* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] HELLO. HOW YOU DOING BACK THERE? IS THIS GOOD? THAT'S BETTER. OKAY. DON'T HAVE TO SCREAM THEN. LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURE FOR A SECOND. IN THE MIDDLE, THERE'S A LITTLE TOWER. EVERYTHING TO THE LEFT OF THE LITTLE TOWER WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDING FROM THE 1840S. 20 YEARS LATER, MR. SECOND OWNER, THIS HALF IS THE 1840S, 20 YEARS LATER THIS HALF. WHY DOES IT LOOK THE SAME? BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME ARCHITECT. ALEXANDER JACKSON. DAVIS. HE DID THE ORIGINAL AND HE CAME BACK. 20 YEARS LATER, HE DID THE ADDITION, AND WHEN HE DID THE ADDITION, HE WENT INSIDE AND PUT GOTHIC EVERYWHERE, FURNITURE, CEILINGS, WALLS, BOOKSHELVES. HE IS, HE'S BASICALLY THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT OF THE, OF THE MIDDLE OF THE 18 HUNDREDS. INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, IT'S ALL ALEXANDER JACKSON DAVIS. 450 ACRES BECAME 67. THE NATIONAL TRUST OWNED 67 TODAY. THAT'S ALL MR. FIRST STONER. MR. MAYOR. HE'S THE ONE WHO BOUGHT THE GRO THE, UH, WHEAT FIELDS. HE'S THE ONE WHO PUT THE ORIGINAL LITTLE HOUSE THERE. IT WAS HIS SUMMER GETAWAY. HE DIED. HIS SON HAD IT AND HIS SON SOLD IT TO THE MERITS, THE LIMESTONE. Y'ALL HEARD OF SING SING? YES. YEAH. THE PRISONERS THAT SING, SING ACTUALLY CUT THE LIMESTONE TO BUILD THIS STONE. THERE WAS A QUARRY THERE IN THE 1840S, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR LIMESTONE COMES FROM. FROM SING, SING, PRISON, THE LITTLE HOUSE OF MAYOR ALDING, RIGHT? NOTHING LIKE TODAY, NOTHING LIKE THAT. FIRST PICTURE YOU SAW, THE ORIGINAL HOUSE HAD ABOUT 7,000 SQUARE FEET. THE HOUSE TODAY HAS ABOUT 14,000 SQUARE FEET. SECOND OWNER, THE YEARS ARE EASY. 40, 60, 80, 1860S. IT'S MR. MERRITT. MR. MERRITT TALK ABOUT LUCK. 35 BUCKS. HE BOUGHT THE, UH, UM, I'M LOSING THE WORD. WHAT IS IT? WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING, NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT. SAY IT. HE BOUGHT THE PATENT FOR THE RAILROAD SPRING THAT WOUND UP UNDER EVERY CHAIR IN EVERY RAILROAD CAR IN AMERICA, AND HE BECAME A MILLIONAIRE WITH THAT. THAT'S GEORGE MERRICK, THE SECOND OWNER. HE WENT TO FOUR 50 ACRES. HE BROUGHT IN THE LANDSCAPING THE TREES AND DOUBLED THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. WE ALREADY KNOW THE NORTH WING AND THE SOUTH WING, SO WE CAN WHIP RIGHT BY THE THE THIRD FAMILY. THE LAST FAMILY, 1880S TO 1961. JAY GOULD, RICHEST GUY IN AMERICA. FOR ABOUT A YEAR, HE HAD 20,000 MILES OF RAILROADS THAT HE OWNED. HE HAD ALMOST ALL THE GOLD IN AMERICA UNTIL THE PRESIDENT FOUND OUT AND THEN STARTED MANIPULATING THE GOLD MARKET. HIS DAUGHTER, HELEN, SHE BECAME THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE AFTER DADDY DIED. AND WHEN HELEN DIED, HER SISTER ANNIE BECAME THE LAST OWNER OF THE HOUSE. ANNIE GOULD, THE DUCHESS OF TRAN 1961. THE VEST HERE BEGINS THE GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. ALMOST EVERYTHING IS SEEN. HE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF EUROPE, WHETHER IT'S A COLLEGE OR A CHURCH, BECAUSE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE GOTHIC BROUGHT TO AMERICA BY AJ DAVIS. UH, THE ENTRANCEWAY, IF YOU SEE A PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT LOOKS GOTHIC, IT WAS DESIGNED BY ALEXANDER JACKSON DAVIS. THE 55 PIECES OF FURNITURE THAT HE DESIGNED FOR THIS HOUSE ARE STILL THERE. SO THESE ARE TWO BUNCH BENCHES THAT HE DESIGNED PROBABLY EVEN BEFORE THE HOUSE WAS BUILT. THE ENTRANCEWAY LOOKS LIKE MARBLE, LOOKS LIKE MARBLE FROM SIENNA, ITALY. I CALL IT THE ESE MARBLE, BUT IT IS WHITE PLASTER. IT IS WHITE PLASTER THAT WAS PAINTED BY ARTISTS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO TO LOOK LIKE MARBLE. THIS, THIS FAKE OR THIS FOE WAS SOMETHING VERY IN, IN THE 1860S, AND MR. MERRITT FAKED EVERYWHERE. HIS HOUSE, HE WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW HE HAD A LOT OF MONEY, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE FOE OR THE FAKE. UH, THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM. THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM