The Forgotten Manhattan Mansion of Mrs. Astor: What Happened?

In the opulent era of New York City's Gilded Age, the indomitable Mrs. Caroline Astor reigned supreme atop the glittering social hierarchy. Within the illustrious walls of her resplendent mansion, only the crème de la crème of high society were granted entry to her exclusive ballroom. In this captivating visual journey, we invite you to step back in time and explore the grandeur of her palatial residence while unraveling the poignant tale of its tragic destiny.
As we venture through the lavishly adorned halls of Mrs. Astor's manor, we delve into the intricacies of her life, revealing the inner workings of a world steeped in extravagance and prestige. Immerse yourself in the sumptuous splendor of the past as we uncover the hidden secrets that lie within the heart of this magnificent estate.
Join us on this mesmerizing expedition, where the echoes of elegant waltzes still linger, and unravel the captivating narrative that has been etched into the very essence of this architectural masterpiece. With each opulent chamber and whispered tale, we illuminate the rise and fall of a bygone era, immortalized within the storied walls of Mrs. Astor's luxurious abode.
The Forgotten Manhattan Mansion of Mrs. Astor: What Happened??
• The Forgotten Manhatta...
Location: Manhattan, New York
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Photos from: Wikipedia user: Gryffindor, Museum of the City of New York
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Music by Epidemic Sound

[@ThisHouse]

We are launching a limited edition 500 piece puzzle featuring Mrs. Astor's Mansion along Manhattan's 5th Avenue! Get your limited edition puzzle here: puzzle.thishouse.media/

[@MrsRobinson0741]

Wow, why would they demolish that exquisite mansion?!? The way it was built, I’d bet it would still be standing today…as long as someone kept up any maintenance on it! What a shame 😔

[@kennj321]

A lot of those old big houses were not really well built. That mansard roof looks very expensive to maintain. There were a lot of corners cut when building them because the owners wanted to move in fast. Also alot of those city mansions look dreary because there's no room for trees or a garden. Not saying I'm glad they are gone, just there's probably some reason they aren't around any more.

[@bootwhore]

@@kennj321 Actually those building were spectacularly well built and took years to construct. They were masterpieces by the country's most famous and world renown architects, engineers and interior designers. From McKim, Mead and Whitehead, Richard Morris Hunt, George B Post, Carrere and Hastings, Frederick Law Olmsted, Stanford White and Henry Hardenbergh - these are the same men who built things like the NYC library, the original Pennsylvania and Grand Central Stations, the original Madison Square Garden and the original Waldorf Astoria and Plaza Hotels. These buildings were of the highest quality, no corners were cut - they were built to impress and were built to last a millennium. I think they tend to look dark and gloomy in the photography that was around at that time and the fact that many didn't have electric lighting yet, but many were built with huge skylights and private gardens. No doubt the Victorian Era was a "heavier" time style wise. But these were spectacular buildings and homes. Changing neighborhoods, the way people live - all these homes couldn't run without a full staff, the commercialization of 5th avenue, the development and construction skyscrapers giving worth to air rights above real estate and most importantly the introduction of federal income tax in 1909 are factors that contributed to the end of the gilded age, the robber barons and the spectacular palaces they build in NYC. There are still plenty of examples to see in NYC like the Frick House, the Villard Houses of the Palace Hotel, the Morgan House and the Carnegie Mansion. The Biltmore in North Carolina and the beautiful homes in Newport Rhode Island are amazing and also masterpieces of the same era by the same architects, theyre amazing - check em out if you can!!

[@TheLuckyjoenga]

To have an invitation to the Astor Ballroom for her parties just once. These houses were built to last. Money was no object when building these American Castles.

[@michaelwalter3399]

If houses like this cannot be repurposed, they would be prohibitively expensive to maintain. They are relics of a bygone social and economic structure.

[@juant3969]

It’s sad the developers demolished it. No appreciation for this work of art.

[@jillwiegand4257]

What a crime to demolish this home. I'm sure it seemed more of a museum than a home. Not very cozy, but definitely very beautiful ❤️

[@ivetter.2443]

I think museums were inspired by the deco of homes like this one. Also castles and palaces, which basically were homes too.

[@whigparty6180]

The disrespect of craftsmanship and history is simply staggering.

[@juliemgates]

I stumbled across this and I am an immediate fan. Loved it!

[@gramarye_cottage]

What? Why on earth was it demolished 😡 It should have been heritage protected 🧐 Thank you for sharing this 🙏🏻

[@ksy4747]

I can't believe they demolished it!!! How awful! Which is why NY doesn't really have THAT much history... the historical society was established specifically out of the need to try and preserve at least some of it in an ever changing landscape.

