The Vanderbilt-Twombly Florham Estate

Edited with voiceover for review.

[@rayoster2872]

As a child in the 1950’s, my aunt took me to the estate sale of the Twombley’s. I remember being awed by all the fabulous furnishings, all being tagged for the auction. I especially remember all the doors on the main floor. They were very thick and tall, possibly 12 or 14 feet . At the time I thought what a shame those beautiful dark wooden doors were to be removed and sold. Fairleigh Dickinson University purchased the estate some time thereafter and in 1968, I went to night school there and was delighted to see the doors still intact. I am now 74 and have very fond memories of that time.

[@1940limited]

Yes, the doors are still intact, but the huge front door somehow disappeared. No one seems to know where it went. I remember many of the homes on millionaire's row being sold off or demolished. I always hated seeing that.

[@chuckandmax7313]

I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to live on this estate, no words can describe what it must have felt like to have a orchid presented to you 4 times a day and having Lillie’s named after you. Never having to worry about how you were going to pay the bills or scrub a floor, dripping in jewels and couture gowns that you only wear for an hour and never wear again. The Vanderbilt’s all lived unimaginable lives far beyond even the queen of England

[@supafrancis]

I went to college on this estate. When I first walked on the grounds as a Freshman in the year 2000, I knew that this was a special place. Imagine living out your crazy college years on one of the nicest estates in the country... a place fit to wow the richest of the rich. I was just a young man and it was an amazing setting. I played soccer and tennis there, I even watched the smoke billow from the twin towers looking off the back wall of the gardens that overlook the Hudson to NYC. So many memories.

[@lcarter602]

It says the property was in Convent (Station), NJ, which is nowhere in sight of the Hudson River, yes? no?

[@macarthurfield5674]

Lucky dog !!!

[@ryancatlin4799]

you can't see the hudson or the twin towers from fdu dumbass.

[@lgreen2487]

Id love to hear some of your stories

[@supafrancis]

@@lgreen2487 Oh the stories i could tell.... one of my best friends from college has even says that I should write a book about how crazy my time was on that campus! and as for all these idiots who say that you cant see the city from FDU, well I was there and from the back of the mansion on sept 11th 2001, IF you were THERE.. you certainly could see the miles long trail of smoke coming from the fallen towers. It's am image that will stay burnt in my mind for the rest of my life... so the best I can say to all yu know it all's is that if you werent there to se it, then you cant comment on whether or not it it is true or not! Though as unfortunate as it was, I WAS there on that day and all that stood on the other side of the tree's at the back of the mansion and saw it as well can attest that I speak the truth

[@mchristman6932]

What a treat for historians. Thanks to a french chef, and his wife.

[@paulbrunelle1444]

Beautifully preserved movie of the Florham estate.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing this time capsule treasure. I read the book about the Vanderbilts, "Fortune's Children" by Arthur Vanderbilt and part of the book is about the Twomblys. The whole book is fascinating reading I highly recommend for those interested in American social history.

[@thevanderbilts860]

Thank you for passing this, very interesting!

[@bethbartlett5692]

It's a real piece of history, this short film offers, and a novice filming without a Production Crew makes it even more authentic. I'm sure a narration absent in judgemental innuendos could enhance the experience and allow for a copy to be filed for the annuals of the Guilded Age. Thank you for sharing.

[@1940limited]

I wish they'd filmed more of the buildings than so much of the driveway, but it's still a great film and all we have. The Twombly's themselves never bothered to film it.

[@tracypfeifer12]

I went to college at St. Elizabeth’s next door. Beautiful building and area!

[@carowells1607]

I remember reading about how many servants the Twombleys employed. One man's only job was to polish the silver, and another man was tasked with raking decorative patterns into the gravel in the stables

[@michaelmullin3585]

It takes a lot of time and effort to polish real silver, especially if there is a lot of it.

[@marthaross6301]

Polishing silver is relaxing

[@moonraker30]

It took 100 people to keep this place running smoothly

[@1940limited]

One woman's job was to polish the silver door knobs throughout the house daily. You wouldn't think they'd een need to be polished that often but supposedly it's what she did day in and day out. Where would you find someone to do that today?

[@1940limited]

@@moonraker30 I heard 120 and 135. Not sure of the exact number.

[@dominiquemcdowell88]

Regarding the staff, seems to be a prime example of treating people well so that they’ll take care of your business or in this case your estate and yourself.

