Fredrick Vanderbilt was the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt and the son of William Henry Vanderbilt, the two richest men in the world. Their enormous wealth, made through ownership of steam and rail lines, provided the means for the family to build mansions in all the fashionable neighborhoods and vacation spots. This house is one of the smaller ones, having only 54 rooms. : ) The décor and furnishing are all original to the 1890s.
The house is semi-accessible. A wheelchair lift provides access to the basement where the kitchen and servants quarters are located. A small elevator, original to the house, accesses the first and second floors. Most wheelchairs will not fit in the elevator. My wheelchair is narrow with a 70 degree angle to the footrest. To fit in the elevator I had to wiggle around until I was sideways to the door. There was just enough room for the door to close with no room in front of me or behind me. Visitors are also free to wander the grounds and gardens. The gardens are completely inaccessible as they are built in levels with numerous steps.
The parking lot has spaces for buses and RVs. Mansion
41.798, -73.94062
Interesting,thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteGotta get you one of these :). Stairs will no longer be a hinderance ;).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.topchair.fr/en/index_en.php
That is very cool Matt! Might need a bigger motorhome though.
ReplyDeleteSaved the link for future reference -thanks!
I've seen hitch lift assemblies for scooters before, so you'd just need one for the rear of the motorhome to load the stair climber onto to use as you're outdoor touring rig, and use your regular chair for your round about duties :).
ReplyDeleteThe house looks amazing. I wish I could also go and visit it someday.
ReplyDelete