and the ice manufacturing businesses were developed and how they grew. We learned a how the town was much more developed before WWII and the effects of the development of Route 9 bypassing the town changed it.
The Stained-glass windows at St. Margaret’s Church were dedicated to members of the Livingston family.
The Stained glass windows at St. Margaret’s Church
The Stained glass windows at St. Margaret’s Church
The back stained glass windows
St, Margaret’s at Christmas time in 2022
The start of the tour after leaving St. Margaret’s Church
We toured through the neighborhood, admiring residents gardens and having discussions on the older homes and buildings in the neighborhood and their significance with the Mills Mansion. A lot of the servants lived in town and built their homes here.
The stone gardens and colorful flowers in the neighborhood
The neighborhood gardens
The green lawns and the golf course in the distance
The gardens of the village
The gardens at the beginning of the tour
A former garage for the parish and former firehouse storage
The view from the top of the road
The fields in Staatsburgh
The former Mills Gardener Home in Staatsburgh
The Telephone Company house and the Handmaid’s home
One of the beautiful Victorian homes in Staatsburgh
The Bath House
The Spite House: the house to stop the road from going through the neighborhood. No one really knew the story of why this happened
The Spite House up close
The Mill’s Mansion Head Housekeeper’s House
The Housekeeper’s Barn with symbol
The Catholic Church in Staatsburgh
The local doctor’s house
The Plan House which were made by premade plans from companies
The River & Post Restaurant was originally a hotel for the Town of Staatsburgh and where Mrs. Mills French chefs stayed when they were working in the mansion
We then entered what was once a thriving business district for the town. Since the railroads closed, Route 9 bypassed the town and industry slowed in this hamlet, this area has become more residential and quiet.
The former pub that is now a residential home. This used to cater to people getting off the train
The house across from the old train station and their beautiful gardens
The houses magnificent gardens in full bloom
The old Methodist Church ‘downtown’
When we were on the tour, we saw how the town progressed from being dependent on the mansions and estates to how businesses like ice harvesting became prominent in the area up until the 1950’s. Our last stop was the old Hughes Department store in the old downtown area which is now a sail store for boating.
The former Hughes Department Store which is at the end of the tour.
The old Hughes Family home right down the road from their store.
We finished the tour in front of the old Hughes family mansion which faces the old downtown. Obviously Mr. Hughes built his home here to make a statement and be able to walk to work.
Back to the starting point at St. Margaret’s Church
The Horse and Dog Fountain that was dedicated to a member of the community that is now used as a planter
The historic state markers on the Albany Post Road were saved by Franklin Delano Roosevelt and were used for mileage and postage along the old highway during Victorian times.
The tour is about an hour and on a sunny I highly recommend it.
Special Members Night with the duo “Acute Inflections”:
As a member, we also had a recent concert on the portico to hear the duo “Acute Inflections” perform on the lawn. We all stayed socially distanced on the lawn but still the concert was nice, and this is what being a member of the Friends group is all about. These small events make a big difference.
The duo “Acute Reflections” performed that day
“Acute Reflections” performing
The “Estates of Staatsburgh Tour”:
Another recent tour I took at the Mills Mansion was the “Estates of Staatsburgh” tour where we visited the abandoned estates of the Lee and the Hoyt families. The Hoyt’s were distant relatives of Ruth Livingston, and their mansion still stands up on a buff in the woods overlooking the Hudson River. The family lived there until the 1960’s when the land and home were sold to the State of New York to create the park.
The abandoned Hoyt Estate will soon be a Visitors Center for the Park
The Lee Mansion burned down in the late 1950’s and all that is left of their estate if the old icehouse, which is the size of a regular home. Most of these old estates we came to find out were self-sufficient with agriculture and light manufacturing.
The Hoyt Mansion in its heyday
We got to see all the back trails to these old estates and the old driveways that once led to them. They have been abandoned since the 1960’s and have almost a spooky appearance of being lost in time. With the foliage in the background, it gave them a Halloween appearance. The tour was very interesting how the Gilded Age didn’t last too long when modern times came into play with income tax.
The filled in decorative pond is one of the things left of the Lee Estate.
