The Forgotten Mansion on Staten Island (Bay Villa)

[@scottnyc6572]

As someone who’s been born and raised on Staten Island I’ve seen firsthand how much has been destroyed.Most of where those massive mansions once stood are now occupied with low income city projects where you take your life in your hands if on foot.After the depression much was sold off and divided into lots and turned into urban ghettos.

[@BellaCroyda]

Same in the Bronx. Western Bronx especially was middle class and in a few cases UPPER middle class. Now? Now the Bronx is almost 90% populated by thugs, murderers, gangs, welfare baby-daddy baby mommas and worse. Mostly all of the mansions in the Bronx are long gone and the once beautiful apartment houses are now low income ravaged dumps.

[@paulakpacente]

So very sad...

[@darcyedmonds8848]

What a beautiful golden moment in time, a dream of a childhood. There must be a way to have such goodness for us all. ❤

[@dlcalbaugh]

This is one of my favorite channels on KZbin. Thank you for all of your hard work in making these videos.

[@robasiansensation3118]

Since I was a little one, I would dream of living in a multiple storied old home with winding hallways, hidden rooms, filled with wood and beautiful old things. It started watching old vincent price movies. I thought the home on mockingbird lane- the home of the munsters, wasn't scary but very inviting. I wanted to see grandpa's laboratory in the basement, and see what is under the stairs where Spot lived. I love the thick draperies and chandeliers. I never have had the chance to live in a home I could roam in like that, but have been had friends that had such homes. I'm 56 now and more fascinated by these old mansions than ever. I'm so grateful for this channel that gives me a little look inside.

[@SMtWalkerS]

The house looks beautiful and also the gardens. Staten Island must have been lovely at one time. Long ago.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Ken I love how you set the scene and then you take us inside to tour the mansion, but we have access into the most intimate family spaces. This goes for every video, I love it so much and I feel that I was there even though it was torn down maybe a hundred years ago.

[@ThisHouse]

I’m so glad you enjoy it!

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

@@ThisHouseKen, thank you, but of course I enjoyed it. How could I possibly not, especially now that you’ve shown us “where the magic happens”!

[@SpanishEclectic]

Those old libraries are hard to beat when it comes to fantastic wood, and, of course, books! Fireplace and spiral stairs! I like how you created a visit for us with this one. My grandmother lived in the Bronx from birth through her early 20s (1901-1924) and would talk about the Staten Island ferry. She must have seen this house, which indeed dominated the neighborhood. The view there is beautiful. It think I'll refrain from looking up the current visuals, and retain the picture you have painted for us. P.S. I'm now imagining you in your studio lair, with a cat on your lap, lol. :)

[@jeffhampton2767]

Love all the Antiques

[@jennymauger]

Of everything I looooooove your description, ty & yr partner for the care & consideration putting this together 🙏🏼🩵🪽

[@butterfly06830]

Love the grounds ! Where in Staten Island did this exist ? Yes, lots of wealth there at one time....before the Verrazano Bridge built..

[@ThisHouse]

Great question! The lot was bound by Hamilton Ave and Saint Marks Plc. Today there is a school and a neighborhood where the former estate was located.

[@teresaschlomer8257]

Hello Ken, An amazing story as usual. You never disappoint me Dear, I must say that the library and the master suite are my favorites. Its always so hard to pick just one. Thank you for sharing and I hope you have a great day

[@ThisHouse]

Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, cheers!

[@jeffpeelman2627]

If only we could go back and experience these beautiful homes at their best.

[@krcmaine]

What we do in the Shadows!!

[@g.v.hedgpeth2602]

I liked how you integrated some of the other " 5 senses " (smell of soap, sound of laughter) while giving the tour.

[@joantrainor6584]

I vote for the library!

[@LarcR]

I can't even imagine how much work it would take to keep a house so extremely cluttered well dusted and cleaned.

[@paco7992]

The servants are often the unsung heroes of these great edifices. Without them, the lives of the owners would be little better than the poor living in the area now.

[@paulakpacente]

My grandmother referred to herself as a "servant girl" in Chicago. The only negative she ever spoke of was that her employers fed her 3 day-old fish that wasn't refrigerated. But because of the opportunity the US offered, she learned valuable life skills, and retired LONG before my husband and I. He's 76 and HAS to work full time. I'm 69 and also have to work part-time. It doesn't matter that we are well educated and have worked VERY hard ALL four lives. The problem is that EVERY time we scrape 5 cents together, the Government takes 4 and 1/2 cents. Such a pity...

[@paco7992]

@paulakpacente there is an 'ol timey song that goes. "Work your fingers to the bone, and what do you get? You get boney fingers." I, too, will be working until they throw my ashes out! Two generations ago, my family was farm labor. My father taught me that if you like those tiny cocktail pickles, then you should thank a child laborer. I'm not sure we have gained as much from our society as we might think. If we could walk away from computers and shiny plastic things, we'd work till we were dead, but we'd be content. I don't mind the work as long as I know it's for a good cause. Six mega-wealthy families is not a good cause.

[@christopherkraft1327]

This was a spectacular mansion!!! Thanks Ken for telling its story!! 👍👍🙂

[@ThisHouse]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@garygloska7396]

Love this artistic composition of roof lines

[@randomviking8676]

A giant gem, both inside and out...and that view! 👍

[@lawaynesplace]

I love your videos with all the rich history, have you ever done a video on the Adolph Sutro estate in San Francisco?

[@ThisHouse]

I’ll look into it, thanks for the suggestion!

