What Happened to Westinghouse's Mansion?

[@jeffmaddock8209]

These people must have been soulless to decide to tear down these masterpieces.

[@elmonteslim3711]

These ridiculous houses were too expensive to be maintained. They were doomed from the moment they were built.

[@GetReady4LiftOff]

sad to tear down to build another huge hse

[@lisa4264]

I did some homework and discovered that the mansion's demolition was a stipulation son, George Westinghouse, attached to the sale/transfer of ownership.

[@Ibhenriksen]

The plumbing, the electricity, and the window replacement would be an incredible nightmare to keep up.

[@annelefevre9457]

I like color…..but what a huge beautiful home it was! It is a shame that the house was torn down!

[@elmonteslim3711]

This house would cost millions to maintain. More than the house was worth. Doomed from the moment it was built

[@mileshigh1321]

I think the house interior design was ahead of its time! Most of the homes were dark inside, unlike this one! Also the tufted ceilings are beautiful! Ken I wish this house was still standing so you could give a tour of it!

[@ThisHouse]

I totally agree! I would have loved to experience a grand, monochromatic Victorian home.

[@chrisbaier6252]

Yes, didn’t many of the mansions of the time have heavy dark paneling? They must have been so dark especially at night. The white and light interiors must have been a refreshing change.

[@CherylSimser]

There was an elegant simplicity to her decorating style. Adding colorful flowers and a few accents was charming and peaceful unlike the dark and heavy handed Vanderbilt taste.

[@michaelcerkez3895]

Breaks my heart to hear of well built houses, no matter what color torn down.

[@sashaconrad3939]

I liked the monochromatic decorations, but I personally like color and have to have it in a house. It’s too bad that it was torn down, it would be fascinating to tour if it was still here.

[@karenryder6317]

While I like white as a trim color, having almost everything done in white would be too sterile for me. I'd like to have some neutral colors like navy, sand, aqua, sage, blue, taupe and moss for walls, furniture and window treatments, some darks but nothing too saturated. I agree that it's too bad the lush Queen Anne style fell completely out of favor because the architectural details, if not overdone , add interesting features.

[@jevilihinbey]

I would have loved to tour the whole house Kitchen included

[@logandodson7191]

Maybe it was not the most flattering picture, but the replacement house seems like a huge downgrade, aesthetically, to the original. Maybe the original house was too costly to maintain, so in the long run, it was better to replace it with a different structure? I know a lot of the mansions from this time period were a beast, nigh impossible, to maintain, even for rich people.

[@lesahenderson7365]

I agree with you!

[@raffinataonline]

Agreed.

[@jhash9554]

Agree. Big mistake

[@Bella-gj6wc]

Most of these people have more money than BRAINS!!

[@marylougeorge9890]

👍

[@KatWoman_]

I think this is my favorite home thus far. Unusual that they lived in Lenox full-time. The color white was probably calming to her.

[@jamesslick4790]

I'm from Pittsburgh. George Westinghouse and Henry Heinz were the only Pittsburgh industrialists whose names were spoken with respect and reverence in my family. You can be SURE! I had family who worked for Westinghouse going back to the very early 1900s. Even after both Westinghouse and Edison were long gone, It was "taboo" to even consider buying a General Electric appliance in my family, LOL. I now have a GE fridge (Don't tell my mum!).

[@glennmcgee1729]

In Wilmerding, PA sits George Westinghouse's airbrake company headquarters building. A beautiful stone structure with interior wood paneling and marble stone finishes, it replicates a German castle he saw on vacation. It has historic landmark status and had been renovated in the late 1970s before I had the pleasure of working there shortly afterwards. I had an apartment down the street called, wait for it... Marguerite Ave.

[@karenryder6317]

This would be an interesting house to feature on this site. Westinghouse also had a grand home in Schenectady, NY as he was there quite often to confer with the GE electrical engineers like Steinmetz and I gather even briefly worked with Tesla? Anyway, the house still stands and even was renovated back to a grand home from when it was repurposed for commercial purposes--something that doesn't happen often. This upstate NY house would also be an interesting one for "This House" to highlight.

[@sharksport01]

That castle in Wilmerding recently sold for 86,000.

[@claudepraytor8101]

Was the town where the company was headquartered called Turtle Creek or Wilmerding? I know it was East Pittsburgh. I know from downtown you would take the parkway to Ardmore Boulevard in Wilkinsburg to get there.