The old Horse trough near St. Margaret’s Church
The “First Day Hike Tour” (COVID event):
To ring in 2021, the park had their “First Day Hike tour, ‘Staatsburgh in Winter”. There were two walking tours around the estate. One entitled “Staatsburgh in Winter” which discussed the wintertime fun at the turn of the century and the activities the Mills family enjoyed when they were at the estate in winter months. It seems that Ruth Mills was quite an accomplished figure skater. The family also owned an ice yacht, “The Beatrice” that they rode on the frozen river.
The Mills Mansion New Year’s Day Walking Tours-Me with the dark jacket and white mask
The second tour we took later that afternoon was “When Ice came from the river: Ice Harvesting in the Gilded Age”. We toured the river and the cove areas of the estate and discussed the ice block harvesting business that Mr. Mill’s had on the river. The family ice house could hold 500 tons of ice that was sold down in New York City. It was interesting to see how the process of clearing the snow and cutting the ice into blocks served as refrigeration for thousands of residents before refrigerators came into use.
Both tours our groups walked the back of the estate and the river front along the Hudson River. The tour guide had a long conversation on how the river was used during the Winter and that life continued in a productive way even after the holidays were over. It was a great way to spend the first day of the New Year. The park continues to amaze me in their adaption on running events during the COVID era.
In 2021, the mansion had been opened for the Christmas tours, but I was not able to attend. There was not that much time to run back and forth to the Hudson River Valley but in February 2022 the mansion finally resumed inside tours of the first floor of the mansion to the public.
The mansion looked like it had gone through a deep cleaning as everything looked shiny and new. It would have made Mrs. Mills proud. I was lucky to come up to Staatsburgh during the ‘Spring Thaw’ and it was 56 degrees out so I could enjoy the grounds as well. I learned some new things about how the Butler’s Pantry worked, and we were able to see the ice chests and china and silver that the family used for service. I swear I learn new things on each tour I take here.
The Annual Friends Meeting in April:
Our Annual Friends April Meeting in 2023 was a nice time. The Executive Board held the meeting in the Mills Dining Room with all the gilded fixtures as a backdrop. Our President of the Friends, Diane Tompkins gave the report of the successful year we had last year with record breaking attendance. I guess the the show “The Gilded Age” has been helping a lot. A lot of these Upstate mansions are getting a lot of attention now.
Friends President Diane Tompkins giving the report of the organization
It seems that the gift shop is really doing well and is also exceeding its numbers so things have been going well in post-COVID. Both the site director and the Friends Treasurer said we are exceeding our numbers on both attendance, membership and profits in the gift shop will be helping fund restoration projects in the mansion.
After the meeting, we had a light reception both in the Dining Room and on the terrace right off the main Dining Room. What a night! Sunny, warm and clear. It was such a beautiful evening with views of the Hudson River in the background and Spring buds popping all over the estate.
The reception on the terrace of the Mills Mansion
The grounds of the Mills Estate from the terrace
The Hudson River from the terrace
The sun setting over the Hudson River as the reception drew to a close
It was a really nice meeting and reception for the members. I can see that everyone was glad that after COVID that we were able to bounce back and start to exceed after such a rough time.
The “Evening Hours Tour of Decorated Staatsburgh”:
In 2023, the mansion was decorated to the hilt for the Christmas holiday season. Even though in real life, the family would have been in New York City for the Christmas and Winter season, the house was decorated with each room having its own decorations and trees.
According some of the grandchildren, the mansion was open for the Christmas holiday season and the family celebrated the holidays. I visited the mansion during the “Evening Hours” event where the mansion was open for a self-guided tour of the house and you could see the decorations at your own pace. There was music performed by the Hyde Park String Quartet in the formal Dining Room.
Staatsburgh (The Mills Mansion) when I arrived for the tour in 2023.
I toured the house with a group of visitors who had never seen the mansion before so there was a lot of interest in the history of the home and the people that lived there. Ever since the “Gilded Age” came out, the interest in these homes has increased and this evening event was sold out. Since I am a member, I was able to sneak into the first self-guided tour at 6:00pm.
The stairs to the second floor of the Mills Mansion.
The first stop was in the Library where it was reported that the family did have a Christmas tree for a Christmas celebration in the house.
The Christmas tree in the Library.
The Library
The painting of General Montgomery in the Library.
I moved onto the main Hallway and entrance to the mansion which was the original part of the house. This was until Ruth Livingston Mills expanded the house in the late 1800’s to its present size.
The main Foyer of the mansion in the front of the house with the Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree in the Main entrance of the mansion.
The fireplace in the foyer/hallway with a picture of Ruth Mill’s mother.