[@odinandsalem]

I think the exterior was my favorite!

[@StamperWendy]

So much furniture, artwork and knick knacks!

[@superdougie10]

Loved the channel since your Missouri days. This house is georgious. If I were this family I would have kept this house and still built all the others and just enjoyed all of them. Perhaps on Staten Island he could have helped the local community by creating jobs there instead of running away.

[@williamtyre523]

Great selection of photos at the beginning showing the approach to the house from the front gate. I'm a sucker for a great library and the two-story library in this house was really something! Thanks for this glimpse of Staten Island in its prime.

[@paco7992]

Impeccable as usual. Tea never tastes as good as when I'm watching an episode of yours. It's so amazing watching a person who has found their calling. Keep dreaming and we will keep watching. You have earned a spot in all of our hearts.

[@philpots48]

I had to go out to Staten Island for a client, the company was being dissolved, and moved their office into the owners' mansion. It had a wonderful view of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. I did not know the area, but I did notice that all the first floor windows had steel roll up shades. It was a fortress.

[@hiridavidfeign]

Fascinating. I love the outside, but the inside feels really claustrophobic. Very well-written episode. Thanks.

[@cassandraralph5906]

I personally prefer the gardens rather than the over elaborate inside of the house quite frankly. Thank you again for yet another excellent video. 👏 😊

[@kendranewton9071]

Love that library.

[@jefflawrentz1624]

I liked the portraits of Mr/Mrs Stokes- I wonder if they were painted by Sargent or Boldini ? I think they had a place in Palm Beach.

[@gmanette188]

Thank you

[@777jones]

Hey I just want to say I really like your sense of theater. That is what animated these houses in their own day.

[@kissingcandy1]

I loved the grounds. nice looking house.

[@amandab.recondwith8006]

Looks like the Munsters lived there with the Adams Family!

[@jeffpetrie7744]

What is an oblique walk, Ken? Clearly you have mastered the mansion language… Thank you.

[@ThisHouse]

Great question! Instead of directly approaching the mansion, the path sends you meandering about the grounds.

[@jeffpetrie7744]

@@ThisHouse I visited The Breakers and strolled along the Cliff Walk last weekend! Wish you could have joined me… Alas, now I am back home in downtown Los Angeles, where our best historic house museums are The Gamble House in Pasadena and The Hollyhock House in East Hollywood. I think you have already covered those. 😎💕🌴

[@rayn8740]

Helen's dressing room and the two-story library were my favorite rooms. What a magnificent home. What happened to it?

[@donnaw2868]

Can you just imagine what the architecture team thought when they were chosen to design this grand home when it was first constructed? It was a challenge like none other before or since. I'm guessing this was the happiest years in the lifespan of these architects, this process of bringing forth something so special.

[@JeffreySchieding]

A grand house !! I think it so sad that this world depicted in this video is no longer.

[@avengerscap]

Nicely written episode!

[@lisadolan689]

🙏☺️ Ken

[@janemckee4922]

Just…wow

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Staten Island is where the (USA) Vanderbilt family originated. At the time that the Commodore (Vanderbilt) lived there the island was rural in nature, settled by the very earliest Dutch and English families who had arrived in the area prior to the American Revolution.

[@randyboglisch137]

Absolutely beautiful house. Such a shame it did not survive to our times

[@monkeygraborange]

One can’t ever really tell the artworks hanging in these palaces due to the b&w images, but was the double portrait by Anders Zorn?

[@lumarinhocas]

🎉🎉🎉

[@The_Smith]

Which room was MY favourite? c'mon Ken, do you even have to ask any more, the 2 story library of course. :)

[@davidsherrick898]

I don't want to sound silly, but I think this house.. the one in the video was the inspiration for the Addams family house TV series. Ken we miss you from Missouri!

[@bellthandian]

Not necessarily the house in the video, however this is a type of victorian architectural style called "second empire" which was later popularized through use of Charles Addams "Addams Family" cartoons in the newspaper, while he chose this particular design as inspiration for the fictional family home.

[@thepoetthatwasi1722]

Dog Bless!

[@AnnaBrown-h4e]

I would like to of seem every room, but it is a nice vedio, thanks

[@humboldthammer]

I imagine that if I were that rich -- and lived in a mansion, surrounded by poverty -- that I might feel threatened, too, especially for my children.

[@bonniewills2814]

The Addams Family's mansion seems to be based upon this one.

[@vickilindberg6336]

So Victorian. So cluttered. So many steps.

[@asylumlover]

ONCE AGAIN, THE THREE KEY WORDS IN REAL ESTATE, DEMOLITION, DEMOLITION, DEMOLITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@b003]

That inside was so cluttered, bordering on tacky.

[@bellthandian]

Only by todays standards would you say cluttered which is honestly a snub at what they were doing back in the day. Today we have no sense of style and homes are often void of color, drab and empty with little warmth and feeling to them while many buy the same non unique items. Just because a style isn't of your taste doesn't mean it's tacky. This was a popular style during the period and comes were often very furnished to represent not just ones style but their education, background and personal expression of interest in culture, world travel and the arts. To be a worldly person was by how you showcased your home. It was also your calling card to enter society. after the first exposition our country was seeing many items for the first time imported from far off lands around the orient and even parts not easily obtainable in Europe, so of course people collected as we do today.

[@b003]

​@@bellthandianWell it's not Carnegie or Rockefeller that's for sure.

[@marciafallon7653]

That was my reaction too!