Staatsburgh State Historic Site

02/17/2025

Celebrate today!

The Mills family were no strangers to acts of kindness. Ogden Mills was a noted philanthropist and supporter of numerous causes, from the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York to the Mills Memorial Hospital in California. Locally, he supported organizations such as the Staatsburg fire department to the local baseball team. The Millses provided nearby villagers with coal, food, or whatever they may have needed during especially trying times.

Ogden Mills likely got his spirit of philanthropy from his father, Darius. The elder Mills was an early supporter of the "Home for the Incurables"—a chronic-disease hospital in the Bronx—where his son would eventually serve as President. Darius Mills founded the Mills Houses in Manhattan - three single-room-occupancy hotels that provided poor but respectable men with a clean, safe, and dignified place to live. The first Mills House at 160 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village is seen below.

What small act of kindness will you perform today?

02/16/2025

Explore our state's rich Black history--including Staatsburgh's own connections--with the NY State Parks & Historic Sites Black History webpage: https://parks.ny.gov/history/black-history/default.aspx 🍁📲

Celebrate New York's Black history and explore our updated Black History webpage! Featuring an interactive map, a list of nationally recognized historic places, and a collection of blog posts, this page is just one of the many ways we're sharing New York's whole history, all year round. Learn more: https://loom.ly/tk1BEy8

02/15/2025

📣 Tickets have opened up for next weekend's "Gilded Age Tea & Talk" program!

Enjoy tea and refreshments in the formal dining room on Saturday and Sunday while listening to talks about aspects of Gilded Age history. Next weekend's topic is "Gilded Age Love Stories" - from courtship and love to marriage (with a bit of heartbreak dashed in for good measure), Staatsburgh's Curator Maria Reynolds will share stories about love and relationships in the Gilded Age.

Each program features scones, tea sandwiches, sweets and the site’s "Staatsburgh Blend" tea, a custom blend created for the site by renowned tea purveyors, Harney & Sons Fine Teas.

Tickets are $65 and can be purchased at: TeaAndTalk.Eventbrite.com/

Popular afternoon tea and treats, with a talk on a historic topic, hosted in Staatsburgh's Gilded Age dining room.

02/14/2025

Happy Valentine’s Day…or not… ❤️ 💔

Valentines in the Gilded Age were not just full of platitudes and love. While there were many cards for sale that professed loving sentiments, aptly named "Vinegar Valentines" were also quite common and popular! These 'anti-Valentines' were meant to insult others, get rid of a suitor, or just completely disparage the holiday meant for love.

Whether you adore or despise Valentine’s Day, there is a card for you!

02/13/2025

New discovery!

All this month, we want to highlight new research coming out about a previously unknown Black community in the hamlet of Staatsburg. Known as "Hawktown" by some, this small community—including the families of Frank Peters, Jack DeWitt, and Caesar Clark, highlighted below on the 1820 census—represent the earliest free Black landowners our staff have found in Staatsburg, just a few households away from Morgan Lewis (in red) here on the Staatsburgh estate.

These three households represent free Black landowners during an era when Black men and women were still enslaved in the Hudson Valley, including here at Staatsburgh. Multiple communities of diverse individuals could be found earlier than expected in the hamlet during the early 19th century.

We'll be sharing more of Jack DeWitt and Frank Peters's stories this month - so stay tuned. A full article on this community is forthcoming from the Dutchess County Historical Society this spring!

02/11/2025

Have you ever had an x-ray taken and marveled at the science behind it? We can thank Marie Cure for that! 🧪

On this , we’re highlighting Marie Curie and her contribution to the advancement of medical science. Born in 1897 in Warsaw, Poland, the French-educated scientist was the first woman to receive a PhD in France and was the first female professor at Sorbonne University.

Curie’s determination and curiosity led her to the discovery of the elements polonium and radium. Her research on radioactivity led to the development of radiography units known as “Petits Curies” which provided x-ray services to field hospitals and were used as vital diagnostic tools to treat over one million wounded soldiers during Word War One. Radium was also used to treat diseases such as cancer, lupus, and nervous disorders.

For her pioneering work, Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and a second in Chemistry in 1911. Curie’s discoveries broke ground in physics and chemistry, and she encouraged women working in her laboratory to continue in research. Curie died in 1934 from aplastic anemia, likely caused by exposure to radiation. Her work improved the lives of many and continues to positively impact modern medical practices especially in the field of oncology.

