Meadow Brook Hall facts for kids
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Meadow Brook Hall
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The grand estate of Matilda Dodge Wilson
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 350 Estate Drive Rochester Hills, Michigan |
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| Built | 1926–1929 |
| Architect | William E. Kapp Smith, Hinchman & Grylls |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001166 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1979 |
| Designated NHL | March 2, 2012 |
Meadow Brook Hall is a giant mansion in Rochester Hills, Michigan, built in the Tudor Revival style, which makes it look like an old English country home. It was constructed between 1926 and 1929 for Matilda Dodge Wilson. She was the widow of Dodge car company co-founder John F. Dodge. She and her second husband, Alfred Wilson, built the hall.
With 110 rooms and covering 88,000 square feet (8,200 m2), Meadow Brook Hall is one of the largest historic house museums in the United States. It's so grand that it's often called one of America's Castles. In 1957, the mansion and its land were given to the state to help start what is now Oakland University. In 2012, it was named a National Historic Landmark because of its importance to American history.
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The Story of the Mansion
The land where Meadow Brook Hall stands once belonged to Matilda's first husband, John F. Dodge. He used the farm on the property as a vacation spot for his family. After John's death, Matilda and her new husband, Alfred Wilson, decided to build a much larger home there.
Building a Dream Home
Construction on Meadow Brook Hall took place from 1926 to 1929. It cost about $4 million to build, which would be a huge amount of money today. The Wilsons hired the architect William Kapp to design their home in the popular Tudor-revival style.
The mansion is filled with amazing details. It has beautiful stonework and a special plaster ceiling in the dining room made by the artist Corrado Parducci. The Wilsons also collected incredible art, which is still in the house. You can see paintings by famous artists like Anthony van Dyck and Joshua Reynolds. The home also features colorful Tiffany glass and unique pottery.
A Gift for Education
In 1957, the Wilsons made a generous decision. They donated Meadow Brook Hall and its 1,443 acres (5.84 km2) of land to Michigan State University. They also gave $2 million to help create a new college campus on the property. This campus grew to become Oakland University.
The Wilsons had built a smaller retirement home called Sunset Terrace on the estate. They lived there until Alfred's death in 1962. Afterward, Matilda moved back into the main hall and lived there until she passed away in 1967. Today, Sunset Terrace is the official home for the president of Oakland University.
The Famous Car Show
From 1979 to 2010, the grounds of Meadow Brook Hall hosted a famous car show. It was called the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. This event was one of the biggest shows for collector cars in the world. It celebrated the beauty, design, and history of automobiles.
The show was also a fundraiser to help pay for the care and preservation of the historic mansion. In 2010, the event moved to a new location in Plymouth, Michigan.
See also
- List of castles in the United States
- List of largest houses in the United States
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Oakland County, Michigan