[@Dina52328]

It just breaks my heart 💔to see that these majestic, historical mansions were demolished. That type of architecture is never coming back. There was no regard for the history and heritage those mansions would represent for future generations. Granted, they required a lot of money to maintain but no effort was given to preserve them. We can’t see these mansions anymore but to get an idea of their opulence, if you get a chance, please visit the mansions “cottages” in Newport; they are mind boggling. The Breakers and Marble House will leave you speechless. If it wasn’t for the Preservation Society of Newport County, these mansions would not exist either. Fun and creepy fact: In a book, Mrs. Astor’s butler mentioned that towards the end of her life, old and with dementia, Mrs. Astor would often greet “invisible” guests to her mansion as if welcoming them to one of her parties🎈 🎉

[@juant3969]

I’m dying to visit Newport to see it in person. I never knew that about her. Interesting

[@annettepora8091]

@@juant3969 Newport is awesome. It's a great experience. Take the opportunity to see it for yourself.

[@juant3969]

@@annettepora8091 I’m planning to this summer

[@roadrunner381]

Thx for that little story!👍

[@joshuaharrelson572]

All of the posts I see saying they should be preserved but b y whom? Are you paying for it?

[@ely9954]

Wow, can’t believe NY looked like this…being born & raised here it seems fictional, but the way folks dressed, the home decor is so interesting. It Would’ve been a great museum.

[@johngreen6783]

It wasn’t the upkeep and maintenance. The entire stretch of Fifth Avenue between 59th street and 96th street used to be lined with mansions like this one. Demolition in favor of luxury apartment buildings began as early as 1916 and continued on through the 1920’s. By 1929 very few of them were left, the Carnegie and Frick among them. It was greed that led to their demise: Apartment builders were offering insane amounts of money for these houses and the owners couldn’t resist cashing in. They made huge profits on their sale.

[@randyhebbebusche3644]

So sad to lose so much beauty and history. Imagine if they destroyed all of the ancient architecture with nothing left.

[@AskMiko]

Agree… how to monetize a mansion was tricky back then.

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

Interesting! Thanks. I’m a history buff, but I know very little about this time period.

[@janaecatt2407]

Same thing is happening in Miami…when progress erases history

[@karenryder6317]

Thanks for setting the record straight. Yes, money was at the root of the loss of the mansions, but not lack of money--it was lust for more money that could be made off the spaces.

[@dawni5365]

As a history nerd, the loss of this home hurts my heart…..as an aside I hope y’all have watched’The Gilded Age’❤️

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

Apparently it’s on HBO which I don’t subscribe to. Maybe I can find it on DVD.

[@dawnnewell237]

Yes, it’s a wonderfully produced series! The opulence of the central fictional Russell home rivals the Astor home featured here. (The Russell’s represent the real-life Vanderbilt family.) It’s hard to imagine people lived as the New York moneyed did - in phenomenal (if obscene) wealth, but the series portrays it believably. The old moneyed families and the nouveau riche families were so obsessed with being “in” that daily decisions about whom to associate with were made. The Gilded Age social conventions are absurd to watch from our 21st century perspective, but still reveal a valid piece of US history. I enjoy seeing the set decorations, costuming, and rivalries. 👍🏻

[@kimbellabella348]

Hooked and they got an okay for a second season 😆😆😆 so excited

[@adriennehunt1799]

Yes, watched The Gilded Age on Paramont + here in Australia. Knew that there are very wealthy New York families, but didn't realise there were such opulent houses. Enjoyed watching very much.😁🐨🦘

[@charlesdavis545]

Love that show!

[@traciemyers7091]

The mansion was demolished?! That’s wasteful and incredibly absurd.

[@louiscaruso4167]

Exactly, that behavior was acceptable during the Gilded Age...

[@suzyfarnham3165]

Almost all of the New York mansions....all on Vanderbilt Row [5th Ave] were demolished by the 1930's. Some were only built in the 1880/1890's and were gone by 1928. All that beauty, and some stood less than 30 years. Biltmore is the most beautiful. I have visited all the Vanderbilt mansions still standing over the years and I saved the best for last . Biltmore was just stunning. Well worth the trip from Australia!! I also got to see my last Kennedy home..The Winter White House at 1095 North Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach. Another bucket list done!! My next bucket list is to see all the Presidential libraries.

[@karenryder6317]

@@louiscaruso4167 Yes, most of these mansions were built out of "conspicuous consumption" to out-do their wealthy neighbor, and they had bags ful of money to do it (enough to raid the grand castles of Europe) Capitalism was unchecked and greed reigned. The haves had access to every excess and the have nots scrambled to put food on the table. An up-wardly mobile middle class was only created by instituting a sliding scale income tax.

[@robertblake2349]

The two main rooms from the south side of this mansion (John Jacob Astor IV's half) are preserved in the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. They are stunning. Just the rooms, though, sadly not the furnishings.

[@ScireTwins]

I live in Sarasota. You are right. They are stunning!

[@Aztec339]

Too few people with too much wealth. There were no income taxes then!

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

Good to know!! Thanks.

