Wadsworth Mansion At Long Hill
Encyclopedia
The Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate is located at 421 Wadsworth Street in Middletown, Connecticut
. It is a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) classical revival house situated on 103 acre (0.41682658 km²) wooded area. It is currently owned by the City of Middletown and is operated by the Long Hill Estate Authority. The mansion is the centerpiece of the Wadsworth Estate Historic District of 270 acres (1.1 km²), which includes the mansion's associated outbuildings, the Middletown portion of Wadsworth Falls State Park
, the Nehemiah Hubbard House
, and several barns and farmhouses along Laurel Grove Road.
s. After marrying Katharine Fearing Hubbard, Col. Wadsworth began amassing land in the western part of Middletown that would eventually become his 600 acres (2.4 km²) estate. Starting in 1900, thousands of trees and shrubs were planted to change pastures and orchards into a naturalistic woodland setting around the mansion. Dense nursery plantations were established and mature specimen trees were planted. Some pasturage was left in its natural state and open areas were set aside for a lawn tennis court, the great lawn south of the mansion, and formal gardens. John Charles Olmsted
played a major role in the design of the Estate. The full extent of Olmsted’s influence on the final design is not really known, but the firm’s well known approach to landscape is evident.
The mansion’s architect was Francis Hoppin, who was classically trained at Brown University
, M.I.T., and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He became known for his country estates, most notably The Mount, Edith Wharton
’s 1902 home in Lenox, Massachusetts
.
The contract for the house was let to the Dennis O’Brien Construction company, a Middletown firm, at a cost of $90,000.00, a considerable sum even then. The use of reinforced structural concrete
and fireproofing
, considered a relatively new technology at the time, had rarely been used in residential buildings. Construction of the house began in 1908 and was ‘completed’ around 1911.
The Wadsworth family was in residence at Long Hill in the spring and fall, but maintained homes in New York, Palm Beach, Bar Harbor, Chicago, and Bermuda. The Colonel died in 1941, bequeathing the Estate to the Rockfall Corporation, a philanthropic, non-profit organization he established in 1935, devoted to the establishment and preservation of woodlands, wild lands, and open space. In 1942 the Rockfall Foundation honored his wishes by giving 267 acres (1.1 km²) on the west side of Laurel Grove Road to the State of Connecticut to become Wadsworth Falls State Park
. The Wadsworth family maintained Long Hill until 1947, when it was sold to Our Lady of the Cenacle, an order
of nun
s who used it as a retreat center for 40 years. During that time the house was expanded and the land was subdivided. After being sold to a developer in 1986, the Estate was resold to another developer who planned to subdivide it into housing lots. His plans failed and he filed for bankruptcy in 1988. The bank that repossessed the Estate did not adequately secure the building and it was not long before vandals, satanic worshippers, and homeless people frequented the house. In 1990 a fire was started in the East Ballroom that nearly destroyed the house. The heat was so intense that the steel used in the west side of the house punctured through the concrete. Had the Colonel not used reinforced concrete the structure would not have survived.
In 1994 the City of Middletown purchased the Estate and the remaining 103 acre (0.41682658 km²) for $1,000,000.00. Over the next two years the City evaluated and developed plans to restore the building and grounds. On June 25, 1996, the residents of Middletown approved a referendum
for bond funding to rehabilitate the buildings and landscape. The project architect
was David Scott Parker of Southport, Connecticut
. The construction contractor was Kronenberger and Sons Restoration, a Middletown company specializing in the restoration of old structures. Due to unforeseen work, the costs of the rehabilitation were greater than budgeted, and the citizens approved additional bond funding in 1999. On December 30, 1999, the building received a Certificate of Occupancy just in time to open for a millennium wedding celebration. Over $5.6 million dollars had been expended to restore the mansion.
The public can take guided tours of the mansion on Wednesday afternoons. The grounds and trails are open daily.
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. It is a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) classical revival house situated on 103 acre (0.41682658 km²) wooded area. It is currently owned by the City of Middletown and is operated by the Long Hill Estate Authority. The mansion is the centerpiece of the Wadsworth Estate Historic District of 270 acres (1.1 km²), which includes the mansion's associated outbuildings, the Middletown portion of Wadsworth Falls State Park
Wadsworth Falls State Park
Wadsworth Falls State Park, or simply Wadsworth Falls, is a Connecticut state park located in the towns of Middletown and Middlefield. The park lies in the northeast corner of Middlefield, and extends across the town border into Middletown with the main entrance on Route 157...