OF MAYOR PAULDING. THIS IS MAYOR PAULING'S FURNITURE. IT WAS DESIGNED BEFORE THE HOUSE WAS EVEN BUILT, AND IT'S STILL THERE. IT HAS BEEN RECOVERED, BUT IT IS ING'S ORIGINAL LIVING ROOM. GEORGE WASHINGTON BY REDMOND PEEL, JUST ONE OF THE PAINTINGS [00:05:01] THAT WAS THERE DURING THE GHOULS. THE GHOULS COLLECTION IS STILL IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE WHEN DADDY DIED, THE COLLECTION WENT TO HELEN. HELEN DIED. IT WENT TO ANNIE, AND ANNIE LEFT US THE HOUSE WITH EVERYTHING IN IT, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE ART COLLECTION AND THE 6,000 BOOKS THAT WERE IN THAT HOME IN 1961. THERE'S THE PORTRAIT OF OUR FIRST OWNER, MAYOR PAULDING. MORE OF THE GOTHIC FURNITURE. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FURNITURE THAT'S BEEN RECOVERED, BUT IT'S THE 1840S, A RECEPTION ROOM. THIS IS ROOM WHERE YOU SAT WHEN YOU CAME TO VISIT, RIGHT? YOU WOULD WAIT THERE FOR THE OWNERS TO COME DOWN TO, UH, TO GREET YOU. UH, THE FURNITURE HERE COMES FROM THE SECOND FAMILY FROM MR. MERRIT. IT'S VERY DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THAT EASY BLUE THAT YOU SAW BEFORE. THIS IS 20 YEARS LATER. MR. MERRIT GOES TO ITALY, COMES BACK FROM ITALY, PUTS A LITTLE LID IN HIS HOUSE, INCLUDING THIS FURNITURE. WHAT DID HE DO WITH THE ORIGINAL, UH, LIVING ROOM FURNITURE? HE PUT IT IN THE BASEMENT. FORTUNATELY, HE DID NOT THROW IT OUT. SO WE'VE GOT THE ORIGINAL LIVING ROOM AND WE'VE GOT MERITS, LIVING ROOM. MOST OF THE HOUSE, MOST OF THE GLASS IN THE HOUSE, NOT ALL OF IT IS STAINED GLASS. AND UH, THE MAJORITY OF IT IS IS TIFFANY AROUND THE STAINED GLASS. IS WOOD PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE MARBLE PAINTING WAS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE REAL THING BACK THEN, WHICH IS WHY MR. SECOND OWNER FAKED INSTEAD OF BOUGHT THE REAL, UH, A LIBRARY. MR. GOULD HAD 6,000 BOOKS. HE WAS A BOOK COLLECTOR AND THEY WENT TO HELEN, THEN THEY WENT TO ANNIE, AND THEN THEY ARE NOW OURS. PART OF THE NATIONAL TRUST. THE PAINTINGS UP THERE, MR. AND MRS. MERRITT, THOSE PAINTINGS WERE UP THERE IN THE 1860S AND THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE TODAY, 2025. MORE OF THE 6,000 BOOKS, MORE OF THE TIFFANY WINDOWS. THAT'S THE TIFFANY LAMP, THE GREEN ONE ON THE TABLE. THOSE ARE THE FOUR. MR. AND MRS. MERRIT, MOM AND DAD. THE FOUR PORTRAITS ARE STILL IN THE LIBRARY TODAY. THE SLIDE BEFORE THIS, YOU SAW TWO OF THEM. THIS IS MOM AND DAD. UH, TWO PIECES IN THE LIBRARY, THE SCHOOL EXAM, AND A LITTLE BIT OF COURTSHIP. ALL THE SCULPTURES IN THE HOUSE COME FROM THE 1860S OR FROM THE LAST FAMILY, FROM THE GHOUL FAMILY. THERE'S OUR HALLWAY. IT'S A BIG HOUSE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HALLWAY IN THIS HOUSE. UH, THE MARBLE FLOOR IS FROM HASTINGS, NEW YORK. . THE BLUE IS FROM ENGLAND. AND THAT IS THE SAME FLOOR. DOES ANYBODY ELSE KNOW WHERE THAT FLOOR IS? VERY FAMOUS IN WASHINGTON, DC THAT'S THE SAME FLOOR THAT'S IN CONGRESS. HASTINGS. THANK YOU ENGLAND. THANK YOU. UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THE LIBRARY. THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LIBRARY. MORE OF THE 6,000 BOOKS OF MR. GOULD, THE DINING ROOM. PEOPLE WHO WATCH THE GILDED AGE. YOU KNOW, AURORA ALWAYS HAVING PEOPLE FOR DINNER. THIS IS AURORA'S DINING ROOM IN THE GILDED AGE. THE FURNITURE HERE GOES BACK TO THE 1860S DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECT FOR THIS ROOM. THE CEILING IS PAINTED, THE BEAMS ARE PAINTED, THE GRAINS ARE PAINTED ON THOSE CEILINGS. AND THE WALLPAPER IS NOT LEATHER, IT'S NOT PAPER. IT'S THE WALL PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE WALLPAPER AND LEATHER. FAKE IS VERY IN, IN THE 1860S, NOT OF LITTLE REAL MARBLE IN THE HOUSE. THE FIREPLACES ARE REAL IN THIS HOUSE. VERY LITTLE OTHER IS REAL WHEN IT COMES TO MARBLE. THE FIREPLACE HERE, THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE FIREPLACE, THE MARBLE IS BROWN AND WHITE. FIREPLACE HAS TO BE REAL, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANNA BURN THE HOUSE DOWN, BUT YOU SEE THE MARBLE BY THE MIRROR. PINE TREE PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE THE REAL MARBLE. UM, CLOSEUP THE WALLS, NOT LEATHER, NOT WALLPAPER. PAINT, JOB, PAINT JOB. THE MARBLE COLUMN, PAINT, JOB, RIGHT? PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE THE FIREPLACE. YES, SIR. HOW RECENTLY HAS THE PLACE BEEN REPAINT? IS THIS THE ORIGINAL THING OR THERE'S THERE'S NO ONE ANSWER [00:10:01] TO THAT BECAUSE EVERY, THEY'RE ALWAYS REDOING SOMETHING SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, RIGHT? THIS, THIS WINTER, I BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING A CEILING IN ONE OF THE ROOMS. OKAY? SO THAT PAINTING TO LOOK LIKE MARBLE OR LIKE LEATHER. THE, THE, THE MARBLE COLUMNS, I THINK ARE ORIGINAL WITHOUT A DOUBT. ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN REDONE IN THE LAST 23 YEARS. JUST ONE BUTLER'S PANTRY, RIGHT? CORK FLOOR, DUMB WAITER. WE NEED A DUMB WAITER BECAUSE WHAT'S IN THE BASEMENT? THE KITCHEN, RIGHT? AND THE DUMB WAITER. I LEARNED THIS WHEN I CAME TO LYNDHURST. WHAT DOES DUMB MEAN? IT MEANS QUIET. IT DOESN'T MEAN STUPID. THE DUMB WAITER IS A QUIET WAITER THAT MOVES THE FOOD UP AND DOWN. CORK FLOOR DISHES. OH MY GOD. WE HAVE EIGHT COMPLETE SETS OF DISHES THAT BELONG TO MRS. GOULD. AND EVERY THREE MONTHS SPECIAL HOLIDAYS, THEY CHANGE THE DINING ROOM AND THEY BRING THEM OUT AND THEY'RE ALL ON DISPLAY IN THE KITCHEN. IF YOU ARE INTO DISHES, UH, ALMOST ALL THE WINDOWS ARE STAINED GLASS. NOT ALL OF 'EM. THIS WOULD BE EARLY WINDOW. THIS WOULD BE AN EARLY WINDOW. SO THIS WOULD NOT BE STAINED GLASS FROM TIFFANY'S. THIS IS PAINTED GLASS ON THE STAIRWAY TO THE SECOND FLOOR. THE ART GALLERY ON THE SECOND FLOOR, PART OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE. MR. GOULD'S ART COLLECTION IS STILL THERE. HE DIED. IT WENT TO HELEN, WENT TO ANNIE, AND IT'S PART OF THE NATIONAL TRUST. THAT IS HIS ART COLLECTION. THERE ARE ARTISTS FROM EUROPE OF THE 18 HUNDREDS, ARTISTS FROM EUROPE, OF THE 18 HUNDREDS. THERE'S NO RENAISSANCE HERE. THERE'S NO MICHELANGELO, RIGHT? THERE ARE 18 HUNDREDS. BUT THEY ARE MR. GOULDS. THEY ARE MR. GOULDS. AND THAT'S THE VIEW OF THE A RIVER HERE. IF YOU LOOK OUT THAT WINDOW THERE, JUST A FEW OF THE 30 SOMETHING PIECES THAT HE HAS HANGING IN HIS GALLERY, UH, RAILROADS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, RIGHT? HIS WEALTH WAS FROM THE 20,000 MILES THAT HE OWNED. AT ONE POINT, THEY BELIEVE HE WAS THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER IN AMERICA, RIGHT? HE HAD NO PROBLEM RUINING YOUR LIFE, RUINING YOUR RAILROAD, BUYING YOUR RAILROAD, MAKING YOU GO BANKRUPT. ACTUALLY, YOU SAW THAT IN THE GILDED AGE. ON THE OTHER HAND, HE WAS THE ONLY ROBBER BARON THAT WENT HOME EVERY NIGHT TO BE WITH HIS WIFE AND HIS KIDS. HE WENT HOME EVERY NIGHT ON HIS YACHT TO HAVE DINNER AND TO READ WITH HIS CHILDREN. THAT IS JAY GO. THAT IS JAY GOUL. HE DIED VERY YOUNG. HE WAS IN HIS EARLY FIFTIES WHEN HE DIED, TUBERCULOSIS. UH, FIVE OF HIS SIX KIDS. THE TWO GIRLS, HELEN AND ANNIE, YOU ALREADY KNOW. THEY OWN THE HOUSE. THEY OWN THE HOUSE. THIS IS HELEN, OLDEST DAUGHTER NEXT TO LAST OWNER OF THIS HOME, SUPPORTED THE USO, SUPPORTED THE, UH, WOMAN'S MOVEMENT, SUPPORTED RIGHT TO VOTE, SUPPORTED NURSING, UH, WAS GIVEN AWARDS BY CONGRESS TO OPEN HER PROPERTY. YOU COULD COME SEE MY GARDEN ANYTIME YOU WANT. PUT UP A SCHOOL ON THE PROPERTY FOR GIRLS, POOR GIRLS, AND PUT UP A SCHOOL NEXT DOOR FOR POOR BOYS. GAVE AWAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. HELEN GOULD, JAY GOULD'S, ELDEST DAUGHTER. UH, THAT IS JAY GOULD AND THAT IS JAY GOULD'S, DAUGHTER HELEN AND FINDLEY SHEPHERD. HELEN GOULD WAS 44. FINDLEY SHEPHERD WAS 42 WHEN THEY WERE ON A TRAIN. THEY WERE GOING WEST, BOTH TO BUILD RAILROADS. THE TRAIN WAS IN A MASSIVE WRECK. PEOPLE WERE KILLED. IT WAS ONE BIG BLOODY DISASTER. BOTH THEIR CARS TURNED OUT TO BE FINE, OKAY? IT TOOK THEM FIVE DAYS TO GET BACK TO NEW YORK. AND WHEN THEY GOT BACK TO NEW YORK, FINLEY PROPOSED TO HELEN COS I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT STORY, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. AND 11 MONTHS LATER, SHE MARRIED HIM AT LINDHURST. AND THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART OF THE STORY. THEY HAD THEIR RECEPTION IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 3000. 