[@anthonypopola5773]

@@Aztec339 thankfully……

[@undomiel152003]

@@anthonypopola5773 There would be no countries without paying taxes. No one likes them, but they are necessary, if not, you'd have a feudal society.

[@JB-3794]

When Mrs Astor had this house built, the area was already becoming more commercial and no longer a prime residential area. It was an unfortunate miscalculation on her part. She had to endure people rubbernecking to get a glimpse of her. Homes of the wealthy at that time DID have indoor plumbing and beautiful bathroom fixtures, contrary to one comment here. They were well made and longer lasting than fixtures found today in home improvement stores. Have you ever toured a fine historical home of that era that has not been 'remuddled'? Ask a master plumber about the quality of fixtures made for those homes versus the cheaply made fixtures available to the general public today. The original taps, faucets, tubs, sinks and toilets are superior and functional today in some old mansions, and are still durable and beautiful. They were made to last. There are stores specializing in the sale of bath and kitchen fixtures rescued from 100+ year old historic house demolitions or remodeling projects. Smart people no longer throw those fixtures in the trash as they are high value and worth very good money. It is too bad old mansions were not saved, but you will find in every large city thousands of fine old homes gone forever. As cities grew, the wealthy preferred not to live in the busy downtown areas. They moved further out. Inner city mansions were demolished to make way for hotels and other businesses. The wealthy who could have afforded maintain these large homes were not interested.

[@sarahahmed113]

Thank you, I agree!

[@1953childstar]

It is interesting that the bathrooms "of the Gilded Age" had plumbing fixtures we cannot imagine.. Toilets that were incredible works of porcelain, more lavish than a beautiful hand painted vase. Foot baths, bidets, and sitz baths were common in those large bathrooms, which often had head to toe circular showers and a separate tub.

[@NMLogue]

I bet those toilets flushed with ONE flush too!

[@miaomiaou_]

@@1953childstar Fittings and fixtures of this caliber are still on the market but not at the everyday home improvement store. There are many companies still producing quality products: fine porcelain and marble sinks, hand-hammered copper tubs, fittings made of solid brass and plated with whatever the heart desires, even gold if one can afford it. Custom order faucet handles inlaid with ebony, ivory, or even rose quartz or precious stone like lapis lazuli. One of my first jobs was in a luxury bath and kitchen showroom and we sold all these things, and specifically the fittings were produced uncoated, so that the metals would patina with time. We also sold fine bath accessories, crystal towel rings, pewter soap dispenser/waste basket, etc.

[@robertc.johnson9614]

@@NMLogue You Are So Right 😅 On TARGET 🎯. RCJ LEO 🦁

[@nancydublin9666]

Anna Schermerhorn Astor was a distant relative of mine. My 2nd GGM was Anna Jerusha Schermerhorn. Her parents were Henry and Eliza Schermerhorn. They told their 18-year old daughter if she married this Union Civil War Veteran/farmer that they'd disown her. She did & then they did. The Schermernorns were all part of the super elites. The parents lied to everybody that their daughter ran off and they never heard from her again. Snobs. My GGGM, Anna, was hurt deeply by her family; however, she went on to have 9 children of her own. Anna's oldest daughter, Myra Isabella Miller and her husband, had 11 children, and a great deal of grandchildren & great children, etc. I'm one of those "etc." LOL.

[@ThisHouse]

Thank you for sharing!

[@ronnym1977]

I reckon they're buried in better dirt than most too. LOL!

[@justineharper3346]

How cool!

[@shirleyjhaney1041]

I saw a show about some relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy that were cut off. … It’s really sad that happens.

[@BenneWill]

It's funny but maybe not. My entire family disowned me and parents over feud with money. Still happens today!

[@megangunderson4300]

It always breaks my heart AND makes me furious when I hear these amazing homes get demolished. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!?!

[@tammywyche3755]

Nothing better to do

[@rexpositor6741]

And they put a church where the mansion stood. So gross. Tear down the church and put in something useful.

[@JOHN----DOE]

DEVELOPERS. The real estate was more valuable than the house.

[@teresamansbach1419]

They tore it down 100 years ago

[@tinag7506]

@@rexpositor6741 you wouldn't say the same if a mosque was built in its place would you. You wouldn't dare. Guess what, things that you don't find useful is useful for a multitude of others. What a narcissistic comment!

[@barncasino689]

To have all that and go down on the titanic. Ouch....

[@a.ashley5292]

right! it's much more beautiful than the Titanic. I would have been pissed.

[@eastmanwebb5477]

Hopefully in the not-to-distant future, mansions that still exist will be digitally scanned in 3D so that when the technology is ready, people will be able to put on VR headsets, visit them and walk through them. That’s a metaverse I would be excited about.