[@johnlockesghost5592]

@@karenryder6317 Westinghouse bought Tesla's patents for motors and generators, giving him his only real "payday" and brought him in to create Westinghouse Electric Company. George Westinghouse was the only one at the time who believed in Tesla's genius enough to bankroll him... To the point where Westinghouse literally bet it all on him for the Chicago World's Fair which was the genesis for the electrification of the world. It's shameful that Edison's name is more well known.

[@jamesslick4790]

@@claudepraytor8101 There was no SINGLE headquarters as there were different Westinghouse companies! Westinghouse Air Brake was Wilmerding, PA Westinghouse Electric was East Pittsburgh, PA and (Westinghouse) Union Switch and Signal was Swissvale, PA. East Pittsburgh, Turtle Creek and Wilmerding all border creating a string of Westinghouse towns. The "odd" one is Swissvale, Despite having a major Westinghouse plant (US&S), Swissvale was NOT a "company town". It was developed by several different real estate developers in the late 1800s/ Early 1900s in the same manner that more modern suburbs are. Turtle creek was "independent", but still mostly Westinghouse workers. East Pittsburgh and Wilmerding were Westinghouse "company towns". (And at the time they came about very GOOD company towns) The overall headquarters was later Downtown Pittsburgh. Westinghouse had been broken apart into diverse shit such as Viacom, CBS.etc! The power generation part (Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, ) one of the largest builders of nuclear power plants in the world is still headquartered in the Pittsburgh area (Cranberry TWP) The former WABCO (Westinghouse Air brake) is now "Wabtec" and that is ALSO still in town being headquartered on Pittsburgh's North Side! (I REFUSE to say "North Shore", NO ONE from the North Side says "North Shore"! LOL) Source: North Sider with GENERATIONS of relatives working for many of Westinghouse companies since at least 1905!

[@StamperWendy]

I would not have torn it down (it's easy to add color) but I would have just built the other house near by, I mean, there's 600 acres to choose from. Thanks, Ken!

[@danielkoher1944]

You know That’s Right! People never cease to amaze us. Yet, it’s not only this country which has lost so much history. Europe has kept a lot of it’s historical architecture. However, many of the manors, castles, and estates have been lost.

[@elmonteslim3711]

This house would cost millions to maintain. More than the house was worth. Doomed from the moment it was built.

[@bonniebrown6960]

You got that right Stamper Wendy....!!

[@lisa4264]

@@danielkoher1944 I did some homework and discovered that the mansion's demolition was a stipulation son, George Westinghouse, attached to the sale/transfer of ownership.

[@danbowman9294]

The exterior of the house was beautifully designed. The interior was fine, but that tufted material reminds me of a Parisian bordello.

[@lindafurr2404]

At least a person could see in this house unlike all the dark woodwork in most houses at that time. I would have some color in the rugs and furnishings.

[@marblemason100]

I can fully understand her thought process about the all white. As a kid, I lived in a basement home that leaked every time it rained. When my parents built our house, the basement was 'over built' to avoid the leaking and mildew that followed. Almost 40 years later, it still doesn't leak. To this day, I'm not a fan of basements other than for HVAC systems and storm shelter. Some things just stick with you.

[@fckyoutube5109]

Depending the area can be a bonus when you sell. Houses with structurally sound basements over built also act as storm shelters and or safe rooms. Listing it as a bunker is a stretch but like I said depending area and how it's built

[@LJB103]

Very good video. I personally do not like the idea of all white. but you have to remember that this was just a summer home (as were almost all of the big mansions of Lenox, MA "the inland Newport"). They also had homes in Pittsburgh and D.C.

[@johnlockesghost5592]

Westinghouse spent his life in the pursuit of improving humanity, whether it was making trains safer or by making life easier for common people through electricity. He treated his employees far better than what was the standard at the time. It comes as no surprise that a Vanderbilt (human vampire) would destroy his home.

[@tubbeys]

I drive by the property often on my way to work. To know it's history is wonderful!

[@tinalouise3783]

So many of the homes from this period were relentlessly dark, so this light home is a refreshing change of decor. The white could be contrasted with items of color. I would take this house any day.

[@chanceDdog2009]

It would be interesting to see modern tycoon homes. The Walton family, the gates, Butt family from Texas, Ross Perot family, ... ECT....