Ogden Mill’s portrait in the foyer.
Another display in the foyer leading to the Dining Room.
The front and back parlor of the old part of the mansion was used as a Living Room for Ladies to relax while their husbands stayed in the Dining Room to talk and smoke.
The Holding Room decorated for the holidays. This is where guests would wait to come in for dinner.
The Hyde Park Quartet was playing the night of the “Evening Hours” at the Mills Mansion.
The Dining Room table set for a feast.
The Tapestry on display on the wall.
The other angle of the Dining Room table.
The fireplace in the Dining Room.
The Dining Room could not work without the Kitchen and the Butler Pantry to supply the Dining Room with the things that it needs.
The Butler’s Pantry with all the holiday dishes prepared for the Dining Room.
The Dumbwaiter from the lower level kitchen.
The China and Silver for the Dining Room along with the desserts that would be served at the end of the holiday feast.
Once I left the Dining Room, we toured the back of the first floor where Ruth Mills had her office and both her and Ogden’s bedrooms.
Ruth’s office where she would run the estate. The dollhouse displayed in the office was very detailed. After that, I visited Ruth’s bedroom which was fit for a Queen. Ogden’s was right next door as was Victorian tradition that the couple had separate rooms. They had three children so there was no problem in that department.
Ruth’s bedroom
Ruth’s Bedroom
Once I visited the upstairs bedrooms, I visited the gift shop on my way out. The whole tour took about an hour to see all the decorations. The volunteers had done a wonderful job with the decorations of the house and it was nice to see them especially the Dining Room.
When I left in the evening, the house was ablaze with light and looked festive from the outside.
All of these can be seen on the organization’s website.
It was another great tour in 2023.
History of the Mansion:
(From the museum website)
In 1792, Morgan Lewis, the third Governor of New York, purchased an estate covering of about 334 acres and commissioned the construction of a colonial-style house on the site of the present mansion. In 1832, the first house was destroyed by fire, said to be the act of arson committed by disgruntled tenant farmers.
The current home, originally built in 1832 and greatly expanded in the 1890’s, the Mills Mansion (also known as Staatsburgh) is emblematic of the great country estates built in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to house America’s wealthiest families.
Staatsburgh is a New York State Historic Site located within the boutonnieres of Mills-Norrie State Park. It is an elegant example of the great estates built by America’s financial and industrial leaders during the Gilded Age.
A 25 room Greek Revival structure was built on the site in 1832 by Morgan Lewis and his wife, Gertrude Livingston, replacing an earlier house that had burned down. This second house was inherited by Ruth Livingston Mills, wife of noted financier and philanthropist Ogden Mills.
In 1895, Mr. and Mrs. Mills commissioned the prestigious New York City architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White to remodel and enlarge their Staatsburgh home. After the completion in 1896, the house was transformed into a Beaux-Arts mansion of 65 rooms and 14 bathrooms. Its exterior was embellished with balustrades, pilasters, floral swags and a massive portico. The rooms were furnished with elaborately carved and gilded furniture, fine oriental rugs, silk fabrics and a collection of art objects from Europe, ancient Greece and the Far East.
In 1938, the house and 192 acres were given to the State of New York by Gladys Mills Phipps, the daughter of Ruth and Ogden Mills. The estate is now operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. In 1988, the Friends of Mills Mansion were organized to support the preservation and educational work at the site.
(Friends of the Mills Mansion Website)
Design:
The outside of the mansion features a massive portico, balustrades, pilasters and floral festoons. The central part of the mansion is layered into a basement, three floors and an attic. In the north and south wings, there is a sub basement, a basement and two floors. Ceilings in the older part of the building dating prior to the enlargement (the first floor of the central part) are about 14 feet high, whereas the ceilings of the later construction (first floor of the north and south wings) can be about 18 feet high. The interior of the building is decorated in French styles of the 17th and 18th century. However, some architectural elements of the previous home have been preserved in the process.
Preservation:
The Mills Mansion poses several challenges to preservation: On the outside, a gray sprayed concrete finish which was added later as a preservation measure need to be removed and replaced with a more suitable surface treatment. At the same time, the decorative cornice and many decorative elements need to be either restored or replaced. On the inside of the building, wall paint and furnishings fabrics are in need of replacement, marble and wooden surfaces need to be cleaned and the objects of the mansion’s collection need to be conserved.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 