[@North49191]

really? no member of staff was ever allowed to make eye contact with any family member.do some research she was a self indulgent bitch

[@andersisaac7511]

I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anyone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I somehow lost the password. I would love any assistance you can give me!

[@harleyphoenix3301]

@Anders Isaac instablaster :)

[@andersisaac7511]

@Harley Phoenix i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and im trying it out atm. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@andersisaac7511]

@Harley Phoenix It worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thanks so much you really help me out :D

[@1940limited]

This reminds me so much of many of the big old mansions that stood on Madison Ave into the 60s. We used to explore them and run around the grounds. It was fascinating. I love shutters on all the windows. Notice two windows have them closed in the front of the house for some reason. One house I knew had cranks inside so the shutters could be closed from inside without opening the window. The shutters have long since been removed from Florham. I guess they'd be maintenance headache now. If you visit the house today you can still see the remnants of the latches that held them in place on each side of every window.

[@dalewhittenberger8833]

With today’s technology, a color upgrade would make this video a. stunning historical educational tool for today’s youth

[@1940limited]

Do you think they'd appreciate it?

[@1940limited]

Those people certainly knew how to live. I'm glad this film is preserved. it's too bad more like it weren't made. I would like to have seen the garage and the cars as well as inside the mansion and the railroad siding. It would also be nice to see the other great mansions that lined Madison Ave. about this time. A friend whose mother knew Margureite Keasbey remembers when she'd come calling at their house off Franklin St., in Morristown. I remember well Ms. Keasbey's home, too. 151 Madison Ave. It's still there. I moved to Morristown in 1956, a year too late to have seen Florham as a private residence. I wonder how they heated the place when it was new? With no air conditioning, I bet it wasn't all that comfortable a home in the summertime! :-)

[@janicesullivan8942]

There was a PBS program about some of America’s greatest estates.

[@pimhoff]

I grew up in Florham Park. My parents and I would often drive through the estate in the early 1960s on the way back from Rod's Ranch House after dinner. It was pretty mystical on a summer evening with the top down on the convertible. It was still pretty much like this video at that time. There was no thought of security in those days and you could just wander around. I remember being in the main house and on the patio with the breathtaking view. Must have been in the summer when FDU wasn't in session. My father always said that it was a scaled-down version of Hampton Court, obviously, he was only partially right.

[@1940limited]

How's Rod's doing these days. I moved from Morristown in 1983 and haven't been back too much.

[@BallymurphyBabe]

I wish this was in the colour so I could see the true beauty of all the flowers.

[@chuckandmax7313]

1000 acres for a single country residence, amazing, the luxurious lifestyles of the rich in the gilded age is unimaginable to comprehend. Everywhere you look is beautifully tailored and manicured and beyond compare, the worlds richest men today can’t even scratch the surface of the amount of opulence these robber barons were surrounded by, and no amount of money can recreate the gilded age.

[@superd9072]

This was amazing! Thanks for this!

[@davidmtwombly4647]

I am a descent of the Twombly's because they are my many great grandparents and I am a Twombly myself.

[@gnash64]

You likely descend from Mr. Twombly's brother, Alexander, but not Hamilton Twombly as his only son died (drowned) at age 18, without heirs. This couple's descendants, through their daughter, have the surname Burden.

[@NelsonClick]

The Florham estate has been a source of fascination for me for many years. It's a lifestyle that can never be reprised. Honestly, sending you this text makes me feel a tad closer to all that history. LOL. Thank you.

[@jhb61249]

I am a descendent too. But I was never descent.

[@agataneumann9980]

You need to work on your English

[@jhb61249]

@@agataneumann9980 bet you descended from the decent!

[@charliedavenport9609]

Such a fantastic estate! A great film!

[@myleftthumb2294]

I'm surprised it's not abandoned and rotting away like many of these mansions unfortunately are now. For example, Lynnwood hall north of Philly.

[@enny7617]

Went to FDU in 1959 2nd year after they bought estate. The Orangerie still existed which they turned into a library. There was a coach house and garage building with upstairs living quarters for chauffeurs. That was turned into a science building. They also had a playhouse with indoor swimming pool and indoor clay tennis court. The pool had tropical murals painted on the walls and ceiling with a mirrored fireplace at one end. The women's dorm was in the mansion using the original bedrooms some with fireplaces and the men's dorm was in the servants quarters which was attached to the main house. There was a pipe organ on the main floor which was tuned and repaired while I was there. A private train station was also on the property. This all belonged to a granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt who also had homes in NYC and Newport. It was very easy to pretend that you were a rich teenager living the life. Somewhere online is a more recent documentary about Fairleigh Dickinson and the Twombly Estate.