[@user-mv9tt4st9k]

Some white is a nice contrast, all white would be too clinical for me. It is a shame the Westinghouse mansion was torn down and replaced--the Westinghouse mansion had more character and fit nicely with the surroundings.

[@Donald_Shaw]

Beautiful flowers and colorful painting can make a white room pop! Thanks for the tour, Ken.

[@tudorjason]

The property sounds like paradise! It's the kind of land I imagine my dream home being built on.

[@claudiocavaliere856]

Magnificent house with an amazingly unusual decoration! Congratulations!

[@brandonpiazza6210]

I think it’s lovely. And so easy to spruce up with bold color if the mood strikes. One pop of color would change the whole look. I think the idea was brilliant. Elitist but brilliant! As for that Vanderbilt, what was she thinking? Her new house looked like a car port compared to the original. And so wasteful!

[@traceye.6428]

Such a beautiful house! My dream has always been to live in a white house with white furnishings. It looks so pretty against the green landscape. I would still like to see these homes colourized like the people who colourize photos of people.

[@antm64]

What a beautiful piece of architecture! So many interesting features...must have been difficult to paint the outside, but well worth the effort! White is definitely a statement choice...not one I would make...I need colors!

[@davidpalmer9334]

Berkshire Cottage! Nice…..plenty more to make videos about. Great job!

[@Tristan_Nelson]

My fav video of yours bc my fav house...The grounds looked impeccable! Great job

[@westinghouse]

Well done and informative. Thanks for sharing!

[@ThisHouse]

Our pleasure, thank you!

[@carolynnixon7095]

When it was sold to Vanderbilt, George and Marguerite's son stipulated in the deed of sale that the mansion must be demolished. He did the same to one of their other mansions also. Curious.

[@m.y.o.b.724]

Maybe he had bad memories or just didn't want anyone other than his family living in them.

[@morepeace9698]

I love your architectural historal you tube. Thanks!

[@GreatDataVideos]

There's a good video out there that I saw on George Westinghouse. He took care of his employees and improved the quality of life for people in his day. There were many train accidents killing lots of people, so he invented the air brake.

[@kevinhonnold6366]

I hate it when they tear down these beautiful homes.

[@j1st633]

Love your channel.

[@jamesmooney8933]

George Westinghouse invented the week end off. Workers in high plants only worked half day on Saturday. George Westinghouse, H.J. Heinz, and Mesta were the two most labor friendly tycoons of the Age. Pittsburgh had Frick and Carnegie who took advantage of their workers. Westinghouse was one of the largest employers in Pittsburgh. Now Westinghouse electric is gone. Mesta made very large machinery for Steel Mills, and ship yards.

[@chesterthawkins7510]

Luxury beyond belief! So sad that it was demolished.

[@Govindira]

A lovely home, the Vanderbilt replacement was a big step downwards from the Westinghouse original.

[@anteeker]

It`s not the fact that everything is white that would bother me, it`s trying to keep it all clean and free of stains that would drive me to distraction! But I do like the whole effect, especially the way it sat on the landscape. It shows Mrs. Westinghouse had tremendous taste.

[@vlogger-cp5dw]

The Vanderbuilt replacement home looks like a motel to me!

[@Valencenliberty]

Lots of dark in their lives probably motel fits their evilness

[@AndrewintheBerks]

People do the earth tone/whites complete design now. But for back then? Very rare. I put in a white carpet runner on my stairs and everyone calls me “daring”. 😉 This in close to where I live. Thanks Ken!

[@thomashiggins1466]

The Vanderbilts had a tendency to tear down and start from scratch! What a pity, the original home was lovely...

[@pattyromine3812]

I love all white also.

[@jonclassical5710]

I LOVE IT...white on white!!!!

[@jeffallinson8089]

Yet another stunning building torn down and replaced by a carbuncle.

[@dewdrop3302]

My problem would be how to keep everything so pristine white. I haven't commented since you have featured all these mansions. It's hard to wrap my brain around such opulent size and use of space for a home. It's nice to have grandness but not go overboard. 😔

[@williamevans9426]

I bet the staff loved keeping the house in unblemished condition!

[@jantrewitt4058]

I could see having white furniture, but a white velvet ceiling is crazy!!

[@jeynjohnstone5917]

❤ Margarite's taste. Truly an amazing feat to do all white everything.

[@rosemariefritchman5331]

1st Home was Beautiful!