[@rick0e295]

How unfortunate that so much history of the Gilded Age opulence and grandeur (as well as other historic buildings in virtually in every community) 😳 has been lost. These can never be replaced. Unfortunately too few seem to care! Greed has replaced a respect for our heritage. The profits derived from destructive seem to be the rule of the day. How sad 😔 that whole generations have been taken in as we lose our culture. Thank God 😊 for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other groups are hard at working to save what is left of an ever endangered architectural heritage.

[@AskMiko]

What hasn’t been lost is the extreme poverty millions lived in as a result of the greed and opulence. On both sides, takes a century to erase the mansions and some wealth just as the other 90% took to climb out of it.

[@lesleymcshanemitchell9651]

My Historic town of Preston Lancashire Has been raped and villaged by the Various Coincils in Office Till now its a shell of its former glory

[@venus_envy]

Just fyi it was greed that allowed these mansions to be built in the first place.

[@kellytunney3093]

...you think these buildings weren't the product of greed? They were certainly beautiful, but they were social tools and when they no longer served a purpose for the family they were never sustainable as houses alone, even if subdivided into apartments or repurposed into anything else. They were money pits to staff and money pits to maintain.

[@evilqueen09]

@@kellytunney3093 I was thinking the same thing, New York’s high society was all about greed.

[@ravenlass3334]

Sadly, the Landmarks Preservation Committee was founded too late for many of these "castles", but I am so appreciative it's there now. Another reason many fine or even just older buildings are demolished is based on who owns the air rights.

[@mrs.g.9816]

I don't think anyone today would be rich enough to live in a mansion that huge - not to mention hiring an army of servants to keep the place clean and running. But it's a shame we can't go back to some workmanship and grace in our architecture.

[@absolutium]

You should think twice.. and look into Red Shields family.

[@akrenwinkle]

I disagree. In the half-minute it took me to write this sentence, a billionaire made a thousand dollars.

[@angelabby2379]

are you joking? Elon Musk can comfortable spend 5 billion out of his 300 billion to make Versailles Palace knock off, instead he buy twitter for 60 Billion

[@SpanishEclectic]

I keep picturing actress Carrie Coon as Mrs. Russell, standing below that very large portrait of herself. The HBO series, The Gilded Age, follows some of this history. I find the idea of a four-storey ballroom to be pretty intimidating. I guess that was the idea, lol. I loved the ceiling of the entryway. Makes me think of the Crystal Palace in London, and some of the Belle Epoque buildings in Paris, with the black iron designs. At least the mansion was replaced with a church, and not a parking garage.

[@beverlylivengood165]

That scene in the Gilded Age where Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Russell come together at her daughters coming out ball reminds me of this old money, new money stuff Astor has with Vanderbilt as mentioned in the story.

[@baffledanderanged2101]

It's nice to see these beautiful mansions from the past and it's sad that they're gone forever and all we have of them are photos. I would have loved to be able to explore a home such as this one. 😌💝

[@michaelbagouty3369]

Ask a contractor to build one now. The contractor will laugh in your face and say that is totally impossible.Even if you had billions upon billions of dollars.

[@uncabuzz118]

@@michaelbagouty3369 Our current civilization is incapable of such works. These structures found all around the world were built by people far more advanced than we could ever be. Look into Tartaria.

[@1976mcfarlane]

@@uncabuzz118 yeah it's pretty obvious this place is way way older than they claim

[@ellicel]

I clearly have only poor people genes in my lineage since all I kept thinking about was how difficult this house would be to clean as he showed off each lavish room! 😂😂🤣🤪

[@lisaindahouse1304]

I wonder what happened to all the paintings?

[@voyaristika5673]

I'm glad I'm with the consensus of commenters in thinking that the destruction of these mansions is a massive shame. Same applies in England after WW1 and during French Revolution. It's watching priceless works of art destroyed. Such craftsmanship will never be seen again.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Just imagine living in the Gilded age in a magnificent mansion like this!!! It's sad that these old mansions are gone!!! Thanks for sharing this informative video!! 👍👍

[@perry92964]

i'll bet they were freezing cold in the winter and hot as an oven in the summer a room that could hold 1200 people wouldnt be easy to heat with one fire place

[@Real_g.s.]

John Jacob Astor's wife (and child, I believe she was pregnant) survived the sinking of the Titanic, she did not want the house? Is she the one that sold it?

[@PK-bh1ww]

From Wiki. She never actually owned it after his death. And she re married 4 yrs after he died. "In his will, John Jacob Astor IV left his wife an outright sum of $100,000, the income from a trust fund of $5 million, and the use of the house on Fifth Avenue. Both of the latter provisions she would lose if she remarried."

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

@@PK-bh1ww Selfish even unto death.

[@SpanishEclectic]

Hello Ken & fellow Housies! I just saw that the 1903 James F. D. Lanier House in Murray Hill, New York City, is for sale for $33 Million on the Christie's website. The Laniers were one of the 400 "old money" New York families, and likely attended events at the Astor mansion. While it is a 'town house', approximating the space of two large Brownstones rather than an entire block, it has been well preserved and there are over 50 color photos of the period interior and furnishings included in the listing, as well as a bit of the history. I thought everyone would like the chance to see what that sort of opulence might look like today. I'll let our host decide whether to put in a link. Cheers!