02/10/2025

in 1897, the most infamously lavish Gilded Age ball was held at the Waldorf Hotel 🥂

The ball was devised by Mrs. Bradley Martin to infuse the local economy after the 1893 Panic. Guests were instructed to dress in period costume from the 16th, 17th, or 18th century with the idea that local tradespeople and services would be engaged. The social pages detailed the ornate costumes, coiffures, and priceless jewels worn by the eight hundred guests in attendance. Mrs. Ogden Mills was noted wearing “Louis XV costume, white and pink brocade, white hair, ropes of pearls and diamond ornaments.” However, it was later reported in the “New York Journal” that “Mrs. Mills had been waiting an hour and forty minutes for a hairdresser,” and that, “It is enough to know that Mrs. Mills was late to the ball; so late that her quadrille had to give place to another.”

The ball incited criticism in the newspapers and pulpits across the country. At a cost of approximately $370,000--or, the equivalent of $10 million today--throwing such a lavish event while the rest of society was in an economic depression was viewed by many as being in poor taste. The authorities promptly raised Bradley Martin's taxes (as well as those of their friends and fellow attendees, the Astors). After the fallout, the Martins retreated to England, where they had owned a home for several years.

For a deeper dive into this story, follow the video link: https://youtu.be/XCcIvcuugDw?si=nzJ-kYFXHhFz-Nej

02/09/2025

A lovely time was had by all yesterday during our "Tiny & Sweet" Valentine's card making workshop! Beautiful, crafty valentines were made for friends and loved ones - even some dogs got personalized cards! 💌

To sign-up for upcoming programs at Staatsburgh, visit https://FOMAS.eventbrite.com or reserve a spot on an upcoming tour at Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS

02/08/2025

Check on those pipes in extreme winter weather! 🥶

in 1908, William Kiernan, who had been employed at Staatsburgh’s heated greenhouses for years, heard the sound of escaping steam. It was a particularly cold night with temperatures dipping below 20 degrees. Upon investigating, Kiernan realized the situation required immediate professional assistance. A plumber, Willard Parker, was quickly dispatched and, to his dismay, (although not to his surprise) discovered the pipes had burst and now found himself knee deep in water as he entered the furnace pit. A skilled tradesman, Parker had the situation under control and repaired within twenty minutes.

Unfortunately the resident plant life in the greenhouse--which was normally pampered and well cared for--did not fare well as the temperature in the carnation house dipped to 40 degrees and in the rose house to 30 degrees! Sadly the flowers, plants, and trees succumbed to the cold environment and were lost.

[📸 Greenhouse rendering for Ogden Mills (south elevation), by Lord & Burnham Co.]

02/07/2025

Celebrate Presidents' Day at Staatsburgh! 🏛️

Staatsburgh State Historic Site will be open for tours on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 17 from 10am-4pm (last tour at 3pm). Make your reservations today at Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS

02/05/2025

in 1880, a "Mr. & Mrs. Mills" were among the guests of President Rutherford B. Hayes at the White House 🏛️

This likely refers to Darius Mills, Ogden Mills's father - the powerful Gold Rush banker and patriarch of the Mills family. President Hayes hosted a state dinner on the evening of February 5 with an impressive list of attendees, including: senators representing several states stretching from Michigan to Massachusetts, the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster General, and colonels and generals from the Civil War (including some former Confederate officers and senators). Unfortunately, no record of their conversations can be found.

Overseeing this state dinner would have been First Lady Lucy Hayes. The first First Lady to earn a college education, Hayes led an active life alongside her husband – caring for sick in his Civil War infantry unit and following the future-president on school and prison visits. Despite the Hayes’ ban on serving alcohol in the White House (contemporaries nicknamed Mrs. Hayes “Lemonade Lucy”), she is remembered as a popular Washington hostess. Through her political interests, social campaigning, as well as her higher education, Hayes is credited with setting the example followed by many First Ladies after her.