[@jamesslick4790]

Since Mrs. Westinghouse experienced Pittsburgh at its bleakest era in terms of smoke (It would be as black as midnight at 9am at times!) I can understand her "obsession" with white! That the replacement house is called "Homewood" is ironic. When George and Marguritte lived in Pittsburgh, their estate "Solitude" was in the "Homewood" neighborhood! (The site is now Westinghouse Park).

[@Modeltnick]

Most of these old Victorian homes were wood framed termite traps that were subject to wood rot and high maintenance. They were drafty and cold in the winter lacking modern insulation. Hard to heat with those high ceilings. No wonder so many were torn down.

[@jaykqwanlevy4746]

I think that the white interior is very majestic Kingsley cool radiant and beautiful all year round and prestigiously beautiful and classy

[@SurfCityBill]

I worked for the Westinghouse Corp in the 1980s. The company had a great legacy. It's a shame poor management caused the company to sell off all its assets.

[@DKSmith-ho1jr]

I hate that so much of our architecture history has been torn down.

[@jaykqwanlevy4746]

Absolutely white color interior and exterior is what’s best even in this modern millennial world even in modern day millennial style in modern day in Paris and throughout modern day millennial Europe is to preservation of white gilded sculptures buildings and architecture. I for example in my home in NYC USA 🇺🇸 strongly designing my entire home and kitchen and dinnerware’s in snowhite colors or in silver and white lining layout. Thank You for this wonderful video am not alone in this radiant color in this modern day millennial era thank You ☺️ for this wonderful video

[@susannpatton2893]

Buried electric lines, as it should be. He knew it too

[@elmonteslim3711]

It's amazing the amount of money that was poured into these monuments only to be demolished a few years later. People built houses that were too expensive to be maintained in the future. All that money flushed down the drain.

[@carollejacques6611]

The ceilings are so low, it makes the rooms look smaller, the colourless house also would make the room’s confining. I get the outside because of where the past was industrial dirty. The house is beautiful to look at outside,is a shame it is no longer around to see

[@raffinataonline]

The monochromatic color scheme would have been offset enough by woodwork, etc. She was way ahead of her time. That house had much more character.

[@AdventuringwiththeS.G.O.C.C]

Not a word in the intro of Nikola Tesla...

[@beverlyreiner-baillargeon6205]

I can not believe they tore that house down. That is to bad it was beautiful

[@captainmorgan757]

The air brake on a railroad car and NOT "push down on the brake"; it's the opposite. The air pressure, in the brake line, is used to hold the brake shoes off of the wheel.

[@nancymcgee4776]

How in the world, could anybody just tear that down?

[@sergelouissieben6754]

Beautiful

[@BigBirdy100]

All that land and STILL just HAD to tear it down. What a Bwitch. 🙄 Just insane.

[@roseskindaeverything887]

Westinghouse looked better but I would add color great showing

[@Myloveforyou.]

Mrs Westinghouse was ahead of her time.

[@Caterina...3]

I'm with Marguerite, I love white walls, furniture and woodwork! Color comes from accessories and even those I prefer in lighter colors! Carpets.....I'm not into them to begin with and I like light floors as well. Houses filled with dark wood and heavy dark furniture seem gloomy to me.

[@deborahmeyer3493]

Definitely a huge come down from Erskine Park

[@Patricia-lz2zo]

It boggles my mind that anyone would make a conscious decision to destroy this house. The time, talent and detail, put into it is remarkable, and will never be seen again. Not to mention the absolute waste of resources. Ugh.

[@Tebogojm87]

I love all white interior and exterior

[@lisa4264]

I did some homework and discovered that the mansion's demolition was a stipulation son, George Westinghouse, attached to the sale/transfer of ownership.

[@wadeguidry6675]

I liked it!

[@rayn8740]

Rich people can be so crazy. Why would someone buy an existing mansion only to tear it down and replace it? Was it the grounds that she loved so much or the power to buy and destroy something constructed by a social rival? What sick egoists!

[@frankallen8440]

I believe your on to something. Power trip? See what I can do? Who knows. But it saddens me.

[@jacklong7048]

I think in one of the comments. Someone said it was in his will to be demolished.

[@autumnfeldpausch5539]

That's too much white. Just like now & for the past 18 yrs..everything white, grey and touch of black if your lucky. I dont like being blinded by white and when the sun is shinning its rediculous. Forget about winter snow covering the ground and then shinning and glaring in the Windows. Need color, for me it's warm & comforting tones to the jewel tones appropriately.