[@ThisHouse]

That was quite the treat, thank you so much for sharing that with me! Here is the link to the listing photos: www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/123-E-35th-St_New-York_NY_10016_M31798-36760

[@dttra566]

@@ThisHouse You should post the link from the Christie's website. They have more photos there and you can view them full-screen. Is that the whole house though? Somehow I feel that the original house must be bigger and this one for sale is only half of it...

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don’t usually care for huge, ostentatious homes because they’re so large they feel like a museum. But this enormous residence feels much homier.

[@laurelmalinowski1676]

Stunning!

[@cplcabs]

Its quite pricey

[@kimbellabella348]

Oh my gosh, I cannot imagine why they would demolish that piece of art…. But watch the Gilded Age on HBO and it gives you an idea of how it was back then

[@dttra566]

If her son Jacob Astor perished in Titanic, that means most likely he gave up his seat on the lifeboat to women and children. Mrs. Astor raised a good son. Come to think of it, if that's really what Jacob did, he gave up his life so others can live and yet we couldn't even preserve their house.

[@Kassidwyer]

Is that you Jacob?

[@itsrobb1188]

This is not true. Women and children were the first to go into lifeboats in the Titanic, and men were last. In fact, many men died in the Titanic because lifeboats were generally lowered with around a quarter of the total passenger capacity- many women believed the lifeboats were not secure enough and decided to remain on the Titanic unless the lifeboats had a lower number of passengers, and rather than having the remaining spots filled with male passengers, the lifeboats were lowered nearly empty upon the women’s requests. Thus, there was a lot of wasted lifeboat space, which disproportionately affected the remaining male passengers on the ship. Sorry to break it to you, but Jacob Astor most likely perished because he was not able to find a spot in one of the lifeboats due to the snobbish attitudes of first class female passengers during a time of emergency.

[@dttra566]

@@itsrobb1188 thank you for confirming once again what I said.

[@buzzkincaid5521]

I alway think about how important a gilded age mansion could have been ,as the entrance to tall modern buildings . The over the top spaces would have been the ultimate ,incredible spaces for the tower residents . The history of the Astor family would have new life , in the center of reinventing, adapting the treasure of the original building.

[@luvvideos07]

That's a shame this beautiful mansion was demolished. It's a historical site.

[@motorcitydolls2194]

It’s such a shame that real estate moguls tore these works of historical art down just to make luxury apartments & money.

[@tudorjason]

I wonder how much the mansion would be worth today if it still stood. Perhaps $150 million?

[@juant3969]

I’m a huge history/Architecture nerd and a fan of the TV show on HBO max called the Gilded Age. That show is so informative and features many historical high society figures. One of the major figures on the show is Caroline Schemerhorn Astor. She was considered exactly like what he described on the show. Her grave is located here in the city. Never visited. It’s also mentioned her collection of art. This is my first time seeing her mansion and it’s breathtaking. The ballroom alone is gigantic, 4 stories high? Insane. If it existed today, I would’ve loved to see it in person. It’s a sad shame that these developers demolished it. They have no appreciation for this beautiful architectural structure and the masterpiece art of a building that’s built to last hundreds of years.

[@luvvideos07]

Yes.I am watching The Gilded Age on HBO Max.

[@MsBaby1959]

I’m always saddened when I hear of these beautiful historical sites being demolished,this unfortunately happens mainly in N. America. Living in Italy for many years I have visited many historical mansions here and unlike in the States or Canada, here they are treasured and visited by many tourists. Wish the same would happen there.

[@windronner1]

I am absolutely dumbfounded after watching these videos. How many of these great mansions were destroyed? After the costs and land literally make it prohibitively expensive to replace.

[@edl6398]

The Gilded Age was possible because of exploitation of labor - children working 13 hour days in mills, women, and poverty wages. This is the same extreme wealth that the slave owners enjoyed and wasn’t possible without exploiting workers. Unions and child labor laws came to pass during this time and then the abolition of slavery. The wealth of this magnitude began to disappear in England and America. I lived across from an old shoelace factory in St. Louis built around this time. They employed children as young as 6 years old in stifling, dangerous conditions. I think the Gilded Age was beautiful and romantic but it was only possible through poor workers and the wealthy were the 1% while the poverty rate was staggering. This gets lost in the story. Thank you for the excellent video. I just think people think this was just a “great time” in America and for the rich, it was but not so much for others.

[@ThisHouse]

Well said!

[@matildamartin2811]

When you see these fabulous old mansions and get carried away by nostalgia, it is so good that someone brings you back down to earth and reminds you that a terrible price was paid by the many to give the few a life style like this. We can now see what these houses looked like inside but back then, it was seen only by the privileged few.

