20 of America's Best Historic Homes You Definitely Have to Visit
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You don't have to go overseas to enjoy breathtaking estates with lavish decor and gorgeous gardens. It turns out, the list of America's best historic homes is longer than you think! From the Vanderbilt family's jaw-dropping Rhode Island mansion to Ernest Hemingway's Floridian pad (complete with dozens of six-toed cats), we've rounded up the places you absolutely have to check out.
Visiting these destinations basically allow you to travel back in time and see how some of the country's wealthiest and most distinguished families used to live. We guarantee that these photos alone won't disappoint and soon enough, you'll be inspired to put together a trip of your own. Scroll on, take it all in, and let the planning begin!
The Biltmore Estate
Known as America’s largest home, the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, was built for George Vanderbilt and his family in the late 1800s. The 250-room castle is set on 8,000 acres and has a banquet hall with 70-foot ceilings and an impressive library lined with over 10,000 books.
Hearst Castle
The Hearst Castle—also called La Cuesta Encantada, which translates to “Enchanted Hill” in Spanish—is a hilltop estate in San Simeon, California. It was built for William Randolph Hearst with help from renowned architect Julia Morgan.
Old Westbury Gardens
Stunning is an understatement when it comes to Old Westbury Gardens in Long Island, New York. The sprawling estate is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once the home of John S. Phipps, a lawyer, businessman, and heir to the Phipps family fortune.
Graceland
Elvis Presley fans will be happy to hear that they can visit the famous performer’s iconic Memphis mansion. Featuring a jungle-themed room, a racquetball building, a meditation garden, and much more, Presley purchased the 120-acre Graceland estate for $100,000 when he was just 22 years old.
Lyndhurst Mansion
Step back in time at the Lyndhurst Mansion, a magnificent Gothic revival castle steps from the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York. Architect Alexander Jackson Davis designed the property in 1838 and three different families (the Pauldings, Merritts, and Goulds) lived here throughout the years. The estate became a museum and historic site in 1965.
Villa Vizcaya
Built between 1914 and 1922, Villa Vizcaya belonged to industrialist James Deering. Eighteenth-century Italian villas influenced its design, and it also boasts elegant European-style gardens.
The Pabst Mansion
This stately Milwaukee mansion was the former home of the Pabst family—yes, the same Pabsts of the famous Pabst Brewing Company. The estate took two years to build and later became the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee for nearly 70 years.
Ca d’Zan
John Ringling—one of the five brothers who headed the Ringling Bros. Circus empire—and his wife, Mable had Ca d’Zan built in the 1920s as their winter home. The extravagant waterfront mansion has 56 rooms spread out over 36,000 square feet of living space and was named after John. Ca d’Zan translates to “House of John” in Venetian.
Conestoga House and Gardens
This charming Lancaster estate, initially owned by Christian Hershey of the famous Hershey chocolate family, was once used as a tavern and then converted into an inn. Today, visitors can stroll through the property, which has 12 bedrooms and nearly eight acres of grounds and gardens.
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Dubbed one of the country’s greatest, the European-inspired Castle on the Crane is synonymous with opulence. The property includes a mansion, farm, multiple estate buildings, magnificent gardens and grounds, a pool complex, and the list goes on.
Oheka Castle
This French-style chateau was built over 100 years ago for financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn. With 127 rooms and 109,000 square feet of living space, it’s considered the second-largest private residence ever built in the country.
The Bishop’s Palace
Architect Nicholas Clayton designed this ornate Victorian castle for lawyer Colonel Walter Gresham and his family.
Nemours Mansion and Gardens
Hundreds of acres of manicured gardens, a chauffeur’s garage with vintage cars, and a French neoclassical mansion—what’s not to love about the Nemours estate?
Swan House
Included on the National Register of Historic Places, Swan House was built in the 1920s for Atlanta businessman Edwin Inman and his family. Unfortunately, Inman only lived at the address for three years before passing away at the young age of 49.
Fair Lane
Fair Lane was Henry Ford’s Michigan estate, where he lived with his wife Clara. The stone-clad property was built on over 1,300 acres of land and inspired by English castle and prairie architecture styles.
Hemingway House
Head to the past by visiting Ernest Hemingway's former Florida address. The renowned author lived in the Spanish-style Colonial with his wife Pauline. Even more interesting than the thoughtfully designed estate, however, is its cats as over 60 six-toed cats call the Hemingway House home. It's believed that some of them are direct descendants of Hemingway's six-toed cat Snow White.
The Breakers
Speaking of the Vanderbilts, The Breakers, one of Rhode Island’s most lavish mansions, was built for Cornelius Vanderbilt III in the 1890s. The home has a traditional Italian palazzo design and features an impressive great hall with 50-foot ceilings. Its striking billiards room decorated with tile mosaics hand-set by European artisans is also something else.
Vanderbilt Mansion
Located a couple of hours from the center of New York City is the Vanderbilt Mansion, a gilded-age estate that was the country home for the renowned Vanderbilt family. However, the Vanderbilts weren't the only famous ones there. Before Frederick Vanderbilt bought the property in 1895, it was owned by Dr. Samuel Bard, George Washington’s physician, and the Langdons, who were related to John Jacob Astor.
Hildene Mansion, Vermont
Hildene Mansion, a Georgian revival mansion in Manchester, Vermont, was where Abraham Lincoln and his family called home. The property currently covers 412 acres and is dotted with more than a dozen historic buildings such as the carriage barn, formal garden, observatory, a teaching greenhouse, and 600-foot floating wetland boardwalk.
Vaile Mansion
Colonel Harvey Vaile and his wife had this Victorian mansion built in the early 1800s. It has no shortage of impeccable details like a solid black walnut grand staircase, a hand-carved Carrara marble mantle in the main parlor, 12-foot windows, and painted ceilings.
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