, the Nehemiah Hubbard House
Nehemiah Hubbard House
-Description:Address: Corner of Laurel Grove and Wadsworth Street, Middletown, ConnecticutStyle: Center-Chimney ColonialDate of Construction: 1744Materials: Clapboard siding and brownstone foundation with wood shingle roof...
, and several barns and farmhouses along Laurel Grove Road.
History
From its formal classical nucleus to the naturalized wilderness of its forest, literally every square foot of the Estate was shaped by the ideas of Colonel Clarence S. Wadsworth and his architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s. After marrying Katharine Fearing Hubbard, Col. Wadsworth began amassing land in the western part of Middletown that would eventually become his 600 acres (2.4 km²) estate. Starting in 1900, thousands of trees and shrubs were planted to change pastures and orchards into a naturalistic woodland setting around the mansion. Dense nursery plantations were established and mature specimen trees were planted. Some pasturage was left in its natural state and open areas were set aside for a lawn tennis court, the great lawn south of the mansion, and formal gardens. John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted , the nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, was an American landscape architect. With his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., he founded Olmsted Brothers, a landscape design firm in Brookline, Massachusetts. The firm is famous for designing many urban parks,...
played a major role in the design of the Estate. The full extent of Olmsted’s influence on the final design is not really known, but the firm’s well known approach to landscape is evident.
The mansion’s architect was Francis Hoppin, who was classically trained at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, M.I.T., and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He became known for his country estates, most notably The Mount, Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
’s 1902 home in Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
.
The contract for the house was let to the Dennis O’Brien Construction company, a Middletown firm, at a cost of $90,000.00, a considerable sum even then. The use of reinforced structural concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
and fireproofing
Fireproofing
Fireproofing, a passive fire protection measure, refers to the act of making materials or structures more resistant to fire, or to those materials themselves, or the act of applying such materials. Applying a certification listed fireproofing system to certain structures allows these to have a...
, considered a relatively new technology at the time, had rarely been used in residential buildings. Construction of the house began in 1908 and was ‘completed’ around 1911.
The Wadsworth family was in residence at Long Hill in the spring and fall, but maintained homes in New York, Palm Beach, Bar Harbor, Chicago, and Bermuda. The Colonel died in 1941, bequeathing the Estate to the Rockfall Corporation, a philanthropic, non-profit organization he established in 1935, devoted to the establishment and preservation of woodlands, wild lands, and open space. In 1942 the Rockfall Foundation honored his wishes by giving 267 acres (1.1 km²) on the west side of Laurel Grove Road to the State of Connecticut to become Wadsworth Falls State Park
Wadsworth Falls State Park
Wadsworth Falls State Park, or simply Wadsworth Falls, is a Connecticut state park located in the towns of Middletown and Middlefield. The park lies in the northeast corner of Middlefield, and extends across the town border into Middletown with the main entrance on Route 157...
. The Wadsworth family maintained Long Hill until 1947, when it was sold to Our Lady of the Cenacle, an order
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
of nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s who used it as a retreat center for 40 years. During that time the house was expanded and the land was subdivided. After being sold to a developer in 1986, the Estate was resold to another developer who planned to subdivide it into housing lots. His plans failed and he filed for bankruptcy in 1988. The bank that repossessed the Estate did not adequately secure the building and it was not long before vandals, satanic worshippers, and homeless people frequented the house. In 1990 a fire was started in the East Ballroom that nearly destroyed the house. The heat was so intense that the steel used in the west side of the house punctured through the concrete. Had the Colonel not used reinforced concrete the structure would not have survived.
In 1994 the City of Middletown purchased the Estate and the remaining 103 acre (0.41682658 km²) for $1,000,000.00. Over the next two years the City evaluated and developed plans to restore the building and grounds. On June 25, 1996, the residents of Middletown approved a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
for bond funding to rehabilitate the buildings and landscape. The project architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was David Scott Parker of Southport, Connecticut
Southport, Connecticut
Southport is a section and census-designated place of the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, located along Long Island Sound between the Mill River and Sasco Brook . As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,585...
. The construction contractor was Kronenberger and Sons Restoration, a Middletown company specializing in the restoration of old structures. Due to unforeseen work, the costs of the rehabilitation were greater than budgeted, and the citizens approved additional bond funding in 1999. On December 30, 1999, the building received a Certificate of Occupancy just in time to open for a millennium wedding celebration. Over $5.6 million dollars had been expended to restore the mansion.
The public can take guided tours of the mansion on Wednesday afternoons. The grounds and trails are open daily.