Staatsburgh State Historic Site

09/10/2021

Congratulations to Team Browne for completing the photographic scavenger hunt! Great job!

Teams have until October 31 to complete all of the scavenger hunt tasks and win a prize (ice cream cones courtesy of Stewart's Shops) Follow this link to begin:
https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-Fall-2021.pdf

Congratulations to Team Browne for completing the photographic scavenger hunt! Great job!

Teams have until October 31 to complete all of the scavenger hunt tasks and win a prize (ice cream cones courtesy of Stewart's Shops) Follow this link to begin:
https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-Fall-2021.pdf

09/07/2021

Behind the Scenes at Staatsburgh: Recent Conservation Work

If you enjoyed our August #TransformationTuesday posts, take a look at our newest blog which is a compilation of every post. We are thankful for all of the amazing conservation and restoration work that has happened and continues to happen at our site!

Historic sites like Staatsburgh are always a work in progress. For every piece that is conserved, there are several more waiting for treatme...

09/06/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 11): Egypt

Given that Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, today we also end our summer video series, Around the World with Staatsburgh's Collections. The final installment examines a 17th century tapestry featuring Cleopatra, ruler of Egypt We hope you have enjoyed the journey this summer. Thank you for watching!

Curator Maria Reynolds examines a 17th century tapestry depicting Cleopatra’s Banquet.

09/04/2021

Staatsburgh State Historic Site updated their information in their About section.

Staatsburgh State Historic Site updated their information in their About section.

09/03/2021

Congratulations to Team Hayes for completing the Staatsburgh Scavenger Hunt. They did an excellent job!

We have extended the hunt and your team has until October 31 to submit photos and win a free ice cream cone for each team member, courtesy of Stewart's Shops! Follow this link to find the clues and instructions: https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

Congratulations to Team Hayes for completing the Staatsburgh Scavenger Hunt. They did an excellent job!

We have extended the hunt and your team has until October 31 to submit photos and win a free ice cream cone for each team member, courtesy of Stewart's Shops! Follow this link to find the clues and instructions: https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

09/02/2021

The lights are on, the shutters are open, and we are ready to welcome the public back inside the mansion! Tours begin today and run Thursday - Sunday during the months of September and October. Visit www.bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS for available tour times and reservations.

The lights are on, the shutters are open, and we are ready to welcome the public back inside the mansion! Tours begin today and run Thursday - Sunday during the months of September and October. Visit www.bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS for available tour times and reservations.

08/31/2021

Transformation Tuesday!

Although we have a historic photo showing this sofa in the main hall, it was relegated to storage on the second floor for many years due to the deteriorated condition of the fabric. This chesterfield style tufted sofa is covered with cut-and-voided velvet and accented with bullion fringe. After much planning, professional art movers helped to bring the sofa downstairs and out the front door to head to the Bureau of Historic Sites at Peebles Island. The sofa restoration was the last piece of a larger project to reproduce main hall textiles that also included two club chairs and 18 drapery panels.

The springs on the sofa were stabilized before it was reupholstered with a replica velvet. Replica cord and fringe that matched the original completed the process. The sofa returned to the site in 2020, but we have not had visitors since it returned so we look forward to showing off the sofa’s amazing transformation starting on Thursday! #TransformationTuesday

08/30/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 10): Germany

This week on our penultimate Around the World video, interpreter Zachary Veith examines Staatsburgh's set of Meissen porcelain.

Historic Interpreter Zachary Veith examines the Mills’ German-made Meissen dinner set.

08/24/2021

Transformation Tuesday!

In recent decades, the strategy of conservation and restoration projects at Staatsburgh has followed a room by room approach. This approach tackles all aspects of the room including the walls, textiles, objects, and furniture. A couple of the major room renovations have included Mrs. Mills’ Bedroom and her bo***ir. After the clock (see last week’s Transformation Tuesday) in the bo***ir was conserved and returned to the site, there was just one remaining gilded object that need some work in order to gleam like the rest of the room. Even though this object was partially obscured in the fireplace, it was important to complete the whole project. These Louis XVI style chenets in the shape of a flame pot with flame were structurally stable, but the cosmetic appearance was poor due to a century’s accumulation of surface dirt and grime. After the objects conservator from the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites performed treatment on the chenets, they became clean and bright revealing much of their golden surfaces. They are now fit for a queen (of society)! Fireplace accoutrements are often overlooked in a room, but we know the details matter. #TransformationTuesday

08/23/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 9): Turkey

This week on Around the World with Staatsburgh's collection, Curator Maria Reynolds showcases a painting
in Staatsburgh's drawing room that features the Turkish ambassador to France in 1721.

Curator Maria Reynolds showcases a painting in Staatsburgh’s drawing room that depicts the arrival of the Turkish ambassador for his audience with the French...