[@jrgnc1]

Most of these exquisite mansions were demolished to make way for commercialism and would never be replicated and lost to time.

[@jamesclendon4811]

Surely you know you misspoke. The site of the mansion is now the home of Congregation Emanu-el, not "Congressional." The temple is one of the largest synagogues in the world, and holds more people than St. Patrick's Cathedral down the street.

[@sutherland9]

Here's a little joke that only a New Yorker would know. Because Temple Emanuel looks like a large stone church from outside it is nicknamed "Our Lady of Emanuel".

[@janedee6488]

You can’t take it with you

[@aronc24]

I always love getting to see floorplans

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Mansions like this really fell out of favor with the wealthy by the 1930's. It was a lifestyle to live in a house like this, keep in mind you need an army of servants to run a place like this, the roof constantly leaks, the upkeep is just horrendously expensive. The next generation didn't want this lifestyle, this opulence and shunned the palaces like the Astor house. Plus with land in Manhattan gettting so expensive, it just didn't make economical sense for these palaces to remain standing, nobody wanted to buy/maintain them. Down they went, up went 30 floor apartment buildings.

[@BWings-ub4ej]

I agree with you on the expense and man power to maintain these mansions. The materials used to built these mansions were the finest and most expensive at the time, much were imported and hand made by master craftsmen. The interiors were stunning with the best wood, marble, and ornate decorations. They should have at least saved some of the interiors such as doors and mantels, but I’m sure there was more that could have gone to museums or auctions instead of getting destroyed. Cornelio’s Vanderbilt mansion was demolished in 1927, I believe one of the ornate steel doors is in central park, there’s pictures from the demolition where you can see a lot of champagne/wine bottles on the floor and guys doing the demolition drinking. I think prohibition was still going on so that can explain why the liquor was left behind, but I’m sure it was fine expensive liquor.

[@karenryder6317]

Yes, investors in these properties saw an opportunity not only to avoid costly maintenance expenses but also to actually make tons of money by marketing these spaces as multi-family units rather than single family residences.

[@christians.7019]

Boom! Another great video, This House!!!

[@frankcarey9567]

I love these gilded age mansion vids you all are making, excellent work!

[@sherrillcornett4212]

You might not can take it with you but it should be preserved for generations to follow

[@jeanniemesserschmidtz1954]

What a wonderful video. Astor’s have an amazing lineage that intrigues me. Just an amazing structure and family. Thank you for sharing this wonderful video.

[@racheldianeames3729]

pabst mansion milwaukee,wi

[@jorgschwantje1239]

You forgot, that John Jacob connected both psrts of the double mansion after Carolines death to one. He even demolished the beautiful staircases. Great video anyway.

[@HugsBach]

I can't help but assume, that when Mrs. ASTOR designed her Mansion that she had expansion or modification of the two halves into one. Who died first then could possess it all.

[@jorgschwantje1239]

@@HugsBach As far as I know the wall in the middle of the staircase could be demolished to have one even hugher staircase. I have no idea why they demolished the whole stairs. And where they went up after that? 🤷🏻

[@jared1870]

Now, Caroline Astor had a REAL ballroom. Thanks for another informative video.

[@divox9pqr]

I’m curious to know what great mansions existed in Baltimore Maryland. Please feature any that turn up in the course of your research.

[@Walkercolt1]

The Catholic Diocese of New York bought the property for taxes from The Tammany Hall Machine that was in power in 1916 on (the Democratic Party) even though the property wasn't in arrears. All of "Millionaires Row" along 5th and Wall Street somehow managed to be sold for taxes after 3/4ths of the owners died on the HMS Titanic. Two of the mansions were turned into Gimble's and and Macy's Dept. Stores respectively and one (finally) into 30 Rockefeller Center, the NBC Headquarters Building. It was the greatest real estate "grab" in US history dollar wise, an estimated 80-100 BILLION dollars of property sold for about 30 MILLION dollars or about 3 CENTS on the dollar fair market value! The American Indians were FAR better paid for Manhattan Island by comparison!

[@lee_minhyuk]

Please make a video about their 5th Avenue Brownstone! It’s interesting how understated the mansion was when you think about how wealthy they are.

[@afrohuman2]

This makes me so sad that this is gone- So much lost 😢

[@normasarno27]

Can't believe all these beautiful buildings were demolished 😢😢😢😢

[@mileshigh1321]

What an incredible place! The fireplace in the ballroom! I wonder if it was saved or maybe it was just too big! As beautiful as they are, these houses where excessive and really took a lot of money to keep up!

[@StamperWendy]

What a shame! If they had left it, it would've been as nice a home as The Breakers & The Biltmore Estate, to tour.

[@tamsin1969]

It hurts to see history demolished! Stunning home, even if it was occupied by elitist snobs. Sad about the son.