[@1940limited]

I've never seen any traces of the railroad siding that went into the place. It's my understanding carloads of coal were brought in to heat the house in winter. I wonder how many of the fireplaces were actually used?

[@youngjo1jy]

I went to college here as well in the 80's. Met my wife in a classroom that was one story over the service entrance. 2 of our girls went/go to Salve Regina in Newport that now owns Florence Twombly summer cottage, Vinland as well as living across the street from the Breakers.

[@mzmiller52]

Route 124 was loaded with mansions. There a few left in Madison. Madison then became the rose city. Town hall was donated by ggeraldine dodge in memory of her son. The train station resembles the town hall across the street. Two houses in the area were designer showcases during the last decade.

[@rosalindbruno1816]

I went to the college next to this estate (St. Elizabeth University). This was a beautiful property.

[@1940limited]

St. Elizabeth's wa nice, too.

[@narvelancoleman8597]

Beautiful footage...but Ha! I guess the french chef was as much of a 'hoity toity snob,' with the best of them! Calling to the NY Office, instructing them to instruct the gardener (who I'm sure was easily accessible); as to what he required from the food gardens on the estate, for preparation of meals! How absolutely PRETENTIOUS!

[@1940limited]

The French chef followed Mr.s Twombly everywhere she went. I don't know if he was in residence when this film was made.

[@allenlivera1611]

Who would ever downvote this fascinating video?

[@prairiedoggy1]

Jealousy...

[@thomasschreiber9559]

Antifa member

[@1940limited]

People who resent the rich.

[@lindahedman3115]

Very beautiful

[@discernthetimes6798]

These places was left there after the reset! These horse and buggy ppl didn’t have the technology to build such a marvel

[@63bplumb]

The American version of Downton Abbey

[@flicewatter]

Awesome 👌

[@johnwright2911]

Cross country trip back then would have been miserable, especially for the maid.

[@1940limited]

Supposedly they did make one trip like that. Mr.s Twombly was worried about being kidnapped.

[@johnmyers7008]

Lovely!

[@JkcBrewer]

No taxes back then.

[@1940limited]

As it should be!

[@marshmellow3110]

The level of wealth is staggering. What a life they led.

[@DanielPerez-ee3wp]

They always had to watch their backs

[@1940limited]

It was one of three houses they owned although I think this was the grandest. They only stayed there Spring and Fall.

[@Engelhafen]

Those lions are so small they’re hardly noticeable.

[@toddh377]

A spiritualist visited the grounds before construction on the mansion began and received communication from the great beyond that the lions needed to be small for them to be moved to Oregon in the future.

[@dmmchugh3714]

Is this home still standing ? I know this area well, but can't picture the location.

[@eval.sturchio2351]

Yes, it is part of Fairleigh Dickinson University and the university still has the entrance on Madison Avenue in Madison.

[@edgrossman9060]

Labor was cheap and available to maintain these outrageous homes

[@tchidell123]

Ed Grossman well that maybe but the people were glad to have a job!

[@1940limited]

You could hire someone who was honest, hard working and reliable for about $10/week.

[@mzmiller52]

Thank God for McKim Meade and white. Geniuses a shame so little is left.

[@1940limited]

Some People have said this house wasn't one of their best designs. Damned if I can find anything wrong with it!

[@venitaalbertson4633]

Thisisa grand place . lol ve to live theirs

[@barbarawenger7161]

Another era,another set of social awareness bolstered by other philosophies.

[@falconinflight6235]

The NJ government employees appreciated the taxes then and now.

[@ericswain4177]

Wow ! The unrestrained decadence !

[@omygod9062]

Very cosy

[@DonalDocRavioli]

Well, David, very interesting. An amazing look into the past. Obviously, your nose isn't high in the air it appears. Being of French royal descent, I in the French case can see why their heads were surgically detached shall we say. Their workers were nothing more than slaves, you might say they lost their heads over the matter. But it's amazing how many massive homes are abandoned all over the Earth.

[@dd_2023]

YES! Mud flood ruins, renovated by Industrialists!

