LeGrand Lockwood's Mansion
On June 27th, 1871 Susie wrote, "We arrived at Norwalk about six o'clock and the Lockwood's carriage was there to meet us. We drove up to the house and they all came out to meet us....I cannot describe the house but it is a paradise on earth and will spoil me for any other house."
So begins her wonderful account of her family's visit to the Lockwood Mansion in Norwalk, CT. LaGrand Lockwood, a financier, served as a director of the New York Central Railroad and treasurer of the New York Stock Exchange and was a close friend of Susie's grandfather.
LeGrand Lockwood
LeGrand began to build his impressive home in 1864 and it was completed just before Susie's visit in 1871. Sadly, he didn't live long enough to fully enjoy it--he died in 1872 and his widow was forced to sell the home shortly thereafter. However, in June 1871, he was in good health when Susie, her parents and grandparents took the train to Norwalk for a visit. Susie spent time with LeGrand's daughter Florence Lockwood (who was 12 at the time), and niece, Emmie Benedict.
The Lockwood-Matthews Mansion still stands today and is open for tours. Last summer, I spent the afternoon with Kathleen Bennewitz, the curator of the museum. With journal in hand for reference, we tried to trace Susie's footsteps during my private tour.
"The house opens onto an elegant hall with the most magnificent picture that I have ever seen. We went up stairs and were shown into the guest chambers."
Rotunda, Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum
Most likely, the painting Susie was referencing Albert Bierstadt's second great Yosemite work, The Domes of the Yosemite, commissioned by Lockwood for $25,000. At his death, it was sold at auction for only $5,100 and now resides at the St.Jonesbury Athenaeum in St.Jonesbury, VT.
The Domes of the Yosemite, Bierstadt
"The spare room was furnished with light grey satin with blue trimmings with beautiful white lace tidy's. The bed was light silverwood and beautiful beads with a blue satin and white lace canopy."
Kathleen was kind enough to bring me upstairs even though most of the rooms haven't been renovated. The home was built for entertaining and there are at least ten bedrooms suites in the 48,000 square foot home-- not mentioning the servant quarters. While walking around the maze-like corridors I started to lose track of which bedroom I'd already visited. Perhaps this was where Susie slept?
"We got dressed and then dinner was ready so we went down and the table was perfectly covered with flowers and silver. There was a bouquet at every place and it seemed to me that it was the perfect Fairy Land. We had a magnificent dinner sitting down at half past six and not finishing until quarter past eight o'clock."
Dining Room, Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum
"After dinner we (Florence Lockwood, Emmie Benedict and myself) went around the house. There was a drawing room, the reception room, the sitting room, the library, the Billiard room, the ante chamber, the bath room, the dressing room and something that would be nice for Freddy and myself to go the flirting room."
Library, Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum
The tiny jewel-box room below is the one Kathleen and I thought might be most suitable for flirtation.
Susie also wrote an amusing description of the bowling alley in the basement and I asked if I could see it. Sadly, it's in too much disrepair to see safely.
"I then asked Florence if they had a bowling alley. She said yes so I proposed a game of "Tin Pins" so she called the watchman (for he was the one who set up the pins for us). And he went down and lighted it up and we all went down and played three games by ourselves..."
The next day before they were to leave, Susie and her parents took one final stroll around the house.
"I will not attempt to describe the house for words could not tell how magnificent it is. Every bedroom has its Boudoir, dressing room and Bath room. So at half past eleven the pony wagon came up and we started for the Depot and arrived there in minutes. We all said good bye and in a few minutes we were leaving the place where the handsomest house in the United States stands.."
For more information about the Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum, please go to their website: www.lockwoodmatthewsmansion.com.