3000. NOT FRIENDS, HOMELESS FAMILIES. THEY INVITED EVERYBODY IN THE BOWERY TO COME TO THEIR RECEPTION. AND AFTER THAT RECEPTION, HELEN AND FINLEY ADOPTED. THEY'RE BOTH IN THEIR FORTIES. THIS IS WAY BACK WHEN, RIGHT? 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 CHILDREN. THAT'S HELEN GOULD. NEXT, THE LAST OWNER OF OUR HOME, [00:15:01] ONE OF THE BEDROOMS, THE BED. WHO DESIGNED IT? THE ARCHITECT. ALEXANDER JACKSON. DAVIS. IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL THERE. IT'S STILL THERE. THAT'S HELEN'S DESK. ACTUALLY, HELEN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO GO TO NYU LAW SCHOOL. YEAH, FIRST WOMAN, NYU LAW SCHOOL. MORE OF THE FURNITURE BEEN THERE YEARS. THIS WAS THE LADIES' BEDROOM. THE CONCEPT OF A MASTER BEDROOM DOESN'T EXIST IN THIS HOUSE, BUT THIS WAS A BEDROOM FOR WOMEN, WHETHER IT WAS A WIFE OR A DAUGHTER OR GRANDMA OR A VISITOR. IT WAS A, UH, A BEDROOM FOR WOMEN. UH, THIS BEDROOM IS UP FOUR STAIRS. AND IF YOU LOOK OUT THE BEDROOM, YOU SEE THAT BIG BEAUTIFUL WINDOW WITH THE ART GALLERY. IT WAS A FEMALE BEDROOM. UH, DID THE MERITS SLEEP TOGETHER? DID THE GIRLS SLEEP TOGETHER? WE HAVE NO IDEA IF THOSE MARRIED COUPLES SLEPT TOGETHER, RIGHT? UH, MOST WEALTHY PEOPLE DURING THAT PERIOD, HUSBAND AND WIFE HAD SEPARATE BEDROOMS. UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHO SLEPT WHERE. ONE OF OUR CEILINGS. YES, ONE OF OUR CEILINGS IN THE LADIES' BEDROOM. THAT'S, UH, THAT'S TIFFANY FOR SURE, THERE. THAT'S TIFFANY FOR SURE. UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THE BEDROOMS, UH, THE FURNITURE IS BIRD EYE. MAPLE BIRDS EYE. MAPLE IS A MAPLE THAT'S DISEASED AND THERE'S NO MORE DISEASE. SO THERE'S NO MORE BIRD EYE MAPLE, WHICH MAKES THIS FURNITURE RATHER SPECIAL. UH, BATHROOMS, BATHROOMS. ORIGINAL HOUSE HAD NO BATHROOMS. IT IS HELEN GOULD WHO GIVES US THIS, A ROOM WITH SINKS AND A SHOWER AND A TUB AND RUNNING WATER. THIS IS HELEN GOULD. THIS IS ABOUT 1912. 1912. THE SINKS ARE FROM NEW JERSEY. IF THERE'S ANYBODY FROM NEW JERSEY, THESE ARE NOT ITALIAN. THESE ARE NOT FRENCH. THESE ARE AMERICAN STANDARD FROM NEW JERSEY. THANK YOU. HELEN GOULD. THE DUCHESS IS SWEET. WHO'S THE DUCHESS? THE DUCHESS IS ANNA GOULD. AT THE AGE OF 19, ANNA GOULD'S BROTHER ARRANGED A MARRIAGE WITH A FRENCH COUNT. SHE WENT TO EUROPE WITH MILLIONS, GOT TO FRANCE, BOUGHT A PALACE, MARRIES THE COUNT, HAS CHILDREN WITH THE COUNT. THE COUNT COMES HOME. ONE DAY THERE'S THE COP AT THE FRONT DOOR. IT'S LOCKED, AND THE COP TELLS THE COUNT, THE COUNT, GO, GO, GO AWAY. I GUESS IT'S OVER. IT'S FINISHED. THE MARRIAGE IS DONE. SHE DOESN'T WANT YOU ANYMORE. SHE WENT TO ROME. WHY DID SHE GO TO ROME? YEAH, SHE WANTED AN ANNULMENT. SO SHE WENT TO ROME. SHE GOT HER ANNULMENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNT. COMES BACK TO FRANCE AND MARRIES A DUKE, NOT A LOWLY COUNT. A DUKE. NOT ONLY A DUKE, BUT THE DUKE OF TRAN, THE MOST IMPORTANT FAMILY IN FRANCE. TRON GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO NAPOLEON. SHE IS THE DUCHESS OF TRAN, AND IT'S WALT DISNEY. HAPPILY EVER AFTER ANNA GOUL, THE DUCHESS OF TRAN LIVES IN FRANCE, HAS MORE KIDS WITH THE, WITH THE DUKE, UH, HAPPILY EVERY A UNTIL 1939. UH, WHAT HAPPENS IN 39? YEAH, THE WAR, EVERYTHING CHANGES. HER DUKE DIED. HER SON WAS KILLED BACK IN AMERICA. HELEN DIED. THE GERMANS TOOK HER HER HOME. SO SHE LEFT. SHE PACKED UP THE LOUIS, THE LOUIS VUITTON COMES BACK TO AMERICA, AND UH, SHE GOES UP TO LYNDHURST, WHICH IS NOW HERS. AND SHE LASTED A WEEK. THAT WAS ALL TERRYTOWN, 1939. DUCHESS OF TRAN LIVING IN FRANCE. IT DID NOT WORK. THERE'S NOTHING TO DO IN TARRYTOWN. IT'S BASICALLY BORING. SO EVEN THOUGH SHE OWNS IT, SHE GOES BACK TO THE CITY AND GOES TO THE PLAZA HOTEL AND GETS A SUITE AT THE PLAZA. AND THAT BECOMES HER HOME IN NEW YORK. LYNDHURST, THAT'S THE THING UP THERE. LET'S GO ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH MY FRIENDS. LET'S GO FOR THE WEEKEND MAYBE, RIGHT? MY DAD GREW UP IN, IN TARRYTOWN. MY DAD SAID SHE HAD THREE OR FOUR LIMOUSINES, AND THEY USUALLY SAW THEM ON