[@darren340]

I have never heard of this estate. Amazing I am surprised that one comment from a student implies that the property looked out over the Hudson ...???????????

[@jamesclendon4811]

He was misunderstood. He said he could see the smoke from the World Trade Center on 9/11, not that he could see the Hudson. New Jersey is quite flat and the mansion was built on a hill of sorts--I'm sure he could see the smoke; Manhattan is not very far away. Possibly, depending on how the land lays and tree growth he could have even seen the towers themselves--they were visible in certain spots for quite a distance, on clear days.

[@enny7617]

Madison, NJ to Manhattan straight line is 22 miles.

[@1940limited]

The place is in Northern NJ. You might have been able to see the NY Skyline from the back porch, but I'm not sure.

[@TimoBrown79]

The chef sounds like a huge snob.

[@Engelhafen]

Well read about some of the hotel chefs at the time. It was a prestigious position.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@@Engelhafen still no excuse to be a snob

[@Engelhafen]

@@StephieGsrEvolution well I tend to be a bit more tolerant of talent and we all have our hubris

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@@Engelhafen 🙄 No, we all don't have that level of hubris!

[@lesliemoore2644]

Talented, intelligent people often are

[@TheFiown]

Less taxes meant more employement and more spending, a more logical approach but one that doesn't seem to interest governements!

[@nancyloomis3046]

If it were only that simple.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

Oh the tired old trickle down theory! Yeah that has never worked out well for most of the Earth's population. The rich use the commons the most to make their money, of course they should pay their share. These days, they hoard money instead of spending it, but something tells me you already know this.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@nunya inct you know nothing about me. Calm your tits, bootlicker!

[@sparkynm156]

Well, 30 YEARS of Corrupt Democrats and Globalists.. Chasing Off, Attacking, Harassing, Over Taxing, Over Regulating , Murder, and colluding with China to Subsidize Chinese Factories to manufacture and sell Products into the American Markets for FAR LESS THAN THE COST OF MANUFACTURING...to compete directly with specifically chosen Industries and Businesses.. one by one over and over to Decimate and Replace Everyone.. Business after Business and Industry after Industry... Even buying the Bankrupted Shell and Using the Name and selling off or Shipping the Equipment and tooling overseas.. Cities, Towns, Related and Supporting Industries and Infrastructures Decimated.. The Buildings Raised so they can Never be used again.. Steel Mills , Metal Foundries, Chemical Plants, etc Shuddered.. And thats just the Tip of One if Many Agendas.. England Finally after Hundreds of Years is Taking a Final Run at Their Prize.. They run Many Countries from the shadows.. One of only a couple entities that Continue to Fool the Masses into Aiding in Bringing Their Own Countries..Or Turning Countries against Each other by convincing each that the other is attacking them or murdered Higher Ups and such.. It goes on..

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@@sparkynm156 both parties are extremely corrupt! What you're going on about are problems perpetuated by a corrupt system. Instead of everyone acknowledging and appreciating our interconnectedness and having healthy competition, we a have a race to the bottom for hyper-competition and greed that leaves most scrambling in the filth for crumbs while a few hide in their hoards.

[@mcashnv]

Sad, really. I'd wager the Twombly's would have received more joy by using some their squandered fortune building orphanages and interacting with the children they helped. And I have nothing against acquiring wealth.

[@1940limited]

They probably could have done that and still built this place!

[@judemetz8963]

THIS is how they threw their money away during the Great Depression? As much as I enjoy this bit of history, my interest was changed to anger when the timeline came into focus. The filthy rich, completely divorced from the rest of humanity. Disgusting!

[@nocount1]

This was built late 19th century, long before the depression.

[@12011954s]

You said it yourself…their money.

[@kathleencaffrey1716]

@@12011954s there’s a reason the tax rate was increased.

[@1940limited]

The place was built in the late 1890s way before the depression.

[@traceydelfs2657]

It sounds like a speech impediment every time I hear tWombly😅

[@1940limited]

A friend of mine is adamant that the name is pronounced Tomb-lee.

[@watchtower1014]

looks like an apartment building.

[@1940limited]

Ha! I've never seen an apartment building looking like that. shutters on all the windows?

[@carls.1000]

A ridiculous lifestyle that could never be maintained nor enjoyed.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@nunya inct 😂 you mean THE FRUITS OF THE LABOR THAT ACTUAL LABORERS PRODUCED!