08/21/2021

We're hiring! Seeking someone for part-time, year-round work who loves helping people enjoy a beautiful historic site and multi-tasking to support the site's operations.
https://parks.ny.gov/documents/employment/FillableUpdatedParksEmployeeApplicationS1000Part1Taconic.pdf

08/20/2021

Welcome back! We are thrilled to announce that beginning Thursday, September 2, 2021 Staatsburgh will be offering house tours Thursday - Sunday at 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm & 3:30pm. Reservations are required and payment will be taken at the door. Cost: $6 / Adults, $4 / Students & Seniors, Children 12 & under are free.

Reservations: www.bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS

Tours this autumn will be 30 minutes in length and show visitors the mansion’s main floor, which is where the most opulent entertaining and living spaces are located. Please note: Due to an ongoing capital project, the mansion’s formal dining room and library are partially de-installed.

Masks are recommended per CDC guidelines regardless of vaccination status. At this time we strongly encourage the use of face coverings while in an indoor setting.

Photo Credit: Pieter Estersohn

Welcome back! We are thrilled to announce that beginning Thursday, September 2, 2021 Staatsburgh will be offering house tours Thursday - Sunday at 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm & 3:30pm. Reservations are required and payment will be taken at the door. Cost: $6 / Adults, $4 / Students & Seniors, Children 12 & under are free.

Reservations: www.bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS

Tours this autumn will be 30 minutes in length and show visitors the mansion’s main floor, which is where the most opulent entertaining and living spaces are located. Please note: Due to an ongoing capital project, the mansion’s formal dining room and library are partially de-installed.

Masks are recommended per CDC guidelines regardless of vaccination status. At this time we strongly encourage the use of face coverings while in an indoor setting.

Photo Credit: Pieter Estersohn

08/17/2021

Transformation Tuesday!

During August, #TransformationTuesday will celebrate recent conservation and restoration work that has been done at Staatsburgh!

This French Rococo style clock has historically graced the fireplace mantle in Mrs. Mills’ bo***ir. The clock works are set in an elaborate ormolu case designed with asymmetric scrolls, flowers, figures, and pierced lattice work. The back plate of the clock identifies the clockmaker as Étienne Maxant. Maxant had a business in Paris from 1880-1905 so the clock likely dates from that time.

The clock remained structurally stable, but it required treatment because the entire surface was covered in sooty grime and the silk fabric behind the lattice work had deteriorated. Due to the former coal-burning furnace historically used to heat the mansion, this layer of grime has been a common issue at Staatburgh. After the object conservator at the Bureau of Historic Sites cleaned the ormolu surfaces of the clock, she also replaced the original fabric. The clock returned to the site in 2019 with a shiny new lease on life. The clock is now significantly brighter and the ormolu surfaces gleam! The clock looks even more vibrant in person than in the photo. It must be seen in person and beginning next month we look forward to welcoming visitors on house tours so you can do just that!

08/16/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 8): England

This week on Around the World with Staatsburgh's Collections, Historic Interpreter Zachary Veith displays a portrait of English officer Lord Cornwallis.

Historic Interpreter Zachary Veith displays a portrait of English officer Lord Cornwallis.

08/15/2021

A gorgeous summer evening party...our Friends know how to throw a party!

08/13/2021

Congratulations to The Brennan's for a very excellent job completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt.

To join in the fun, follow this link for instructions and clues:https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf
Teams that complete the hunt and submit their answers by August 31 will win coupons for a free ice cream cone courtesy of Stewart's Shops.

Congratulations to The Brennan's for a very excellent job completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt.

To join in the fun, follow this link for instructions and clues:https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf
Teams that complete the hunt and submit their answers by August 31 will win coupons for a free ice cream cone courtesy of Stewart's Shops.

08/10/2021

Transformation Tuesday!

During August, #TransformationTuesday will celebrate recent conservation and restoration work that has been done at Staatsburgh!

This Kashan rug, approximately 12 by 20 feet in size, is located on the east side of the drawing room. It has likely been in the drawing room for well over 100 years. It was removed for cleaning and some repairs in 1982, but 35 years later the rug was in need of treatment because of several splits throughout. Due to the condition, the rug was rolled up and transported to the textile conservation lab at Peebles Island for treatment. The textile conservator repaired the splits and stabilized the rug with a cotton lining. The rug was gently cleaned and vacuumed and loose bindings around the edges were also stabilized. The rug was reinstalled in 2019 along with a felt rug pad placed underneath the rug to provide more protection to the brittle wool. The rug may be hard to see while touring Staatsburgh due to its location and the sheer amount of furniture in the drawing room, but we know that in our role as stewards of this amazing home, the hard work is not always obvious or flashy.

08/09/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 7): Italy

This week on Around the World with Staatsburgh's Collections we visit Italy to examine a Renaissance style cassone.

Curator Maria Reynolds provides a look at an Italian Renaissance style cassoni.

08/07/2021

Congratulations to Team Favata for completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt!

During August you can win free ice cream cones for your team, courtesy of Stewart's Shops! Follow this link to get started:
https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

Congratulations to Team Favata for completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt!

During August you can win free ice cream cones for your team, courtesy of Stewart's Shops! Follow this link to get started:
https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

08/05/2021

Little Purple Flowers

What do Napoleon Bonaparte, Mrs. Vanderbilt, and Staatsburgh's greenhouses all have in common?