A WEEKEND OR ON A DAY WHEN IT WAS VERY HOT IN THE CITY. THAT IS WHAT SHE USED. LYNDHURST FOR THE DUCHESS OF TRAN. THE DUCHESS IS SUITE. THE DUCHESS TOOK TWO AND A HALF ROOMS, EMPTIED THEM AND REDECORATED THEM LIKE HER PALACE BACK IN FRANCE. SO THE NEXT TWO SLIDES IS GOING TO BE THE DUCHESS SUITE. IT'S NOT GONNA LOOK LIKE ALEXANDER JACKSON DAVIS ANYMORE. IT'S GONNA [00:20:01] CHANGE BIG TIME. SO, OH, UH, THERE'S THE JUDGES AT 19, WHEN SHE GOES OFF TO MARRY THE COUNT, THAT'S THE BUM. THAT'S THE COUNT. AND THEN WE HAVE THE DUKE, AH, THE DUKE. IT WAS HAPPILY EVER AFTER WITH THE DUKE. THAT IS THE PICTURE OF THE DUCHESS WHEN IT'S 1939, WHEN SHE COMES BACK TO AMERICA. OKAY? THAT'S WHEN SHE COMES HOME. HER DOG IS ACTUALLY BURIED ON THE FRONT LAWN. AND THERE'S A TOMB ON THE FRONT LAWN WHERE THAT LITTLE DOG IS ACTUALLY BURIED. YEAH, THE DUCHESS IS SWEET. YOU CAN SEE THE FURNITURE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THERE. UH, THIS IS THE DUCHESS REDOING ONE OF THE BEDROOMS. THERE'S ONE OF HER LOUIS VUITTON TRUNKS. WE STILL HAVE THEM. WE HAVE HER HATS, HER CLOTHES, HER SHOES. DURING DECEMBER, WE TAKE A, A CHRISTMAS TREE AND WE TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN AND WE DECORATE IT WITH HER, HER HATS AND HER, UH, HER HATS AND HER SHOES. YEAH. YEAH. THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE BIT OF FRANCE, THE OTHER BEDROOM OF THE DUCHESS OF TALLY RUN. THAT'S ANN BERLIN BACK THERE. YOU, UH, UH, THIS IS A DRESSING ROOM. THERE ARE NO CLOSETS. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN CLOSETS. THERE ARE NO CLOSETS IN THIS HOUSE. THEY DIDN'T DO CLOSETS BACK THEN. THE DRESSER WOULD'VE ALL BEEN KEPT UPSTAIRS IN THE ATTIC. AND, UH, WHEN SHE NEEDED THE BLUE DRESS, SHE WOULD TELL WHOMEVER, I NEED THE BLUE DRESS. THANK YOU. AND THIS WAS HER DRESSING ROOM. THERE'S THE HASTINGS FLOOR AGAIN, RIGHT? THERE'S THE STAIRWAY AGAIN. JAY GO'S OFFICE. I ALREADY TOLD YOU HE WAS UNLIKE THE OTHER BAR BARNS. HE DID COME HOME EVERY NIGHT. HE SLEPT ABOUT FOUR HOURS A NIGHT. HE CAME HOME EVERY NIGHT, WORKED, WORKED WITH RED, ATE WITH HIS CHILDREN, AND THEN HE WORKED TILL THE MORNING. THAT'S HIS DESK. THAT IS A WOOTEN DESK. IT IS ON WHEELS, AND IT OPENS AND CLOSES AND LOCKS. THAT DESK TRAVELED EVERY DAY IN THE MORNING. THAT DESK WENT TO THE YACHT. SO HE WORKED ON HIS WAY TO NEW YORK CITY. HE GOES BY YACHT IN THE CITY. THEY WOULD TAKE HER TO THE OFFICE WHERE HE WORKED. AND WHEN HE CAME HOME AT NIGHT, THE DESK DID THE ROUND TRIP AND CAME BACK TO THE OFFICE. THERE'S THE YACHT. IT'S 250 FOOT LONG. HE DOCKS IT RIGHT THERE IN TARRYTOWN. IT'S GOT A CREW OF 55 THAT LIVE ON THE YACHT. IT'S OCEAN GOING. THEY SEND IT TO EUROPE IN THE SUMMER WHEN THE FAMILY VACATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. THAT'S HIS PORTRAIT. THAT'S HIS WIFE. HIS PRIVATE RAILROAD CAR TODAY IS IN TEXAS. IT IS A MUSEUM IN TEXAS. THIS IS A STERLING SILVER COPY OF HIS PRIVATE CAR. ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE THE GREENHOUSE. THE FIRST METAL STEEL GREENHOUSE EVER BUILT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WAS BUILT ON GOULD'S PROPERTY. THE COMPANY THAT BUILT THIS STEEL GREENHOUSE THEN WENT TO THE BRONX AND BUILT THE ONE IN THE BRONX. SAME COMPANY. AND THEY ARE BASED RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN IRVINGTON. THE CHILDREN'S PLAYHOUSE. HELEN GOULD HAD THE FOUR ADOPTED CHILDREN. SO SHE BUILT THIS PLAYHOUSE FOR THEM ON THE FRONT LAWN. IT HAD, UH, IT HAD WATER AND IT HAD ELECTRICITY. AFTER 1913, THE BOWLING ALLEY, HELEN BUILT A BOWLING ALLEY BECAUSE WAS SOMETHING THAT MEN AND WOMEN SOCIALLY COULD DO TOGETHER. IT IS TWO LANES. IT IS 1894, AND IT IS IN PERFECT CONDITION. PERFECT CONDITION. OKAY. TWO BRUNSWICK LANES, RIGHT? I HAD MY MOM'S HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY PARTY HERE TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE ACTUALLY BOWLED AND WE ACTUALLY BOWLED. YEAH, THERE'S THE GREENHOUSE. DURING WORLD WAR II, IT WAS VANDALIZED. THERE WAS NO FUEL. SO THE DUCHESS HAD TO CLOSE IT DOWN, AND THERE WAS SOME VANDALIZING GOING ON. WHEN IT BECAME PART OF THE TRUST IN 1961, UH, THEY JUST COULDN'T AFFORD TO RE GLASS IT, SO THEY HAD TO TAKE ALL THE GLASS DOWN. SO THAT'S HOW IT IS TODAY. UH, THE ONLY FLOWERS WE HAVE ON THIS PROPERTY REALLY ARE ROSES. WE HAVE A MAGNIFICENT, FAMOUS ROSE GARDEN, AND, UH, THAT'S WHERE HALF OF OUR WEDDINGS ARE HELD. ACTUALLY, WE HAD 42 WEDDINGS THERE LAST SUMMER. UH, BUT THAT'S HELEN GOULD'S ROSE GARDEN. THAT'S HELEN GOULD'S ROSE GARDEN. THAT IS PROBABLY THE HELEN GOULD ROSE. THERE'S SUCH A THING AS THE HELEN GOULD ROSE, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S IT. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE CLOSED UP. YOU'VE [00:25:01] GOT SERVANTS GOTTA TAKE CARE OF THEM, SO YOU BUILD A BUILDING FOR THEM. THE FIRST FLOOR HAS SEVEN BEDROOMS WITH BATHROOMS. THIS IS THE 19 HUNDREDS OR SEVEN BEDROOMS WITH BATHROOMS AND VIEWS OF THE RIVER FOR THE LADIES WHO WORKED FOR HELEN. AND THE SECOND FLOOR HAD THE SAME SEVEN BEDROOMS, SEVEN BATHROOM VIEWS OF THE RIVER FOR THE MEN WHO WORKED FOR HELEN GOUL. OKAY? UH, TODAY WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL LAUNDRY IN THERE. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE LAUNDRY STUFF FROM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. IT'S IN THERE. AND WE ALSO HAVE A BIG ROOM THERE FOR THE BRIDES, THE DAY OF THE WEDDING, WHERE THEY NEED TIME TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. THAT'S THE LAUNDRY BUILDING FROM HELEN GOULD'S TIME. UH, A BOWLING ALLEY. YES. HOW ABOUT A SWIMMING POOL? YES. IT LOOKS LIKE A ROMAN SOMETHING OR ANOTHER. THIS IS HELEN GOULDS SWIMMING POOL THAT SHE BUILT FOR THE KIDS. THE POOL IS SO BIG, THE POOL IS BIGGER THAN THIS ROOM. THE POOL IS SO BIG THAT SHE HAD A LIFEBOAT IN THAT POOL, UH, WITH A LIFEGUARD WHEN THE, UH, KIDS WERE SWIMMING. UH, THAT THERE ARE NO WATER IN IT TODAY, BUT YOU CAN VISIT THE, THE POOL AND THERE'S A ROSE GARDEN. OUR WEDDING CENTER, YOU CAN GET MARRIED ON THE FRONT LAWN. YOU CAN GET MARRIED OVERLOOKING THE RIVER. YOU CAN GET MARRIED HERE, AND THAT IS LINDHURST. IF YOU WATCH THE GILDED AGE, THAT'S CENTRAL PARK. SO, AND I BELIEVE INE. THAT'S IT. SUPER QUESTIONS. YES, MA'AM. DO THEY HAVE ANY ? UH, WE HAD ABOUT 85 GHOULS LAST SUMMER AT A REUNION. I CAN TELL YOU, COMPARED TO THE ROCKEFELLER, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT. THE GOULD MONEY HAS BASICALLY DISSIPATED. THERE ARE VERY FEW GOULD MILLIONAIRES. OKAY. UH, THE ONES THAT CAME LAST SUMMER WERE BASICALLY US. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO, YES, YES MA'AM. IN THE SETS OF CHINA, YOU SAID THERE WERE 13 SETS OF CHINA. HOW MANY PLAY SETTINGS CAN EACH SET? WELL, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY PLAY SETS ARE IN EACH SET, BUT I DO KNOW WHEN WE SET THE TABLE, WE SET IT FOR 12. HOW MANY SETS HAVE 12? I I WOULDN'T KNOW. I LIKE THE RED SET FROM ENGLAND, ESPECIALLY IN DECEMBER. YES, MA'AM. THERE'S A SMALL HOUSE ON THE RIVER RIGHT AT THE END OF THE TRAIL. THERE'S A LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT BY THE RIVER, ALMOST ON THE RIVER. UH, WE DIDN'T SEE IT HERE. THERE WERE THREE OF THEM. WHEN THE DUCHESS DIED, THEY WERE PROBABLY, I'M GUESSING THEY WERE PROBABLY 20 FEET BY 10 FEET. NOT VERY LARGE. TODAY, THE ONE THAT REMAIN REMAINS THE GENTLEMAN IN CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF ALL THE PROPERTY LIVES THERE. YEAH. YEAH. YES SIR. I NOTICED SOME RADIATORS, SOME OF THOSE PICTURES. WHEN DID THEY INSTALL CENTRAL HEATING? YES. GEORGE MERRITT, WHEN HE MAKES THE BIG HOUSE BRINGS GAS, HE BRINGS THE BEGINNING OF A BATHROOM AND HE ALSO BRINGS CENTRAL HEATING. MR. SECOND OWNER, HE BROUGHT GAS TO ALL THE RIVER HERE. HASTINGS IRVINGTON. THAT WAS HIS COMPANY. AND ACTUALLY IT WENT TO HIS HOME ALSO. YES, MA'AM. WHAT ABOUT HORSES? I KNOW STABLE. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT HORSES? AH, WE HAVE A HUMONGOUS STABLE. THAT'S TRUE. THERE'S NO STABLE IN THE PICTURES. WE HAVE A HUMONGOUS STABLE THAT GOES BACK TO THE MARITIME, TO THE 1860S. IT'S PART OF A VISIT. WE'VE GOT THE ORIGINAL STALLS, UH, AND WE HAVE A GIFT SHOP IN THERE. SOME BATHROOMS. UH, WE HAVE PARTIES IN THERE. YEAH, YOU CAN VISIT THE STABLES. YEAH. YES, SIR. FAMILIES. WHAT WAS THE MOST SERVANTS THAT THEY HAD? THE MOST SERVANTS, WITHOUT A DOUBT WAS HELEN GOULD SERVANTS, NOT GROUNDS PEOPLE. OKAY. MAYOR ALDING ONLY HAD FOUR. MR. MERRITT HAD SEVEN. AND THE, THE HOUSE THAT WE SHOWED YOU YEAH, HELEN GOULD HAD 22. UH, NOT COUNTING THE MEN, THE MANY, MANY MEN WHO TOOK CARE OF THE GROUNDS. RIGHT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE DON'T HAVE THE MOWERS IN THE 1860S. YES. YES MA'AM. ANY DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THE TAXES THAT THEY PAID? ANY DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THE TAXES THEY PAID? YES, WE DO. ZERO. WHEN THE DUCHESS DIED, AND LEFT THE 450 ACRES TO THE NATIONAL TRUST, TARRYTOWN SUED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT THE PROPERTY TO GO TO THE NATIONAL TRUST BECAUSE THE NATIONAL TRUST DOES NOT PAY TAXES. TODAY OF THE 67, THERE ARE ABOUT 385 THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE NATIONAL TRUST. THEY'RE PAYING TAXES. BEFORE, [00:30:01] BEFORE THAT, NO, THERE WERE NO TAXES. THERE WERE NO LAND TAXES. NO. REVEREND SUN YOUNG MOON BOUGHT 130 ACRES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WELL, NO. FORTUNATELY HE HAD TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES FOR SOME REASON. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT HE HAD TO LEAVE. SO THAT PROPERTY WAS SOLD A HUNDRED AND I THINK 39 ACRES. WHEN YOU GET ON 2 87 HERE AT THE BRIDGE AND YOU'RE DRIVING TOWARDS WHITE PLAINS, IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT, IT'S ALL GREEN. THAT WAS MOONS. IF YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT, THERE ARE THE HOTELS AND THE SUPERMAR. THAT WAS ALL ALSO, THAT IS ALL NOW, ALL THAT GREEN ON THE RIGHT IS NOW GREEN FOREVER, BECAUSE WHEN MOON SOLD HIS 139 ACRES, IT WAS BOUGHT BY WESTCHESTER, TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK, AND WHOEVER ELSE GAVE HIM THE MONEY. SO THOSE 1 39 WILL BE GREEN FOREVER. AND OUR 67 WILL BE GREEN FOREVER. YES, SIR. BRIDGE OVER. IF YOU, UH, IF YOU VISIT HURD TODAY, THE BRIDGE OVER THE RAILROAD IS STILL THERE. YEAH, THE DOCK IS GONE. THE, UH, THE STONES ARE THERE, BUT THE ACTUAL DOCK ITSELF IS GONE. BUT THE BRIDGE IS STILL THERE. THE BRIDGE IS STILL THERE. YES, MA'AM. WHAT ABOUT THE AQUEDUCT? WHICH GOES THROUGH, I DUNNO, IN RELATIONSHIP? WELL, IT MUST HAVE BEEN THERE. YEAH. THE AQUEDUCT, WHICH GOES THROUGH OUR PROPERTY, UH, TOOK THE WATER TO NEW YORK CITY. IT'S NO LONGER USED. RIGHT. UH, YOU CAN, IF YOU, IF YOU, ANYBODY WHO WALKS OR JOGS, LYNDHURST IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF PATHS. THERE'S A PATH ALONG THE RIVER. IT'S NOT THE RIVER WALK. IT'S A PATH ALONG THE RIVER WITH A COMPLETE VIEW OF THE RIVER. THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE WALK. YOU SEE THE BIG WATERFALL? THERE'S A BIG WATERFALL THERE. YEAH. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WALK. ALSO TO BICYCLE. ALSO TO BICYCLE. YEAH. SO WHAT DID THEY THINK ABOUT IT? DID THEY OBJECT TO PEOPLE WALKING ON THEIR PROPERTY? UH, NOT YET. , I HEAR, I HEAR THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO PUT UP A GATE ON THE FRONT ENTRANCEWAY, BUT IF YOU WANNA WALK, YOU CAN JUST WALK ON THE PROPERTY WHERE THE PROPERTY ENTERS. ROUTE NINE A THERE ROUTE NINE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. YES MA'AM. I WAS WONDERING AT THE ARCHITECT, UM, WHAT OTHER HOUSE? AL ALEX JACKSON. DAVIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS ARCHITECT, BUILDING ARCHITECT IN THE 18 HUNDREDS. HE BUILT A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK, IN WASHINGTON DC IN THE NORTHEAST. UH, I'M NOT REMEMBERING THE FAMOUS ONE RIGHT UP ABOUT AN HOUR NORTH OF HERE, BUT JUST GOOGLE, ALEXANDER JACKSON DAVIS OR COME, COME, UH, MAY 1ST IN OUR, UH, WE HAVE A ROOM ABOUT, ABOUT THIS SIZE WHERE WE DO EXHIBITS. OKAY. TWO YEARS AGO WE DID THE DUCHESS CLOTHES. OKAY. NEXT YEAR, THIS YEAR COMING, WE'RE GONNA DO ALEXANDER JACKSON DAVIS AND ALL HIS PICTURES OF HIS STUFF THAT HE DOES ALL OVER. YEAH. WE DID THE DUCHESS CLOTHES TWO YEARS AGO. WE DID TIFFANY LAST YEAR, THREE YEARS AGO, WE DID THE THREE LIVING ROOMS. SO THAT, THAT CENTER EXHIBITION CENTER CHANGES EVERY