Staatsburgh State Historic Site

Talk Planned On Staatsburg Estate Owners

March 25, 2015 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Anthony Musso, author of Staatsburg: A Village Lost in Time (2014), will give a talk entitled “Staatsburg: Its Estate Owners and Their Impact on the Village” at Staatsburgh State Historic Site on April 11, 2015.

The tiny community of Staatsburg was once the home of several large estates. As Musso writes in his book on Staatsburg, each of the estates “had an impact on the character, finances and preservation of the village and its surroundings.” [Read more…] about Talk Planned On Staatsburg Estate Owners

Gilded Age Christmas At Staatsburgh State Historic Site

December 3, 2014 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Staatsburgh State Historic Site is preparing for its festive Gilded Age Christmas, featuring decorations throughout the mansion and special children’s programs from late November through New Year’s Eve.

The site opens for the holiday season on Friday, November 28, and offers public hours Thursday through Sunday, from Noon to 4 pm (closed Christmas Day) through December 31. Staatsburgh will be open for special evening hours on December 12, from 6-8 pm, so that visitors can experience the decorated mansion after dark, and tour the historic rooms, populated with guides in period costume. [Read more…] about Gilded Age Christmas At Staatsburgh State Historic Site

Staatsburgh State Historic Site Launches Blog

September 4, 2014 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Staatsburgh State Historic Site has launched a blog about the mansion and estate, the Mills Family, their guests and staff, the site’s collections, and the Gilded Age.

“A tour of the house just scratches the surface of the rich history, the many personalities and fascinating events that occurred here,” says site manager Pam Malcolm. “Through the blog we can offer those interested in the site and the Gilded Age a closer look at the Mills Family and other members of New York’s turn-of-the-century elite society, Gilded Age life, and the work done behind the scenes by historians and conservators to preserve this history at Staatsburgh. We hope everyone will visit www.staatsburghstatehistoricsite.blogspot.com to take a look. We welcome suggestions from interested readers for future research and blog posts.” [Read more…] about Staatsburgh State Historic Site Launches Blog

World War I And The End Of The Gilded Age

August 5, 2014 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

To mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I in 1914, Staatsburgh State Historic Site will debut a new tour, “World War I and the End of the Gilded Age.”

Staatsburgh was the home of prominent social hostess Ruth Livingston Mills and her husband, financier Ogden Mills. The 79-room mansion showcases the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the wealthy elite of the early 20th century. This special tour will explore how the cataclysm of World War I brought an end to the extravagant excesses of the Gilded Age. [Read more…] about World War I And The End Of The Gilded Age

Staatsburgh Historic Site Renovations Underway

October 2, 2012 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Thanks in part to New York State’s recent $134 million investment in New York Works Projects aimed at putting New Yorkers back to work and restoring and repairing state parks and historic sites, the east portico and estate wall of Staatsburgh State Historic Site, in Staatsburgh, DUtchess County, will soon receive a much-needed restoration of its grand estate wall and historic entrance portico.

The projects are expected to take a year to complete. New York Works is designed to reinvent state economic development with innovative new strategy that will put New Yorkers back to work rebuilding the state’s infrastructure. The Task Force will help create tens of thousands of jobs by coordinating comprehensive capital plans, overseeing investment in infrastructure projects, and accelerating hundreds of critical projects across the state.

During the estate wall and east portico projects, house tours will continue to be offered, the site’s museum shop and exhibit gallery will remain accessible. House tours are given Thursday through Sunday, between 11am and 5pm (last tour starts at 4pm) through October, and during special holiday hours in November and December. Additionally the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has created a “virtual tour” video that will enable all visitors to see highlights of the mansion’s interior while hearing about the architecture of the house and the people who lived and worked at the mansion in its heyday (1895-1920).

Formerly the country estate of Ogden Mills and Ruth Livingston Mills, the opulent Beaux Arts mansion was expanded and decorated to its present size of 79 rooms in 1895 by renowned architect Stanford White, of the well-known architectural firm, McKim, Mead & White. Part of White’s renovation included the building of a grand, two-storey portico entrance, which dominates the view of the house as one approaches from the road, and clearly communicates the wealth and importance of its occupants. After more than a century of continual use, this part of the house is in need of structural and aesthetic rehabilitation. Also included in the NY Works Project plans for Staatsburgh are repair of the estate wall and the mansion’s roof.

To visit Staatsburgh State Historic Site, please call 845-889-8851 or visit their website. House tours are available Thursday through Sunday, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in season (April through October) with additional special hours in the holiday season and winter months.

Staatsburgh State Historic Site is located on Old Post Road in Staatsburg, off Route 9 between Rhinebeck and Hyde Park. The historic site is one of six historic sites and 15 state parks administered by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation – Taconic Region.