Gould House – Jay Gould’s Lynhurst
I visited the Gould House, known as the Lyndhurst Mansion with Marty. Perched high above the Hudson River in Tarrytown NY, the limestone mansion looks like a story book home with turrets and spires.
Lyndhurst is one of the finest examples of the Gothic Revival style in America. When Jay Gould, the railroad tycoon, and one of the most powerful men of the Gilded Age, purchased it in 1860, he transformed it into his family home. Gould was a controversial figure because of his financial genius and his reputation as a ruthless speculator. But within the walls of Lynhurst, he was a father, family man, and a collector.
The rooms are filled with intricate woodwork, tall arched windows, and stained glass. The house remains much as it was in Gould’s day. Beyond the mansion, there are 67 acres of landscaped parkland with rolling hills, ancient trees and a view of the Hudson River. This place was chosen as a retreat.
Today this house is preserved by the National Trust of Historic Preservation, since it was bequeathed by Anna Gould, one of Jay Gould’s six children. Anna left this mansion and grounds as she recognized the home’s historic and architectural significance.
Read More From Nancy
Mansion House
Last summer, on our return from a camping trip to the Finger Lakes, we took a few detours to explore historic sites along the way. Upstate New York was the heart of the Religious Awakening in the years before the Civil War, and it is dotted with places where people gathered in search of a […]
Belhurst Castle
One of the unexpected pleasures of our camping trip through upstate New York was enjoying dinner in a place that feels as though it belongs in another century. Perched on the western shore of Seneca Lake, Belhurst Castle is more than a restaurant or hotel. It is one of the Finger Lakes’ most remarkable historic […]
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
An often-forgotten president, Martin van Buren, is remembered at his home, Lindenwald, in Kinderhook, New York. This site is now preserved as the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site. I have visited this house a couple of times, and the house itself leaves an impression, especially with its distinctive French scenic wallpaper that wraps entire rooms in […]