YEAR. YEAH. YEAH. YES, SIR. WHAT IS THE ENTRY FEE? WHAT IS THE ENTRY FEE? I BELIEVE IF YOU JUST WANNA WALK ON THE PROPERTY, DRIVE IN AND JUST PARK YOUR CAR AND WALK AROUND. I THINK IT'S FIVE BUCKS. IF YOU WANNA TAKE A TOUR OF THE HOUSE WITH ME OR ONE OF THE OTHER GUIDES, I THINK IT'S $24. THERE'S A TOUR. THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TOURS. THERE'S A TOUR OF THE HOUSE, THERE'S A TOUR OF THE HOUSE IN ALL THE SERVANTS QUARTERS, AND THERE'S A TOUR OF THE HOUSE WITH THE GROUNDS, BUT, BUT IT'S IN THE TWENTIES. OKAY. I'M NEVER IN THE TICKET OFFICE, SO I, I SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I I THINK IT'S 24. YEAH, WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE GOOD. YES, MA'AM. SERVICE, GET BACK. THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T GO BACK AND FORTH TO NEW YORK CITY. THEY LIVED ON THE PROPERTY. THEIR KIDS WERE SCHOOLED ON THE PROPERTY. IF YOU GOT A JOB WITH HELEN GOUL, I'M SURE YOU NEVER QUIT. YEAH. YEAH. UH, THERE WERE, DURING HELEN'S TIME, THERE WERE SEVEN DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES WORKING AT LYNDHURST. YEAH. SO, YES, MA'AM. YOU MENTIONED, I THINK P WHO, UM, ALL IN ALL GOLD. NO, IT WAS JAY GOULD. IT WAS JAY GOULD. THEN YOU SAID THE PRESIDENT, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT? THE PRESIDENT WAS, I'M NOT GOING TO REMEMBER, BUT WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT GOULD HAD MOST OF THE GOLD, HE DECIDED TO TAKE GOLD FROM THE UNITED STATES, FORT KNOX AND PUT IT OUT IN THE MARKET [00:35:01] SO THAT THAT WOULDN'T CONTINUE. BEST PART OF THE STORY IS GOULD FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN. SO HE SOLD ALL HIS GOLD BEFORE THE PRESIDENT PUT HIS OUT. SO HE WASN'T SCREWED WHEN THE PRESIDENT FOUND OUT. YEAH. OKAY. SOMEONE HERE MIGHT KNOW THAT. WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT IN THE 1880S? I DON'T KNOW. NOT IMPORTANT. SOMEONE'S PROBABLY GONNA GOOGLE IT RIGHT NOW, BUT, BUT NOT IMPORTANT. OKAY. I SAW ONE MORE. YES, SIR. DO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GARDENS FOR VEGETABLES AND RAISED STOCKS? THEY HAD THEIR GARDENS FOR THEM. THEY DIDN'T SELL FOOD. RIGHT. THEY WERE, THEY PROB THEY WERE PROBABLY CALLED GENTLEMAN FARMERS. RIGHT. WHERE THEY FARMED FOR THEMSELVES. WE STILL HAVE THE APPLE ORCHID ORCHARD. WE'RE ABOUT TO REDUCE, REPRODUCE THE PAIR ORCHARD, AND WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE GARDENS, AND I THINK THAT'S COMING UP, REDOING THE GARDENS. HOW DID THE CRASH AFFECT THINGS? HOW DID THE CRASH AFFECT THINGS? HELEN GOULD WOULD BE THERE DURING THE CRASH. RIGHT. THE RICHEST LADY IN AMERICA PROBABLY DIDN'T AFFECT HER AT ALL. NOW. YES, SIR. UH, WAS THERE A A, A STATION ON THE PROPERTY FOR THE TRAIN? LIKE A FLAT? YEAH. NO, THERE WAS NOT A LINDHURST STATION. THE CLOSEST ONE WOULD'VE BEEN WHAT, A HALF A MILE AWAY TARRYTOWN OR A MILE AWAY IRVINGTON. YEAH. BUT HE DIDN'T NEED THE TRAIN. RIGHT. HE HAD HIS YACHT. HE HAD HIS YACHT. TOOK HIM, TOOK HIM LESS THAN AN HOUR TO GO TO WORK. THAT'S HOW FAST HIS YACHT WAS. YEAH. NO. YES MA'AM. SSES GRANT, UH, THE BLACK FRIDAY GOLD PANIC. YES. GRANT. GRANT. ELLY SAYS, GRANT, THERE WE GO. LET ME BREAK. REMEMBER THAT GRANT, GRANT, GRANT, MY DOCTOR SAYS WHEN YOU FORGET SOMETHING, SAY IT 10 TIMES OR WRITE IT YES MA'AM. TO NEW YORK CITY. UH, WHEN THE HUDSON WAS FROZEN, IF IT WAS FROZEN, JUST MY GUESS. OKAY. 'CAUSE I NEVER HAD THAT QUESTION BEFORE. HE ALSO HAD A HUGE MANSION IN NEW YORK CITY. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT THEY LIVED IN THE MANSION IN THE RIGHT. JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH. YEAH. IF YOU KNOW WHERE RALPH LAUREN'S HOUSE IS, UH, RALPH LAUREN'S STORE IS, UH, GULS MANSION WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE RALPH LAUREN IS TODAY. YEAH. SO GULS, WERE NOT PART OF THE, THE, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT GILDED AGE WITH ALL THE RICH PEOPLE SHOWING OFF IN THE OPERA AND ALL THAT, AND THE 400 PEOPLE. NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. WE'RE GOOD. THANKS FOR COMING. I APPRECIATE YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.