Frederick W. Vanderbilt as a young man.
“Another Millionaire in Dutchess”
When this headline of May 12, 1895, announced that another millionaire was coming to Dutchess County, residents of Hyde Park were not particularly impressed. For years the merchants of the village had been servicing the estates of wealthy men. Many of the townspeople were employed as gardeners, drivers, and domestics by the families of John Jacob Astor, Ogden Mills, Jacob Ruppert, Governor Levi P. Morton, James and John Roosevelt, and others prominent in the business and political worlds.
It was of interest, however, that the new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Vanderbilt, would occupy the Walter Langdon property, which they had purchased. It was also noteworthy that they planned extensive improvements to the mansion and grounds.
Langdon had acquired the property about 1852, buying out the interests of his mother and sisters and brothers with whom he had held joint title through a gift from his grandfather, John Jacob Astor. During his ownership, Langdon had increased the size of the estate from 125 to 600 acres. He had also carried on the horticultural interests of earlier owners and had given the grounds a park-like atmosphere with walks, drives, and rustic walls and bridges. In later years, however, his interest seemed to have waned, and there were evidences of neglect all about.
The old Langdon House, built in 1847 and demolished to make way for Vanderbilt Mansion.
One reporter described the Vanderbilts’ new estate as “... a beautiful park all grown up to underbrush.” He noted that “There were hot houses ample but empty, the stables and farm buildings were in a state of extreme dilapidation, and the 40-room old mansion of the purest Greek architecture was painted a light pink....”
The new owner lost no time in getting started with his improvement program. He engaged the services of the famed New York architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White, and by the end of June their agents had completed measured drawings of the buildings on the estate.
It was decided that the former Langdon mansion would be remodeled. By September, architect Charles F. McKim had completed the plans. The north and south wings of the old structure were to be torn down and replaced. The central portion was to be retained under a new facade, and the rooms within it redecorated. Norcross Brothers, then the largest construction firm in the United States, moved in to begin work.