Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house, now a museum, in Norwalk, Connecticut
. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives
and House of Dark Shadows
.
The 62-room mansion
is on the National Register of Historic Places
and was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1971.
It has been described as "one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the United States." "The Museum's mission is to conserve the building while creating educational programs on the material, artistic and social culture of the Victorian era," according to the museum organization's Web site.
A master plan for renovating the mansion was expected to be completed in 2007. Plans for renovation work at the museum include adding an elevator, and systems for heating, air conditioning, and sprinklers. Renovation costs are likely to total about $6 million, museum officials said in May 2007, before the master plan was complete.
In a decades-long Christmastime tradition, interior decorators deck out about a dozen rooms in the mansion with holiday decorations. An annual "community celebration" is held in December with Christmas music, refreshments and a Santa Claus. In 2007, 10 interior decorators volunteered their services and materials for the event.
The mansion, at 295 West Ave., sits in Mathews Park, where the Stepping Stones Museum for Children
is also located.
, who made his fortune in banking and the railroad industry. Construction began in 1864 just west of the Norwalk River
in Norwalk and was completed four years later. Designed by European-trained, New York-based architect Detlef Lienau
, the mansion "is considered his most significant surviving work," according to the association. Both American and immigrant artisans worked to construct and decorate the house. Prominent New York decorating firms, including Herter Brothers
and Leon Marcotte were contracted to furnish the mansion's interiors. Financial reversals in 1869 and Lockwood's death in 1872 resulted in loss of the estate by Lockwood's heirs. In 1874 the family lost the mansion and grounds through foreclosure.
Charles D. Mathews, described in his New York Times obituary as "a very wealthy retired New-York provision dealer", and his wife, Rebecca Thompson Mathews, bought the property in 1876. The mansion was a residence and suburban retreat for the Mathews family, with their Thompson and Martin relatives, until the death of Charles's daughter Florence in 1938.
In 1941 the estate was sold to the City of Norwalk, which designated it a public park. In the 1950s, the building was threatened with demolition, but local preservationists succeeded in saving it. They formed Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, Inc. to run the site, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
The museum has hosted an annual antique show since 1978. In 2006 the show was held the last weekend in October and attracted dealers from Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Connecticut.
In the 2000s, statues and furniture that had originally been in the mansion were bought and placed back in it. Two marble statues, sculpted in 1859 by Joseph Mozier
, an American artist, and bought by LeGrand Lockwood
, were purchased for $185,000. A $165,000 sofa original to the home was also acquired and brought back to it.
Paramount Pictures paid the museum $400,000 to paint the central rotunda of the house, which was used as a filming location for the second version of The Stepford Wives. The studio also left behind some large paintings (in essence, theatrical pastiches), which serve to emphasize the dramatic size of the rotunda. As a result, the walls look fresh and decorated, and will remain protected until further funds become available for proper, curatorial restoration of the original damaged surfaces.
The mansion has been used by survivors and victims of the September 11 attacks
.
The city had planned in 1959 "to build a city hall in the park and tear down the mansion to make way for it." Considerable controversy and claims of bad faith ensued. The Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk eventually led a restoration, supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Insitute of Architects, the National Park Service, and the Connecticut Historical Commission.
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives
The Stepford Wives (2004 film)
The Stepford Wives is a 2004 American science fiction film. The film is a remake of the 1975 film of the same name; both films are based on the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives...
and House of Dark Shadows
House of Dark Shadows
House of Dark Shadows is a 1970 feature-length horror film directed by Dan Curtis based on his Dark Shadows television series. Filming took place at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, New York with additional footage at nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery: parts of the locals appeared on the Dark Shadows series as...
.
The 62-room mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1971.
It has been described as "one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the United States." "The Museum's mission is to conserve the building while creating educational programs on the material, artistic and social culture of the Victorian era," according to the museum organization's Web site.
