It's nice that you are doing videos of homes that still exist. Learning about all the architectural treasure that has been lost over the years in the US is so sad. This is another bright spot for our cultural heritage.
I grew up very near Blairsden in the late 1950s-1960s on Bliss Road. We would ride our bikes over to Blairsden and hike around the estate. That was back when the nuns were friendly and they even invited us in for lemonade and cookies. Since then, too many trouble makers would show up forcing the nuns to enforce no trespassing on the property. The place was magnificent to say the least. I still have vivid recollections and these videos bring back floods of wonderful memories. That entire area was studded with grand estates. Another favourite, for us to explore was the Bliss estate, now Roxcitus Country Club. Unfortunately, that grand mansion burned down sometime in the late 1970s I think. My parents were good friends with Jerry Volpe, the owner/developer and we watched as they transformed the estate into a breathtakingly beautiful golf course. Also, at the top of the hill was Stronghold Estate. The home of Mr. Dryden, founder of Prudential Insurance company. It was donated to the Gill school for girls and they occupied it when we lived down the street. I would recommend that place for one of your next videos. I enjoy your vids. Thx.
I was going to suggest the Stronghold estate since I attended school there. Have you ever read the Country homes of Somerset Hills by John Turpin? It’s a 2 volume coffee table set that shows all the homes of the area including the ones that no longer exist.
The view of the front door over the reflecting pond is beautiful! I like the way the house is built on top with the gardens down the hill! Nice to hear its still standing and being restored !
How have I never heard of the beautiful home? This one is especially fine. Those outside staircases go on and on. You could get a lot of exercise just making one trip down and back!
I am always happy when you end with the comment that new owners are planning to restore it. I know these homes were examples of great excess but they are also examples of beautiful art and craftsmanship and shouldn’t be destroyed.
I slept there! What a treat This House is featuring this beauty! It was many years ago when the Sisters operated it as a retreat house. I was in high school. What we saw was incredible! I have a few photo of my friends on the terraces and classmates posed on the stairs. Some of my classmates were assigned bedrooms on the second floor and the rest of us were on the third. Many years later I happened across a magazine where Blairsden was the cover girl and the story inside was the change of ownership and reverted to a private residence. Just beautiful. Amazing as I thought I was there! I would love to have an opportunity to visit.
I live in Somerset county in New Jersey, so was interested in where this house might be. There are a lot of historic mansions built by wealthy families and New York business owners during the mid/late 19th and early 20th centuries, in this area as their summer residences. I googled Blairsden and it’s located near Ravine Lake near Peapack-Gladstone…my husband regularly cycles in this area and the scenery is stunning (including the houses!). The house may be visible during the winter as it’s a heavily wooded area the rest of the year. Happy to hear that it’s being restored and preserved!
I used to live near the property. It’s very hard to see from the ravine lake side. But you can usually see it if you visit the Methany school which is on the Blairsden property. But back about 15-20 years ago they had motion alarms surrounding the house and the town cops were always catching trespassers. You can see the front gates from the main st side.
Oh my goodness I can only fantasize about the things that went on in this beautiful place thank you so much for this this is an escape that I needed this world is crazy
Love your videos !! I grew up in the Berkshires and there are a lot of crazy big gorgeous estates from the gilded age ! Would love to see you take a look at some of them if it’s of interest!
It looks to me as if two paintings in the dining room have been very carefully concealed behind a white cloth. Do you know anything about this.? you can see what seems to be a frame at the bottom and a bed at the top. Thanks for a great video.
One of my favorite Carrere and Hastings commissions. It was a designer showcase house a few years ago (the wonderful Adam Dining Room was obliterated). There was talk of the owners codomiumizing the home. I sure hope not.
Toured the house in 2014 as it was the area's annual designer showcase. We didn't get to use the red carpeted grand staircase but even the alternate up and down ones were cool. I have a few beautiful shots I'd share but can't upload here. Was fascinated by the tour guides stories of how each space was used and the cost and effort to maintain the mansion. Old NYC money in the Somerset Hills where Jackie Kennedy and the horse riding set chased foxes.
Good job as always Ken. One thing omitted, where did you say it was built? I'm old so you may have told us. Thankfully, when you were in St. Luis we knew. Love your work. Thanks.
Now I undestand. If the video says: What is , It means that the mansion still exist. If the description says: What happened, the mansion was demolished.
