new york city

  • Exploring An Empty Mansion: Master Bedrooms, The Abandoned Orphanage, and Beyond

    Exploring An Empty Mansion: Master Bedrooms, The Abandoned Orphanage, and Beyond

    Over the past three days, we’ve taken a look at the grounds of Hempstead House, the opulence of its first floor, and the decay of its basement. Today, I’m finishing off the series by taking you to the upper floors and beyond.  We start by heading to the second floor via the master staircase… Though…

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  • Exploring An Empty Mansion: Forgotten Rooms, A Decaying Basement

    Exploring An Empty Mansion: Forgotten Rooms, A Decaying Basement

    We’ve taken a look at the exterior of Hempstead House, as well as the beautifully restored rooms of the first floor. Heading down the hallway at the south end of the mansion, it’s time to go a little deeper… At first, you come to a series of more generic rooms: A parlor in the south-east…

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  • Exploring An Empty Mansion: Inside Hempstead House

    Exploring An Empty Mansion: Inside Hempstead House

    This is Hempstead House today: In comparison, the below picture was taken in 1940, shortly after Hempstead became a home for refugee children from England, who had been sent to the US because of World World II. The caption reads: “Huntsmen three play safari in the jungle that once composed the formal garden. Pith helmets…

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  • Exploring An Empty Mansion: The Grounds

    Exploring An Empty Mansion: The Grounds

    When you own an enormous castle like the one pictured below, and it’s only used to house your servants and horses… …you’re living in a world few of us can imagine. Castle Gould, based on Kilkenny Castle in Ireland, is located in Sands Point, NY (about 45 minutes from the city), on property once owned…

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