[@joelex7966]

The pictures don't do it justice. I am sure that it was beautiful when viewing it in person. Crying shame it was torn down.

[@vickiephilpitt7697]

First thought when hearing everything was in white fabrics was 'they didn't have any kids did they?' (or pets). Then 2nd thought was ' if they did the children probably had to use servants stairs.' LOL. When finding they had only one child my 3rd thought was he must be older and not live there. One or two rooms but the whole house?

[@nancywells5626]

I am a gardener. I need color in my life.

[@m.y.o.b.724]

I think the house was beautiful to look at, inside and out. Definitely not gloomy. White is not a practical color for everyday living, especially when you have kids. Every stain and smudge is going to show... of course they were rich and had hired help to keep their mansion looking good. Too bad the original house and grounds weren't preserved. This should've been entered into the National Register of Historic Places. I'd pay for a tour.

[@strawpen37]

The first one was far better and far more beautiful.

[@dre4011]

Yes...there must be color Absolutely 100%.....

[@millardfillmore241]

This has been the creepiest house you have done so far. She fascinates me now. Her desire for everything being white is just such an odd mania. Where did it come from? There has to be more to her story.

[@nonadeplume1145]

My deceased MIL was very similar, sans wealth. The odd piece was blue, but that woman loved white because it was so clean looking. I always chalked it up to her germaphobia, narcissitic, controlling personality.

[@alison5009]

I was wondering what a childhood would be like there. Gorgeous home, but with everything white, even with today’s standards, how did they keep it that way?

[@farmerbill6855]

Sometimes, that's just the way it is. My grandfather insisted the barns and outbuilding be white because it made the farm look clean. Each building was painted every four years.To this day the barns and outbuildings are white, thankfully, paint is better and lasts longer today. He was right.

[@suzyfarnham3165]

The story told you why she chose white?? She was sick of the soot and grime from the railways?

[@thomascefalo938]

I certainly could’ve lived in a basic monochromatic style, but I would probably have placed splashes of color here and there

[@amitisshahbanu5642]

I would miss Persian rugs.

[@ileanafigueroa8685]

What a loss! The Westinghouse Mansion was part of the History of the United States..

[@DaleRussell2]

What a waste to tear it down. 😢

[@nurmaybooba]

I could live there and phooey on those who tore down that beautiful house.!

[@asteverino8569]

Well, white contains all colors. Otherwise, there were some other colors in the house. I guess if you are successful, you can do what you want in a big way. I kind of wish the house wasn't torn down, but again, if you buy the land it's your choice.

[@hoboonwheels9289]

Padded ceilings must have made for a muffling of sound. All white would have been traumatic for me, I'd be concerned about making marks or spilling. I had a babysitter with a white living room, her family wasn't allowed in it and it was a small house.

[@Bob-64]

You can see this in the 1990's kitchens my late partner was a housekeepers was a nightmare

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

I wonder if you've ever heard of Foxcatcher Farm, in Pa?

[@bethbartlett5692]

Freedom from Victorian Clutter. Why did Vanderbilt buy it to demolish it then build another. That makes no sense whatsoever.

[@barbaraclark9423]

I would live on the veranda all day! Too bad it was demolished.

[@stephenHolloway88]

I'm sure the all white would have made a big statement back then as they liked darker colours but it's a no from me. That must have got filthy

[@bethparker1500]

Please tell us about the son and his life.

[@cliffordtindall4529]

He didnt bring AC, that was Nikola Tesla. The Westinghouses ripped off Tesla.

[@racheldianeames3729]

Pls do a video on historic estates located in lake geneva, wisconsin

[@005630The]

That was a Beautiful Mansion....the Vanderbilt home is so plain and not very attractive!!

[@GetReady4LiftOff]

oh my, the son demolished the house to build his own.

[@esteban1487]

Sounds like George's Dad stepped in to keep his son alive during the Civil War.

[@jaykqwanlevy4746]

Are there any possible way to see this house in color photos?

[@majorneptunejr]

Color photos did not exist then. Everything would have to be colorized and then there would be a lot of guessing .

[@rosemariefritchman5331]

When you live in a town or city like I do Bethlehem Pennsylvania where the Bethlehem steel was up and running or in Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania where the train was up and running you know all about dirt and sut