Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wadsworth Estate Historic District
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Wadsworth Mansion Front Elevation
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 15, 30, 33, 59, 73, 89 Laurel Grove Rd., Wadsworth Falls State Park, and 421 Wadsworth St., Middletown, Connecticut |
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| Area | 270 acres (1.1 km2) |
| Built | 1900, 1909 and 1917 |
| Architect | Hoppin, Francis L.V. ; Olmsted, John C. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Website | www.wadsworthmansion.com |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000775 |
| Added to NRHP | July 25, 1996 |
The Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate is a beautiful old house located at 421 Wadsworth Street in Middletown, Connecticut. It's a large, 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) building designed in a classic style. The mansion sits on 103 acres (0.42 km2) of wooded land. Today, the City of Middletown owns it. The Long Hill Estate Authority helps manage it. The mansion is the main part of the Wadsworth Estate Historic District. This district covers 270 acres (1.1 km2). It includes other buildings, part of Wadsworth Falls State Park, and some old farmhouses.
Contents
The Story of Wadsworth Mansion
How the Estate Was Created
Colonel Clarence S. Wadsworth had a big vision for this estate. He wanted to shape every part of it, from the grand house to the wild forests. After he married Katharine Fearing Hubbard, Colonel Wadsworth started buying land in Middletown. Eventually, he owned a huge 600-acre (2.4 km2) property.
Around 1900, they began planting thousands of trees and shrubs. They turned old fields and orchards into a natural-looking forest. They also planted many mature trees. Some areas were left open for lawns and formal gardens. A famous landscape designer, John Charles Olmsted, helped plan the estate's outdoor spaces. His ideas for natural landscapes are still clear today.
Building the Mansion
The architect for the mansion was Francis Hoppin. He studied architecture in top schools in the U.S. and Paris. Hoppin was known for designing large country homes. One of his most famous designs was The Mount, a home for writer Edith Wharton.
The Dennis O’Brien Construction company from Middletown built the mansion. It cost $90,000, which was a lot of money back then. The house was built using strong materials like reinforced structural concrete and fireproofing. These were new technologies for homes at the time. Construction started in 1908 and finished around 1911.
Changes Over the Years
The Wadsworth family used Long Hill as their home in the spring and fall. They also had homes in other cities. Colonel Wadsworth passed away in 1941. He left the estate to the Rockfall Corporation. This group was a non-profit organization he started to protect woodlands and open spaces.
In 1942, the Rockfall Foundation followed his wishes. They gave 267 acres (1.1 km2) of land to the State of Connecticut. This land became Wadsworth Falls State Park. The Wadsworth family lived at Long Hill until 1947. Then, they sold it to Our Lady of the Cenacle. This Roman Catholic religious institute used the mansion as a retreat center for 40 years. During this time, the house was made bigger, and some land was sold off.
After 1986, the estate was sold to developers. Their plans to build many houses didn't work out. The bank took over the property in 1988. Sadly, the building was not kept safe. People who didn't care for the building caused damage. In 1990, a fire started in the East Ballroom. It almost destroyed the house. The heat was so strong that steel parts on the west side pushed through the concrete. Luckily, Colonel Wadsworth had used reinforced concrete. This strong building material saved the structure from being completely lost.
Restoration and Public Access
In 1994, the City of Middletown bought the estate and its remaining 103 acres (0.4 km2) for $1,000,000. Over the next two years, the city made plans to fix up the building and its grounds. On June 25, 1996, the people of Middletown voted to approve money to restore the mansion.
David Scott Parker was the project architect. Kronenberger and Sons Restoration, a Middletown company, did the construction work. They are experts in fixing old buildings. The restoration cost more than expected. So, in 1999, citizens approved more money. On December 30, 1999, the building was ready. It opened just in time for a New Year's wedding celebration. More than $5.6 million was spent to bring the mansion back to life.
Today, you can take guided tours of the mansion on Wednesday afternoons. The beautiful grounds and walking trails are open every day for everyone to enjoy.
See also
