Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives and House of Dark Shadows.
The 62-room mansion, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, has been described as "one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the United States."[1] "The Museum's mission is to conserve the building while creating educational programs on the material, artistic and social culture of the Victorian era," according to the museum organization's Web site.[1]
[edit] Mansion history
The estate, then called "Elm Park," was built by LeGrand Lockwood, who made his fortune in banking and the railroad industry. Construction began in 1864 just west of the Norwalk River in Norwalk and was completed four years later. Designed by European-trained, New York-based architect Detlef Lienau, the mansion "is considered his most significant surviving work," according to the association. Both American and immigrant artisans worked to construct and decorate the house.[1] Financial reversals in 1869 and Lockwood's death in 1872 resulted in loss of the estate by Lockwood's heirs. In 1874 the family lost the mansion and grounds through foreclosure.[1]
Charles D. Mathews, a prominent importer originally from Staten Island, New York, and his wife, Rebecca, bought the property in 1876. The Mathews family continued to live in the mansion until 1938.[1]
In 1941 the estate was sold to the City of Norwalk, which designated it a public park. In the 1950s, the building was threatened with demolition, but local preservationists succeeded in saving it. They formed Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, Inc. to run the site, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.[1]
The museum has hosted an annual antique show since 1978. In 2006 the show was held the last weekend in October and attracted dealers from Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Connecticut.[2]
In the 2000s, statues and furniture that had originally been in the mansion were bought and placed back in it. Two marble statues, sculpted in 1859 by Joseph Mozier, an American artist, and bought by LeGrand Lockwood, were purchased for $185,000. A $165,000 sofa original to the home was also acquired and brought back to it.[3]
The mansion has been used by survivors of victims in the September 11 attacks.[3]
Marjorie St. Aubyn, who became the executive director (and sole employee) of the museum in 2001, left in March 2007 after her annual contract was not renewed. Earlier she had filed a discrimination complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging discrimination. She accused the organization of retaliating against her for opposing unlawful, discriminatory conduct. Her lawyer said she had unspecified "problems" with some board members. The board chairman said the complaint had no bearing on the board's decision not to renew St. Aubyn's contract.[3]
A master plan for renovating the mansion was expected to be completed in 2007.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f http://www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.org/3.html "History" Web page of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Web site, accessed July 27, 2006.
- ^ "Antiques show will benefit museum" in "Area briefs" feature, The Advocate of Stamford, October 25, 2006, page A18, Stamford edition, "... the 29th annual Lockwood-Mathews Antiques Show ..." Remember, if the 29th was held in 2006, the first would have been held in 1978, counting must be done the way we count centuries such as the "first century" from the years 1-100 AD.
- ^ a b c d Breslow, Matt, "Mansion director out of work after filing complaint", news article in The Advocate of Stamford, Norwalk edition, page 1, March 26, 2007