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

@nunya inct 🤣 I studied economics, among other things in school and still do. Even that capitalist libertarian BS you're spewing.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

Not concerned with proper grammar in a KZbin comment section. And who are you calling unskilled/uneducated? Most workers know more/do way more about doing the actual work than the bosses.

[@1940limited]

Looks to me as if they're doing just fine.

[@carls.1000]

@@1940limited The mansion is now part of a college and the richest Vanderbilt is Anderson Cooper...nuff said

[@macarthurfield5674]

Those were the days when people took pride in their work. No living off the government for them, NO welfare, NO food stamps, NO hand outs, NO whining, NO complaining, just plain hard work. I'm sure there are still people like that today. But I'm thinking Pride is in short supply. I know there were no programs to help the less fortunate, back then. Maybe that's why people had pride, huh?? Either way, this is a fantastic walk back in history. Thank you for sharing !!

[@prometheus5700]

The good old days when you were basically owned by the railroad you worked for. When company goons would bash your head in for asking for better wages and working conditions. I'm not for handouts, but I'm not delusional enough to call them the good old days either. They were good for a very small few.

[@richcincotta6702]

Also before the days of income tax!! That's what put a end to that era!!! Not the good old days at all. Robber barons.

[@prairiedoggy1]

Yes, now we mainly have programs to help the more fortunate.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

Capitalism only survives when subsidized. The rich are the only welfare queens.

[@lisareed5669]

You are a fool.

[@North49191]

meanwhile back in town thousands are out of work and starving

[@1940limited]

It wasn't' that bad in Morristown and the surrounding area. It was all pretty affluent.

[@NelsonClick]

How many people (besides me) believe the daughter; Ruth was a lesbian? I have zero proof and I admit it's all supposition and instinct but she was pretty, smart, adored her Mother, never married and loved Paris. I rest my case.

[@1940limited]

That's the rumor that's been around since forever.All I know is she never married but took care of the family homes until her death in 1955. If I had to bet Id' say she was a lesbo.

[@tonycash8544]

Draining a marsh on top of a hill?

[@1940limited]

Huh?

[@DanielPerez-ee3wp]

Mermaid took the first hit for her?

[@1940limited]

What?

[@jamiejohnson8817]

“Swamp”? That means wetlands. So, they drained wetlands and put in lawns and non-native trees. Mahogany door - a species of wood that’s now threatened. This is a spectacular house and property. And it’s everything we now understand to have been an unfortunate mindset.

[@fatfreddy4176]

Wah.

[@1940limited]

Can't agree with you on that I'd be very happy living here. The mahogany front door disappeared long ago. No One seems to know where it went.I heard it was 6" thick and only the butler was allowed to open and close it.

[@carolinemaja2199]

These overly rich are sickening.

[@1940limited]

Sour grapes on you. They earned it.

[@executivewoman678]

Ain't this the news reporters family. Gloria's son what's his name??

[@melanielazare9]

That's what I thought too

[@lesliemoore2644]

Anderson Cooper

[@dd_2023]

@@lesliemoore2644 And, his brother Kathy Griffin

[@jackiebailey6253]

Robber barons

[@1940limited]

Mr. Twombly was a financial adviser to one of the Vanderbilts and managed his investments well thus he was rewarded well. I don't think that's a robber baron.

[@seanthorton3054]

Crooks & Castles

[@seanthorton3054]

and Giants.

[@1940limited]

Nope.

[@tonil.476]

Too big

[@1940limited]

Never too big!

[@chrisskinner6291]

Wow a pagans home

[@1940limited]

How so?

[@Doyle18able]

This is a 110 room house. For what reason? Please someone enlighten me. That big a family? no. See how much you can skim off the top of your business? yes. This is old money trash.

[@cbboyle5117]

penniated I haven’t started the video yet, but im sure all this was built pre-income tax! The Vanderbilts certainly made their fortune pre-tax. They had to spend their money on something! You wouldn’t be jealous, would you??😁

[@echocheck]

If you have 150 people over for the weekend they have to sleep someplace. Also there were 25 house servants who had bedrooms.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

The workers earned most of it. Yes, these people were trash when not far away, people were suffering the Great Depression

[@1940limited]

What a bitter person you are. It was built to show off and upstage all the other rich people on Madison Ave, but who cares? I'll take it.

[@1940limited]

@@cbboyle5117 Pre-income tax. What a life! Woodrow Wilson put an end to that. He was the robber baron!