I love the staircase! I’m an, I would get so lost in these huge homes! I would probably pick 3 or 4 rooms and live ther. Hey, I’ll bet I could make some serious money renting out the rest of the rooms!👍
Sounds like a hunting lodge. Sorta sounds like that might also be it's future since no billionaire is willing to put his name out there. Happy hunting!💕
Ya how does that come in out of nowhere and then equally perplexing get swept under the rug. Such a big important issue to treat so casually !! What children disappeared ??
Ken, I really enjoy your videos . . . mostly. But listening to you mispronounce words and names is like hearing fingernails on a chalk board. In this video it is Jacobean. In another recent video it was Pulitzer. And there are others. I'm sure a lot of research goes into these videos, but please do a little bit more when it comes to names and words you aren't familiar with. These gaffs detract from your credibility.
I was holding my breath until the end of this video and was pleasantly relieved when it was revealed the home was still standing and being restored.
Same here
I kno waiting to hear “burned to the ground”……whew
You didn’t know?
It's nice that you are doing videos of homes that still exist. Learning about all the architectural treasure that has been lost over the years in the US is so sad. This is another bright spot for our cultural heritage.
So good to hear that it has not been demolished. We have lost too many of the beautiful old homes in the country. Thanks so much.
I grew up very near Blairsden in the late 1950s-1960s on Bliss Road. We would ride our bikes over to Blairsden and hike around the estate. That was back when the nuns were friendly and they even invited us in for lemonade and cookies. Since then, too many trouble makers would show up forcing the nuns to enforce no trespassing on the property.
The place was magnificent to say the least. I still have vivid recollections and these videos bring back floods of wonderful memories.
That entire area was studded with grand estates. Another favourite, for us to explore was the Bliss estate, now Roxcitus Country Club. Unfortunately, that grand mansion burned down sometime in the late 1970s I think. My parents were good friends with Jerry Volpe, the owner/developer and we watched as they transformed the estate into a breathtakingly beautiful golf course.
Also, at the top of the hill was Stronghold Estate. The home of Mr. Dryden, founder of Prudential Insurance company. It was donated to the Gill school for girls and they occupied it when we lived down the street. I would recommend that place for one of your next videos.
I enjoy your vids. Thx.
I was going to suggest the Stronghold estate since I attended school there. Have you ever read the Country homes of Somerset Hills by John Turpin? It’s a 2 volume coffee table set that shows all the homes of the area including the ones that no longer exist.
That arch-framed staircase was stunning! ❤️
So glad it's going to be kept up and restored to the way it was built! Too beautiful to tear down!!
The view of the front door over the reflecting pond is beautiful! I like the way the house is built on top with the gardens down the hill! Nice to hear its still standing and being restored !
How have I never heard of the beautiful home? This one is especially fine. Those outside staircases go on and on. You could get a lot of exercise just making one trip down and back!
Thanks Ken for posting the mansion on your channel. Great job as always.
So much thank you so much. On my lunch break this is perfect.
beautiful place. glad someone wants to restore it.
Should have happened long ago
Wonderful post! I am so glad this splendid home is being restored instead of demolished, as so many of these great old mansions have been.
Beautiful.
Great to see this house is still intact.
I am always happy when you end with the comment that new owners are planning to restore it. I know these homes were examples of great excess but they are also examples of beautiful art and craftsmanship and shouldn’t be destroyed.
Beautiful setting and grounds. I love the outside double staircase. Lovely house too.
I slept there! What a treat This House is featuring this beauty!
It was many years ago when the Sisters operated it as a retreat house. I was in high school. What we saw was incredible! I have a few photo of my friends on the terraces and classmates posed on the stairs. Some of my classmates were assigned bedrooms on the second floor and the rest of us were on the third.
Many years later I happened across a magazine where Blairsden was the cover girl and the story inside was the change of ownership and reverted to a private residence. Just beautiful. Amazing as I thought I was there!
I would love to have an opportunity to visit.
So happy to know that the current owner has restoration plans!
I live in Somerset county in New Jersey, so was interested in where this house might be. There are a lot of historic mansions built by wealthy families and New York business owners during the mid/late 19th and early 20th centuries, in this area as their summer residences. I googled Blairsden and it’s located near Ravine Lake near Peapack-Gladstone…my husband regularly cycles in this area and the scenery is stunning (including the houses!). The house may be visible during the winter as it’s a heavily wooded area the rest of the year. Happy to hear that it’s being restored and preserved!
I used to live near the property. It’s very hard to see from the ravine lake side. But you can usually see it if you visit the Methany school which is on the Blairsden property. But back about 15-20 years ago they had motion alarms surrounding the house and the town cops were always catching trespassers. You can see the front gates from the main st side.
just looked it on google earth wow, what an impressive property
Oh my goodness I can only fantasize about the things that went on in this beautiful place thank you so much for this this is an escape that I needed this world is crazy
The grounds are beautiful! I love the gardens and outdoor stairs!