[📸 "President's mansion, Washington, D.C., U.S.A." c. 1885. Courtesy of the Library of Congress]

02/04/2025

What does your fire extinguisher look like, where is it kept, and are you prepared to use it? 🧯

in 1904, Staatsburg’s state-of-the-art fire suppression system saved the mansion from destruction by extinguishing a fire that broke out in Mrs. Mills's bo***ir. The fire suppression hoses throughout the mansion--prominently displayed as to reassure both guests and servants of safety precautions in place--were all directly connected to the 10,000 gallon water tank in the attic, located above the beautiful ceiling painting above the grand staircase. Yes, we did say the 10,000 gallon water tank(!), another state-of-the-art feature added when the original 1832 house was enlarged and modernized with plumbing and electricity in 1895.

The staff, however, were initially unaware of the blaze as they were busy clearing snow off the Hudson River behind the mansion to be used as an ice skating rink for the invited guests arriving the next day. When the caretaker took notice, he sounded the alarm and quickly dispatched all available men up to the house.

Fortunately one of the hoses was in immediate proximity to the bo***ir and the fire was eventually extinguished. Unfortunately, however, $20,000 worth of damage had occurred with many valuable paintings and collections destroyed by fire, water and smoke.

02/03/2025

Happy Black History Month! 📆

Of course, Black history can be honored and read all year long. These are just some of the books our staff have enjoyed reading—highlighting the Hudson Valley's own Black heritage—and some are even available in our gift shop to bring home! From the difficult early history of slavery and its lasting impact to personal triumphs and professional achievements in the Gilded Age, Black history and the authors that write about it offer us so much to consider all year long.

Share in the comments what you are reading this Black History Month! 📚

02/02/2025

Happy Groundhog Day!

Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began during the Gilded Age, on February 2, 1886. A proclamation in "The Punxsutawney Spirit" by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas read: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." The groundhog was given the name "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary'' and his hometown thus called the "Weather Capital of the World.''

His debut performance: no shadow - early Spring.

Punxsutawney Phil has always been a male groundhog. The primary reason being that males of the species arise from hibernation a couple of weeks before females, in time for the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2023, the most famous groundhog’s accuracy rate in recent years is around 40%. Perhaps that’s why his name hasn’t been changed to Doppler!

02/01/2025

Winter Hours ❄️🏛️

Starting today through April, Staatsburgh will offer tours Thursdays through Saturdays (and select Sundays), starting at 10am – please see our Bookeo reservations page for specific dates and availability. Reservations are required for all tours at www.Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS

01/30/2025

📣 Tickets remain for this Sunday's "Gilded Age Tea & Talk" program!

Enjoy tea and refreshments in the formal dining room while listening to talks about aspects of Gilded Age history. This Sunday's topic is "Black Staatsburg" - exploring what the Gilded Age meant to the free Black community of the surrounding Staatsburg hamlet.

Each program features scones, tea sandwiches, sweets and the site’s "Staatsburgh Blend" tea, a custom blend created for the site by renowned tea purveyors, Harney & Sons Fine Teas.

Tickets are $65 and can be purchased at: TeaAndTalk.Eventbrite.com/

Popular afternoon tea and treats, with a talk on a historic topic, hosted in Staatsburgh's Gilded Age dining room.

01/30/2025

, Jane Beatrice Forbes, Countess of Granard, passed away in 1972, the last surviving child of Ruth and Ogden Mills 💐

Beatrice, as she was known, was born in Newport, Rhode Island alongside her twin sister, Gladys. The affectionately called “Mills Twins,” and their younger brother, Ogden Livingston, were raised in New York and Staatsburg, and often traveled with their mother to London to visit family members residing in English society. Beatrice was a young teenager when the Staatsburgh mansion was remodeled and enlarged for greater entertaining in 1895. It may be no surprise than that, in 1909, Beatrice married Bernard Arthur Forbes, the 8th Earl of Granard, in a grand ceremony along 5th Avenue.

As a member of the British aristocracy, Beatrice, now Lady Granard, maintained a townhouse in London, Forbes House, as well as a country estate, Castleforbes, in County Longford, Ireland. Like her siblings, Beatrice had an active career breeding race horses. Notably, she won the prestigious Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp in 1933 with her horse, Cappiello.

A mother of four, Lady Granard often brought her children, including Arthur Patrick Forbes, the future 9th Earl, to Staatsburgh to visit their grandfather Ogden during the 1920s. After his passing in 1929, Beatrice inherited the Mills’s residence in Paris – where she herself passed in 1972. Lady Granard is buried with other members of the Forbes family in County Longford, Ireland.

📸 “Beatrice (née Mills), Countess of Granard” © National Portrait Gallery, London