Violets! The little purple flowers were everywhere during the Gilded Age. Read all about the Hudson Valley's violet boom - from Broadway murders to Edwardian kitchens - on our latest blog

http://staatsburghstatehistoricsite.blogspot.com/2021/07/little-purple-flowers.html

From Ruth Mills' dinner parties and Broadway murder trials to French battlefields and President Roosevelt's inaugurations, Marie Louise was ...

08/04/2021

Congratulations to Team Pemberton for completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt! We hope they enjoy their prizes: Ice cream cones courtesy of Stewart's Shops!

They did a great job and you can too!
Follow this link for instructions and clues: https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

Congratulations to Team Pemberton for completing the Photographic Scavenger Hunt! We hope they enjoy their prizes: Ice cream cones courtesy of Stewart's Shops!

They did a great job and you can too!
Follow this link for instructions and clues: https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

08/03/2021

Transformation Tuesday!

Historic sites like Staatsburgh are always a work in progress. For every piece that is conserved, there are several more waiting for treatment! We are consistently striving to conserve and restore the building and the collections. During August, every #TransformationTuesday will celebrate some of the most recent amazing work that has been done!

Due to many environmental conditions especially light exposure, textiles are one of the most fragile materials in a historic house. Some fabrics, like wool, have a longer lifespan, but others, namely silk, do not hold up after a century. Silk becomes faded, shattered and deteriorated to the point of complete loss. This 19th century chesterfield style sofa in Staatsburgh’s drawing room was an obvious example of degraded textiles until it was completely restored in 2018. Reproduction fabrics and trims have returned this sofa and its cushions to its Gilded Age splendor thanks to work completed by professional conservators at the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites at Peebles Island and funds from The Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh to purchase the fabric and trims!

08/02/2021

Around the World with Staatsburgh’s Collections (Part 6): China

This week on Around the World with Staatsburgh's Collections, we highlight an amazing piece of Chinese porcelain.

Historic Interpreter Zachary Veith showcases a Qianlong-period Moon flask from China.

07/31/2021

Congratulations to team 'The Shiny Hunters' for completing the Scavenger Hunt! Great job! We hope you enjoy your prize: ice cream cones courtesy of Stewart's Shops!

Anyone can complete the scavenger hunt, follow this link to get started!!
https://millsfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Staatsburgh-Scavenger-Hunt-2021.pdf

07/30/2021

Flower Friday!

Flowers appeal for their beauty and fragrance, but a flower can also have a deeper meaning. Supporters of women’s suffrage often wore yellow roses to proclaim their support for the movement. The green carnation is another flower with an additional layer of meaning. Famed Irish playwright Oscar Wilde frequently wore a green carnation on his lapel as did many in his social circle. In 1894, a book entitled The Green Carnation was published anonymously, which told the story of a romantic relationship between two men. The book was a clear parody of Wilde and his lover Lord Alfred Douglas, and it was written by a man who knew them both. This book was used as part of the evidence against Wilde when he was brought to trial in 1895 with charges of gross indecency since homosexuality was illegal at the time. Although Wilde never explicitly claimed that his green carnation was a symbol of homosexuality, he hinted at the fact. Perhaps a flower of an unnatural color embodied “unnatural” love, which was what society and the law considered homosexuality.

When accused of authoring the book by a newspaper, Wilde replied with the following:

"Sir. Kindly allow me to contradict, in the most emphatic manner, the suggestion, made in your issue of Thursday last, and since then copied into many other newspapers, that I am the author of The Green Carnation. I invented that magnificent flower. But with the middle-class and mediocre book that usurps its strangely beautiful name I have, I need hardly say, nothing whatsoever to do. The Flower is a work of Art. The book is not."
#FlowerFriday

Flower Friday!

Flowers appeal for their beauty and fragrance, but a flower can also have a deeper meaning. Supporters of women’s suffrage often wore yellow roses to proclaim their support for the movement. The green carnation is another flower with an additional layer of meaning. Famed Irish playwright Oscar Wilde frequently wore a green carnation on his lapel as did many in his social circle. In 1894, a book entitled The Green Carnation was published anonymously, which told the story of a romantic relationship between two men. The book was a clear parody of Wilde and his lover Lord Alfred Douglas, and it was written by a man who knew them both. This book was used as part of the evidence against Wilde when he was brought to trial in 1895 with charges of gross indecency since homosexuality was illegal at the time. Although Wilde never explicitly claimed that his green carnation was a symbol of homosexuality, he hinted at the fact. Perhaps a flower of an unnatural color embodied “unnatural” love, which was what society and the law considered homosexuality.

When accused of authoring the book by a newspaper, Wilde replied with the following:

"Sir. Kindly allow me to contradict, in the most emphatic manner, the suggestion, made in your issue of Thursday last, and since then copied into many other newspapers, that I am the author of The Green Carnation. I invented that magnificent flower. But with the middle-class and mediocre book that usurps its strangely beautiful name I have, I need hardly say, nothing whatsoever to do. The Flower is a work of Art. The book is not."
#FlowerFriday