[@1953childstar]

His wife survived the Titanic several months pregnant and gave birth to his son

[@tamsin1969]

@@1953childstar wow, thank you for that info. That's great to hear.

[@annonymously331]

Vincent Astor was not treated very well by his mother to say the least.

[@Gee4747]

All was a fav . But how I wish New York , had a group who could stop demolition of them great houses .

[@sunspiral79]

That ballroom was incredible..I cant imagine..these homes must have been absolutely absurd in their day

[@ginac895]

What a sin to demolish this amazing home. It makes me sick to think about it.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Here's what you can do. Build a replica and stop tearing your hair out.

[@lucysbookchannel4651]

I wished I had been rich. I would like to buy such extremely important part history.

[@nailadee]

People always all about what a shame it was to destroy these mansions but ‘normal’ people could not have maintained them so they wouldn’t have survived more than a 100 years. There’s a reason why only the mega rich built these types of homes and why the ‘little’ people, the 98% of the rest of the world couldn’t have maintained them for posterity.

[@ryanhilliard1620]

For more information, check out Fifth Avenue: A Very Social History by Kate Simon. Would love to see tours of some of the beautiful Gilded Age houses in St Louis.

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

Thanks!

[@pigoff123]

Oh yes demolish a mansion for a church. Lol

[@annonymously331]

You missed some details. After John Jacob Astor 4 died, he willed her the mansion, a five million dollar trust and his Newport cottage on the condition she did not remarry. She did so all that was passed down to Vincent Astor, his son who decided he didn’t want it and sold it, but he installed his fathers bedroom and bathroom into his new townhouse as a tribute

[@jcsgodmother]

I wish you would show where it was on a map.

[@hmpstd]

Congregation Emanu-El is at 1 East 65th Street (the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 65th Street), the site of the Astor Mansion.

[@justineharper3346]

This is just gorgeous. What a shame that it’s gone. I would love to see colorized pictures of it

[@thepokemontrainer6094]

One thing I’ve allways hated about American history is how short people make American history. Trust me I’m in college and they skipped everything seen in the 40s, most of the history comes from the 80s and 90s. Now I know the 80s and 90s where one of the best times for America (depending on how you view it) but still you just don’t skip something and make it short. You know what I mean?

[@okjoe5561]

Manhattan is not representative of the United States. It has been it's own corrupt bubble since the Dutch colony in the 1600's.

[@robertc.johnson9614]

TH, I so understand why The Term Throw Away Society so fits The Western World 🌍.. Those palaces could Stand The Test of Time compared to The PIe In The Sky So Called Architecture we have today. Even PickFair if they would have tried to save it even from The Termites would have been of Historical Benefit As Art For The Everything Now Looms. All Around This Twisted 🥨 Mentality we have That Speaks Volumes of Humankind and It's. Thank You 😊 For Sharing Grandeur Discarded and Underappreciated by Fast Track Progressives On Steroids and more. RCJ LEO 🦁

[@creoleking8905]

I feel she had the most elegant of the Gilded Age Palaces.

[@maurad5378]

If the mansion was left abandoned, who got the artwork and furnishings? John Jacobs child?

[@jamesanderson2176]

The title says, "What Happened to", but the video, while fairly interesting, fails to answer its own question. "They died and it was demolished" is completely unsatisfactory. The home was barely 20 years old when John IV died, and had to be a legendary landmark. Why did no one want it? How could a developer afford to purchase and demolish such a lavish building?

[@jamesseaman2950]

It was a product of its era. Much like with the aristocracy in Britain, the undoing of these great houses was the invention of the income tax.

[@pattimlareau]

Firstly, such grand houses are vastly expensive to keep up once they fall into. repair, secondly, there is an old saying when it comes to matters of taste, hate your parents, love your grandparents. The hard, spare, early 1960’s-early 70’s Scandinavian inspired furniture from that era is cool by folks just starting out, and Wayfarer sells a lot of it. It came back in style despite the fact that it’s uncomfortable and not exactly classic taste. The grand home of the Astors,if it survived 20-30 yrs. longer could have been divvied up into many beautiful, highly appreciated,and lavishly luxurious, expensive New York City, Apartments, that would have been a treasured address for generations hence, but no, modernity had it destroyed. But wasn’t that Art Deco looking building that occupies the space a church? Well, God takes ultimate presidence!

[@jeffmorse645]

It just seems crazy that it was demolished after only 30 years. Then again, none of those grand mansions are left. They were all replace by apartment buildings as Manhattan grew upward.

[@AskMiko]

The ones owned in different states are around (very few though). NY was always centralized wealth and tearing down majestic homes to squeeze 200 people in the same space isn’t surprising

[@twistoffate4791]

I am trying to imagine what it would be like receiving guests next to a huge painting of myself, lol. I would have liked to stand underneath that vestibule to look upward just once. However, I am sure the folks of Congression Emmanuel appreciate the real estate they now occupy.