A master plan for renovating the mansion was expected to be completed in 2007. Plans for renovation work at the museum include adding an elevator, and systems for heating, air conditioning, and sprinklers. Renovation costs are likely to total about $6 million, museum officials said in May 2007, before the master plan was complete.
In a decades-long Christmastime tradition, interior decorators deck out about a dozen rooms in the mansion with holiday decorations. An annual "community celebration" is held in December with Christmas music, refreshments and a Santa Claus. In 2007, 10 interior decorators volunteered their services and materials for the event.
The mansion, at 295 West Ave., sits in Mathews Park, where the Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Stepping Stones Museum for Children is a hands-on children's museum for ages 10 and under located at 303 West Avenue, in the Central section of Norwalk, Connecticut....
is also located.
Mansion history
The estate, then called "Elm Park," was built by LeGrand LockwoodLeGrand Lockwood
LeGrand Lockwood , was a businessman and financier in New York City in the late 19h century. He built the Lockwood-Mathews mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut....
, who made his fortune in banking and the railroad industry. Construction began in 1864 just west of the Norwalk River
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
in Norwalk and was completed four years later. Designed by European-trained, New York-based architect Detlef Lienau
Detlef Lienau
Detlef Lienau was a German architect born in Holstein. He is credited with having introduced the French style to American building construction, notably the mansard roof and all its decorative flourishes...
, the mansion "is considered his most significant surviving work," according to the association. Both American and immigrant artisans worked to construct and decorate the house. Prominent New York decorating firms, including Herter Brothers
Herter Brothers
The firm of Herter Brothers, New York, , founded by Gustave and Christian Herter , begun as an upholstery warehouse, became one of the first firms of furniture makers and interior decorators in the United States after the Civil War...
and Leon Marcotte were contracted to furnish the mansion's interiors. Financial reversals in 1869 and Lockwood's death in 1872 resulted in loss of the estate by Lockwood's heirs. In 1874 the family lost the mansion and grounds through foreclosure.
Charles D. Mathews, described in his New York Times obituary as "a very wealthy retired New-York provision dealer", and his wife, Rebecca Thompson Mathews, bought the property in 1876. The mansion was a residence and suburban retreat for the Mathews family, with their Thompson and Martin relatives, until the death of Charles's daughter Florence in 1938.
In 1941 the estate was sold to the City of Norwalk, which designated it a public park. In the 1950s, the building was threatened with demolition, but local preservationists succeeded in saving it. They formed Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, Inc. to run the site, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
The museum has hosted an annual antique show since 1978. In 2006 the show was held the last weekend in October and attracted dealers from Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Connecticut.
Joseph Mozier
Joseph Mozier was an American sculptor active in Italy.Mozier was born in Burlington, Vermont. In 1831 he moved to New York City where worked as a merchant. He retired from business about 1845, and shortly afterward went to Europe, studying sculpture for several years in Florence, after which he...
, an American artist, and bought by LeGrand Lockwood
LeGrand Lockwood
LeGrand Lockwood , was a businessman and financier in New York City in the late 19h century. He built the Lockwood-Mathews mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut....
, were purchased for $185,000. A $165,000 sofa original to the home was also acquired and brought back to it.
Paramount Pictures paid the museum $400,000 to paint the central rotunda of the house, which was used as a filming location for the second version of The Stepford Wives. The studio also left behind some large paintings (in essence, theatrical pastiches), which serve to emphasize the dramatic size of the rotunda. As a result, the walls look fresh and decorated, and will remain protected until further funds become available for proper, curatorial restoration of the original damaged surfaces.
The mansion has been used by survivors and victims of the September 11 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
The city had planned in 1959 "to build a city hall in the park and tear down the mansion to make way for it." Considerable controversy and claims of bad faith ensued. The Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk eventually led a restoration, supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Insitute of Architects, the National Park Service, and the Connecticut Historical Commission.
External links
- Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
- Lockwood-Mathews House, Veterans' Memorial Park, Southeast, Norwalk, Fairfield County, CT: 36 photos and 17 data pages and supplemental material, at Historic American Building Survey