Category: Uncategorized
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From Our Fellow Bloggers: How Robert Livingston stole Crailo and turned it into a fortune
How do 2,600 acres of land become 160,000? When we explain how Robert Livingston the 1st Lord got possession of the original 160,000 acres that became Livingston Manor, we usually do it like this: He purchased 2,600 acres of land in two pieces. When he went to get it made into a patent (which required…
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Furnishing Arryl House: Digging Deeper into the Chancellor\'s Villa
Anyone who\’s read back through my Arryl House blogs might be starting to get a feel for my fascination with this lost Clermont residence. Chancellor Livingston\’s stunning home was once even called a \”palace\” (\”Under Their Vine and Fig Tree,\” Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz). Sadly, little is known about the interior of this house beyond what…
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Keep the Holidays Rolling in the New Year–Celebrate Twelfth Night in the Albany Area days
Twelfth Night (or the Feast of the Epiphany) is–predictably–twelve days after Christmas. In the 18th and early 19th centuries it was widely celebrated, usually with much large festivities than Christmas. These included eating, drinking, dancing, and the all-important Twelfth Night Cake (example at right by Ivan Day–see it baked here). This December, Clermont highlighted Twelfth Nigh…
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Winging It: The Secrets of Clermont\'s South Wing
If there\’s a space you can\’t visit on your historic house tour, chances are that it becomes all that more enticing. What\’s behind those closed doors and the velvet rope? Clermont\’s Library in the South Wing Clermont has a total of 32 rooms and 11 bathrooms–if you count the broad center halls as rooms, which was…
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History is Fun; Have Fun with History–Artist Kevin Nordstrom Takes a Shine to the Livingstons
Let\’s be honest, we\’re a bunch of history geeks here at Clermont. I mean, what else would you expect of people who voluntarily (and sometimes volunteer) spend so much of their time in a 270-ish year-old mansion talking about the Livingston family? The truth is, it\’s as easy to fall in love with history as…
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A Requiem for Arryl House in the Livingstons\' Own Words
One Thursday afternoon in November of 1909, Arryl House—the Chancellor\’s own magnificent mansion–burned to the ground. John Henry Livingston had only recently reacquired his great grandfather\’s legacy, and he was just beginning to make some strides in cleaning it up. The house was a major source of family pride, having been built by their most…
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A Gilded Masterpiece: The Best Photographic Tour EVER of Mills Mansion
Mills Mansion or Staatsburg State Historic Site is another Livingston Mansion not too far from Clermont. The place is downright overwhelming, with ornate details peering at you from every surface. But when I happened across this photographic tour, I was thoroughly impressed with its attention to detail. It\’s an homage to excess, and a beautiful…
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A Look Inside Grasmere
Janet Livingston Montgomery is famous for building what is now known as Montgomery Place. But before that happened, she lived with her husband in nearby Rhinebeck. Although her old house burned in 1805, Peter Livingston built a new one in its place in the 1820s, and that Grasmere is still standing. If you like peeking into…
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A Little More Play–The New York Times on Croquet
We came across this neat little article in the New York Times today. Need a summer game that\’s ripe for flirtation? Croquet is the way!
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Wedding Bloggers Blog Clermont!
Over the past 6 or 7 years Clermont has become quite the wedding destination. If you are thinking of a wedding at Clermont, you\’ll probably want to book early, because we are often booked up to a year in advance. Once you\’ve grabbed your date and picked your spot, the site is blank canvas. Beyond…
Clermont State Historic Site 