[@Galaxie500IN]

I know, right? Now I want a portrait that huge so I can also greet people that way when they come over.

[@karenryder6317]

It's "Congregation" (not "Congressional") Emmanuel.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@karenryder6317 Corrected. Thanks.

[@francoisedunne223]

Such a shame such beauty I love watching the old movies that reproduce the mansion in the background they are beautiful I definitely like the guilded age recently on HBO it is coming back next year I did not miss an episode I clearly looked every little piece in the background it was so beautiful even though I know it’s not there anymore. I wonder what happened to all the furnishings in the house like the Astor house if it’s all preserved somewhere in museums I cannot believe the amount of paintings and artwork she had it looks like she had thousands of them I wonder where they all went such a shame definitely a shameful history in the US. So many places in Europe have kept up their old mansions it’s a shame that the United States of America did not do that for historical purposes. Sad.

[@Spiritsong1111]

So built in 1894 and demolished in 1926? Which if you look into it is the story behind most of the demolished buildings from the gilded age. Doesn’t make sense, Lots of holes and cover ups going on in our history.

[@Joe_Peroni]

The lout who bought this wonderous structure then DEMOLISHED it commited on of the most gross acts of vandalism in history.

[@KA-md6je]

These extremely wealthy people always have such an inflated ego. They think they're so special and more important than other people but in the end they're just insignificant, mortal beings just like the rest of us. Back in her day everyone knew who Caroline Astor was and now she's gone, her mansion is gone, and most people have probably never heard of her.

[@stevenrice9221]

That’s absolutely incredible I didn’t have just one favorite room, everything you showed was Amazing, Thank you ❤️❤️

[@jeanfranklin7918]

Love it!!! I would feel so out of place in such a grand house. Keep them coming. Thanks.

[@jesuewalker2562]

This time in our history should have been preserved. Can't help but wonder did envy support letting these marvelous homes to be taken down.

[@robertbarnier45]

It’s such a disgrace to demolish such a building. Especially for that boring church. When will we learn

[@stephaniemontor1567]

What a beautiful mansion! So sad it is not standing. I love that time period! The whole house is my favorite.Thanks for sharing!

[@MrNodamnit]

I hope you have been able to go to Newport and see Beachwood Caroline Astor's summer cottage. It is elegant unlike so many of the other cottages of the era.

[@margaretwallace1578]

How could anyone demolish such a beautiful home. It could have been a museum today. Such a waste. Astor’s widow maybe didn’t want to live in it by herself but to tear it down was a travesty

[@MillerMeteor74]

The home of the Congressional Emmanuel?? That would be Congregation Emmanuel. I can't believe you read that without correcting yourself, unless this was done by a computer voice. Anyway, the architecture very much reminds me of Biltmore House in North Carolina. But of course they were both designed by Hunt. What a shame it was torn down.

[@kenziej4301]

That ballroom is jaw dropping. Why ruin these timeless Mansions that rival Versailles IMO 😻😾

[@twistoffate4791]

I'm with you 100% on that. Speaking only for myself, this kind of beauty & craftsmanship fills my soul. It's not something most of us experience much these days.

[@theexmann]

Too bad they didn't have historical preservation laws back then. It's not so much the architecture that was unique or worthy of preserving, but the craftsmanship and history of the home that are the true lost treasures.

[@justinreilly1]

In NY, a duplex means a two story apartment, not a building containing two houses side by side.

[@lucysbookchannel4651]

Very beautiful and gorgeous 😍

[@lawrencejosephjenzen]

hello Ken you are a power house of knowledge. I love this video. thank you very much. I learned something today. If you come to New York City I would love to be included in a walking tour if you ever do one of those. What is upsetting is to demolish something so extravagant as the Astor mansion. back in the 1920's the demo team was in full force tearing down the Vanderbilt mansions too. none of those were saved. that is terrible. what a delight to hear your voice on these tours. thank you Ken. Lawrence New York City City Hall Park area.

[@JOShaugh87]

It is such a shame that they demolished these beautiful homes, the Breakers in Newport is as close as we'll ever get to seeing these amazing masterpieces!

[@gregmoore5740]

That ballroom 😍

[@eagleeye2300]

Good Lord, the snobbery is just about unbearable. Especially in these times.

[@justinreilly1]

Congregation Emanuel, not Congressional Emanuel. On the UES, not In the UES.

[@lj5801]

Another house that would make a fine study is the one three houses to the left with the round towers. That was the home of Henry and Louisine Havemeyer. On an old PBS show about the great collectors, one of their grandsons (Cornelius Vanderbilt Webb) talked about his grandmother telling him that no matter how old he got or how rich his friends were, he would never be in another room in a private home with eight Rembrandts in it. The art collection was enormous. Tiffany did some interiors. Another problem that the American Astors would have is that everything ended up in the hands of John Jacob IV's son Vincent - usually described as a rather nasty piece of work.