I'm really glad the mansion is still around.
Wonderful. Finally one that hasn't succumbed to the wrecking ball.
Yay finally a happy ending to a gilded age castle. Thank you it's nice and welcome ending!!!!☺💓☺👍
It would be great to see if the current owners would be interested in doing a video of the progress.
There are some tours & videos on YT
Those are strange rumors. Thanks, Ken!
That was amazing..........those stairs
Love your videos !! I grew up in the Berkshires and there are a lot of crazy big gorgeous estates from the gilded age ! Would love to see you take a look at some of them if it’s of interest!
Thanks for the video.
Magnificent setting and gardens.
Beautiful!! It's nice he could live out his life there before he died!
My apartment looks just like this!!
Spectacularly lovely home!
Thank goodness . . . at least this one was spared the wrecking ball.
56,000 square feet! That is 40,000 square feet bigger than my house. I could likely put my entire house in a single room of that house.
It looks to me as if two paintings in the dining room have been very carefully concealed behind a white cloth. Do you know anything about this.? you can see what seems to be a frame at the bottom and a bed at the top. Thanks for a great video.
One of my favorite Carrere and Hastings commissions. It was a designer showcase house a few years ago (the wonderful Adam Dining Room was obliterated). There was talk of the owners codomiumizing the home. I sure hope not.
You have made me really, really want a Jacobean ceiling!!!
So glad the nuns sold it and now it will be restored.
Sounds like it's always been lived in, which is good, especially with frigid east coast weather
Love your videos!
Toured the house in 2014 as it was the area's annual designer showcase. We didn't get to use the red carpeted grand staircase but even the alternate up and down ones were cool. I have a few beautiful shots I'd share but can't upload here. Was fascinated by the tour guides stories of how each space was used and the cost and effort to maintain the mansion. Old NYC money in the Somerset Hills where Jackie Kennedy and the horse riding set chased foxes.
It's nice to see a house story with a happy ending, not in it being destroyed to build a block of apartments or a parking garage.
Good job as always Ken. One thing omitted, where did you say it was built? I'm old so you may have told us. Thankfully, when you were in St. Luis we knew. Love your work. Thanks.
Somerset County, NJ.
Peapack-Gladstone NJ Somerset Co.
Now I undestand. If the video says: What is , It means that the mansion still exist. If the description says: What happened, the mansion was demolished.
Thanks for the content
I love the staircase! I’m an, I would get so lost in these huge homes! I would probably pick 3 or 4 rooms and live ther. Hey, I’ll bet I could make some serious money renting out the rest of the rooms!👍
Wow them stairs
Sounds like a hunting lodge. Sorta sounds like that might also be it's future since no billionaire is willing to put his name out there. Happy hunting!💕
I attended Blair Academy.
Wondering, who was the architect?
Thanks for another good find!
Keep up the good work!
JIM
Thank you to new owner for Saving TH.
It looks like the huge building in the poster for the movie Lost Horizon. The 1973 version
Have you discovered Cleveland Amory's book, The Last Resorts (1952)? Shadowbrook (Lenox, Massachusetts) would be a good house to look at.
Jack-oh-BEE-un
Ja-co-BEE-an, emphasis on BEE.
What opulence
Thank you!
This was bigger than the white house
please do a video on Milwaukee's Gold Coast: The Mansions of Prospect Avenue
"Mountains" is stretching the truth. The site approx 600ft above sea level.
finally a good outcome.
Who is the current owner?
Child trafficking?
Ya how does that come in out of nowhere and then equally perplexing get swept under the rug. Such a big important issue to treat so casually !! What children disappeared ??
The nuns let my wife and i to have are wedding photos there.
Niiice, but...Jersey?
Edit: at least it's in the country/ mountains.
Most of New Jersey is very nice. You've been watching too many episodes of "The Sopranos".
You’d be surprised what’s out there in dirty Jersey
Pilaster is actually pronounced "pill aster" rather than pile aster
Please review pronunciation - esp. Jacobean,
Ken, I really enjoy your videos . . . mostly. But listening to you mispronounce words and names is like hearing fingernails on a chalk board. In this video it is Jacobean. In another recent video it was Pulitzer. And there are others. I'm sure a lot of research goes into these videos, but please do a little bit more when it comes to names and words you aren't familiar with. These gaffs detract from your credibility.
Love your videos!