The Gold Coast Mansions Visit NYC...

Last week representatives from the Gold Coast Mansions visited NYC's Grand Central and Penn Stations to participate in Metro-North's Getaway Day Staycation Showcase and the 9th annual "New York By Rail Day."


Both events were affiliated with New York State's Path Through History, an initiative that connects historic and cultural attractions throughout the state. For more information on PTH's events, visit: http://www.paththroughhistoryweekends.com/about_Path_Through_History_Weekends.aspx.

Brandon (intern at The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum)
and Vince Kish (director at Old Westbury Gardens) at Grand Central for the 1st annual Path through History event. 

Nancy Leghart from Mill Neck Manor at Grand Central

Actors Christopher and Martina man the GCM table at Penn Station

Martina and Nancy Melius of Oheka Castle

Gold Coast Grand Gestures, Part 3

The third post in a series. For Part 1 and Part 2.

Some Gold Coast residents received such decadent wedding presents from their parents as their own North Shore estate.

Apple Trees, home of Junius S. Morgan © Long Island's Gold Coast

Frances Tracy Morgan and siblings © Long Island's Gold Coast

Paul Pennoyer, husband of Frances Tracy Morgan © PJM

Round Bush, home of Paul and Frances Tracy Pennoyer (née Morgan) © PJM

Financier J.P. Morgan gave his children approximately 30 acres each on Duck Pond Road and a home designed by Roger Bullard.

Harry Guggenheim and wife.

Falaise © Sands Point Preserve

Daniel and Florence Guggenheim gave up their private golf course in order to give their son Harry and his bride, Falaise, a French Norman style home perched on a bluff overlooking Hempstead Harbor.

The Field's Caumsett © North Shore Long Island Country Houses, 1890-1950

Marshall Field and his wife Evelyn build their dream homes together in Manhattan (at 70th and 5th Avenue, razed) and Lloyd Neck (now Caumsett State Park).

Friends and family at Chelsea © Long Island's Gold Coast

Bridge near Yangtze River, inspiration photo taken by Alexandra Moore, 1921
© Long Island's Gold Coast

The Moore children on the Moat Bridge at Chelsea © Long Island's Gold Coast

Benjamin and Alexandra Moore designed Chelsea in Muttontown with the help of Delano & Aldrich and hundreds of pictures taken on their honeymoon trip to Europe and Asia. 

Gold Coast Grand Gestures, Part 2

The second post in a small series. For Part 1, click here.

Elaborate weddings were also commonplace in this era, with great country houses serving as backdrops for well-to-do brides and grooms, like F. W. Woolworth’s daughter, who utilized her future in-laws playhouse for their wedding, transforming the indoor tennis court into a lush garden of flowers that is rumored to have exhausted supplies of local florists.   

© Long Island's Gold Coast

Herbert Pratt of the Braes (now Webb Institute) had the ceremonies at their home and the couple received a charming home in Glen Head by renowned Carrère & Hastings.  

© Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate

© Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate

Besides being one of the most desirable locations for brides to be married today, Oheka was the first choice for owner Otto Kahn's daughter, Maude, to be married—the home movies of which can be seen on the Oheka website.

© Planting Fields Foundation

© Planting Fields Foundation

Natalie Coe got married at her parent’s estate Planting Fields with an elaborate garden party in May of 1934.

Gold Coast Grand Gestures

© Old Westbury Gardens, Jim Large

February is always a romantic month and a time for grand gestures, but many of the residents of the North Shore took gift giving and wedding proposals to a whole new level. 

© Old Westbury Gardens

© Old Westbury Gardens

Most memorable was John S. Phipps's wedding proposal to his future bride Margarita Grace. To fully convince her to leave her beloved England, Phipps promised to build her an English-style home and garden like the one she would be leaving behind.  

© Old Westbury Gardens
Halcyon Days by Peggie Phipps, Richard Gachot, 1905

He did not disappoint, after their wedding the couple broke ground and began construction on Westbury House (now Old Westbury Gardens).

© Old Westbury Gardens, Richard Cheek

Margarita’s beloved walled garden stands a reminder of that romantic promise and inspires countless visitors to the gardens every year.