Crocker-McMillin Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Crocker-McMillin Mansion
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 Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Mahwah, New Jersey |
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| Area | 21.3 acres (8.6 ha) |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Brite, James; Fanning & Shaw |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Jacobian Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001562 |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 1997 |
The Crocker McMillin Mansion, also known as Crocker Mansion or Darlington, is a huge, historic house in Mahwah, New Jersey. It has 75 rooms and three stories! This amazing mansion was built between 1901 and 1907 for a wealthy businessman named George Crocker. After he passed away, another important person, a banker named Emerson McMillin, lived there. Later, from 1927 to 1984, it became a school called the Crocker-McMillin Mansion-Immaculate Conception Seminary. Today, the Crocker McMillin Mansion is a special landmark in New Jersey and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Contents
History of the Crocker Mansion
Building a Grand Home
The land where the mansion stands was once part of the Darling estate. This large property, over 1,100 acres, was bought by A. B. Darling in 1872. The Darling family had their own house and even a racetrack for horses there.
In 1901, the Crocker family from New York City bought this land. George Crocker thought it was the "finest site for a residence in the country." People in the nearby town of Ramsey were excited about him moving in.
George Crocker loved horses. He brought many horses to his new estate. By 1902, his horses were already winning awards. He also added 4,000 trout and some bass fish to the property's pond. By 1904, the old racetrack was fixed up for his horses to exercise.
Designing the Mansion
Crocker decided to build his new mansion on a high spot, 185 feet above the old Darling home. He didn't hold back on spending money! He hired the architect James Brite to design the Crocker Mansion. It was a massive house, about 45,000 square feet.
The mansion was designed to look like Bramshill House in England, which is known for its Jacobean style. Construction started in 1902. Workers began building roads and then digging the foundation in 1903. The main building work was in full swing by 1904. The mansion was completely finished and furnished in 1907. A lot of time was spent on detailed wood and stone carvings. The house had a huge main hall, steam heating, elevators, and even a switchboard.
Life on the Estate
Besides the main mansion, there were many other buildings. These included greenhouses, barns, stables, and a dairy. There was also a gatehouse, a garage, workshops, and bathhouses by the river. A new bridge was built over the Ramapo River.
The estate also had homes for its many employees. There were nine single houses and four duplexes. The head gardener, Edmund Daches, had his own two-story house. By 1909, the property had 60 Jersey cattle, many work and carriage horses, a kennel, sheep, and chickens. They also grew vines and vegetables. In the spring of 1909, the farm started selling its produce in New York City. It's thought that building this entire estate cost around $2,000,000, which was a huge amount of money back then!
Later Owners of the Mansion
After George Crocker passed away in 1909, the Crocker Mansion was sold. The money from the sale went to a special fund at Columbia University for cancer research. A banker named Emerson McMillin then bought the mansion. He lived there until he died in 1922.
From 1927 to 1984, the mansion became home to the Immaculate Conception Seminary. This seminary was originally part of Seton Hall University. After 1984, the seminary moved back to Seton Hall University.
The Crocker Mansion was later restored. It was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1995. Then, in 1997, it was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion has been sold a few times over the years. In 2008, it was sold for $8.88 million. In 2017, it was put back on the market for a much higher price.
Features of the Mansion
The library ceiling in the mansion was painted by a famous artist named James Wall Finn. The dining room was decorated with beautiful wood from California redwood trees.
