Crocker-McMillin Mansion

Last updated
Crocker-McMillin Mansion
CROCKER-McMILLIN MANSION - IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SEMINARY, MAHWAH, BERGEN COUNTY.jpg
Front side of the mansion, 2015
Location map of Bergen County, New Jersey.svg
Red pog.svg
USA New Jersey location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location675 Ramapo Valley Road
Mahwah, New Jersey
Coordinates 41°4′20″N74°11′26″W / 41.07222°N 74.19056°W / 41.07222; -74.19056
Area12.5 acres (5.1 ha)
Built1903–1907
Architect James Brite
Fanning & Shaw
Architectural styleLate Gothic Revival, Jacobean Revival
NRHP reference No. 96001562 [1]
Added to NRHPMay 23, 1997

The Crocker-McMillin Mansion [1] (also known as the Crocker Mansion and Darlington) is a historic house in Mahwah, New Jersey. It was built between 1903 and 1907 on the Darling estate for businessman George Crocker. After Crocker died in 1909, the banker Emerson McMillin lived in the 75-room, three-story residence until his death in 1922. [2] From 1927 to 1984, the mansion was occupied by the Crocker-McMillin Mansion-Immaculate Conception Seminary. The property, located at 675 Ramapo Valley Road in Mahwah, is one of New Jersey's historical landmarks. [3] [4] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. [1] [4]

Contents

History

Garden side of the mansion, 1909 American homes and gardens (1909) (18130173996).jpg
Garden side of the mansion, 1909

Mansion on the Darling estate

The Darling estate, originally over 1,100 acres, was established by Alfred B. Darling in 1872. [4] The Darlings built a house on the property, as well as a racetrack for horses. The Darling estate was purchased in November 1901 by George Crocker, who described the property as "the finest site for a residence in the country." [4] In response to rumors of the possible purchase, the Ramsey Journal wrote that "the coming of such a man would mean much to our town." [4]

Crocker brought horses to the estate, and early in 1902, he acquired the well-known racehorse King Muscovite. By September 1902, his horses were winning awards. [4] Crocker had 4,000 trout delivered to the property's pond in the spring of 1903 from Plymouth, Massachusetts, and bass were also added. [4] By the spring of 1904, the Darlings' old racetrack was being used for exercising Crocker's horses. [4]

Crocker planned to build a new mansion 185 feet above the old Darling house, sparing no expense. [4] Utilizing the former Darling home as his own during the building process, he commissioned the architect James Brite to design a 45,000 square foot residence. Modelled after the Jacobean-style Bramshill House in England, it was built between 1903 and 1907. [5] [2] Workers began arriving in the spring of 1902 to work on the roads under the direction of Theodor Shuart of Ramsey, New Jersey. [4] Excavation of the foundation began in April 1903, and construction was fully underway a year later. [4]

The mansion was finally completed and furnished in 1907, with much time spent on the wood and stone carving. [4] The building had a great hall on the first floor, and the house was heated by steam, with elevators and a switchboard. [4]

Outside the mansion were outbuildings such as greenhouses, barns, stables, a dairy, gatehouse, garage, workshops, and bathhouses on the river, along with a new bridge built across the Ramapo River. There were nine single houses and four duplexes for employees, and a two-story house for the head gardener, Edmund Daches. [4]

By 1909, the property had sixty head of Jersey cattle, with many work and carriage horses, a kennel, sheep, and chickens. There were also vines and vegetables, and in spring 1909, the farm began trucking the produce to sell in New York. [4] Overall, it is estimated that the creation of the estate cost $2,000,000. [4]

Subsequent owners

After Emma Crocker died in 1904 and George Crocker died in 1909, the mansion was sold to the banker Emerson McMillin, with the proceeds going to the George Crocker Special Research Fund at Columbia University for cancer research. [4] McMillin then lived at the estate until his death in 1922. [2]

The Immaculate Conception Seminary, which had been founded in 1861 as part of Seton Hall University in New Jersey, was located in the mansion from 1927 until 1984. During that period, it was known as the Crocker-McMillin Mansion-Immaculate Conception Seminary. In 1984, the seminary once again became part of Seton Hall University. [6] [7]

After the property fell out of the hands of the Catholic Diocese of Newark, it underwent restoration work. [2] Placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1995, the mansion was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. [4]

Forbes reported in October 2005 that the mansion was on the market for $25 million, in what it described as a "relative bargain." Although the original estate had included over 1,000 acres of land, by the time of the sale listing, development had pared the size down to 12.5 acres. [2] Although the developer-owners Darlington Associates tried to sell the 45,000-square-foot mansion and 12.5 acres for $25 million, the property was later re-listed at $11 million. In 2008, it was sold for $8.88 million to a business owner in nearby Ramsey. [5]

In 2017, the property was put up for sale through a listing with Christie's Real Estate for a sum of $47,422,900. [8] [9] The asking price was subsequently reduced to approximately $39,000,000 after sitting on the market for nearly 3 years. On December 17, 2021, the property was sold for $26 million. [10] The sale was the highest price paid for a home in New Jersey in 2021. [11] On March 15, 2023, the house was seized after the indictment of Guo Wengui for fraud. [12]

Features of the mansion

The ceiling of the library was painted by muralist James Wall Finn, and the dining room was done in California redwood. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahwah, New Jersey</span> Township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States

Mahwah is the northernmost and largest municipality by geographic area in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 25,487, a decrease of 403 (−1.6%) from the 2010 census count of 25,890, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,828 (+7.6%) from the 24,062 counted in the 2000 census. The name "Mahwah" is derived from the Lenape language word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seton Hall University</span> Private Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.

Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Roman Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordanville, New York</span> Hamlet in New York, United States

Jordanville is a hamlet in the town of Warren, Herkimer County, New York, United States. Jordanville is in the northwestern part of Warren, at the intersection of New York State Route 167 and County Route 155. The community was settled by European Americans after the Revolutionary War and before 1791. Its name was derived from the nearby Ocquionis Creek, which was used by settlers for baptisms and likened by them to the Jordan River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro-Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Newark</span> Historic church in New Jersey, United States

St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral is a pro-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, located in Newark, New Jersey within the Archdiocese of Newark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 3, 1972, for its significance in architecture, art, religion, and social history. It was added as a contributing property of the James Street Commons Historic District on January 9, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramapo Mountain State Forest</span> Forest in New Jersey, United States

Ramapo Mountain State Forest is a 4,200-acre (17 km2) state forest in Bergen and Passaic Counties in New Jersey. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skylands (estate)</span> Historic house in New Jersey, United States

Skylands is a 1,119-acre (4.53 km2) estate property located in Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, New Jersey, a borough in Passaic County in the state of New Jersey. The Skylands property consists of the historic Skylands Manor mansion, The Castle at Skylands Manor and the New Jersey Botanical Garden; the botanical garden is 96 acres (390,000 m2) and it is open to the public year-round. The Skylands property is within the Ramapo Mountains and it is maintained by the Skyland Association. The property is marketed with the garden as New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark</span> Catholic archdiocese in the United States

The Archdiocese of Newark is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern New Jersey in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahwah station</span> NJ Transit rail station

Mahwah station is a NJ Transit train station located in Mahwah, New Jersey served by the Main Line, Bergen County Line, and Port Jervis Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Birch</span> American businessman (1873–1950)

Stephen Birch (1873–1950) was the President of the Kennecott Copper Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramapo College</span> Public college in Mahwah, New Jersey, US

Ramapo College of New Jersey (RCNJ) is a public liberal arts college in Mahwah, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. As of the fall 2021 semester, there were a total of 5,732 students enrolled at the college, including 576 graduate students and 11 doctorate students.

Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, involved with horse racing since the 19th century. Once the North Elkhorn Farm, many owners and tenants have occupied the area, even during the American Civil War. Most of the land acquired during Haggin's era has since been sold off to neighboring stud farms, but the original 765 acres including the columns and many of the historic barns and houses still exist at Elmendorf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crocker-McMillin Mansion-Immaculate Conception Seminary</span> Historic house in New Jersey, United States

Crocker-McMillin Mansion-Immaculate Conception Seminary is a historic seminary in Mahwah, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The Immaculate Conception Seminary was founded in 1861 as part of Seton Hall University. From 1927 to 1984 the seminary was located in the Crocker-McMillin Mansion. It is now again part of Seton Hall University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopper-Van Horn House</span> Historic house in New Jersey, United States

Hopper-Van Horn House is located in Mahwah, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built in 1769 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. Prior to being owned by the Van Horns, the land was owned and lived on by Rachel Bayard and Lucus Kiersted, who used it as a trading post. Prior to that, there is evidence of occupation by Native Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longview Farm</span> Historic house in Missouri, United States

Longview Farm in Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States was built by Robert A. Long. In planning the farm Long turned to Henry F. Hoit of Hoit, Price and Barnes, as he had designed Corinthian Hall and the R.A. Long Building. George Kessler was chosen as the landscape architect. The farm and over 50 other structures were built on 1,780 acres. Construction started in 1913 and completed in 1914 taking just 18 months to complete. The result is what came to be known as The World's Most Beautiful Farm. Construction workers included 50 Belgian craftsmen and 200 Sicilian stonemasons, among 2,000 other workers, to build the Longview Mansion and farm.

McMillin is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inisfada</span> Mansion in New York, United States

Inisfada was the North Hills, Long Island estate of Nicholas Frederic Brady and Genevieve Brady, a papal duke and duchess. Nicholas Brady was a convert from Episcopalianism to Catholicism and built the mansion as his family residence. Completed in 1920, the home was later given to the Jesuits. They used the building as a seminary and later as the St. Ignatius Retreat House. The property was sold in May 2013 to developers, and the house was demolished in December 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerson McMillin</span>

Emerson McMillin was an American financier and banker. The head of the banking house of Emerson McMillin, McMillin won a commission through "gallant conduct under fire" fighting for the Union Army in the Civil War, before moving to the Ohio Valley to work in the iron works and steel industries. He founded American Light and Traction in 1900 and became president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murry Guggenheim House</span> United States historic place

The Murry Guggenheim House, also known as the Guggenheim Library, is a historic building located at Cedar and Norwood Avenues in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States. This Beaux-Arts mansion, designed by Carrère and Hastings in 1903 as a summer residence, is now the Monmouth University library. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978, for its significance in architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Crocker (businessman)</span>

George Crocker was an American businessman. A member of Tuller & Co., he was also a director of several corporations, including Trust Company of America. He was second vice president of the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1909, Crocker was valued between $10 million to $20 million. The 75-room, three-story Crocker Mansion was built in 1907 for Crocker in Mahwah, New Jersey, and is one of New Jersey's historical landmarks.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Magnate's Mansion". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
  3. ↑ General Historic Information Archived 2011-08-14 at the Wayback Machine , Crocker Mansion. Accessed March 31, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Darlington: A New Jersey Home". Phy.ilstu.edu. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
  5. 1 2 "Crocker Mansion in Mahwah sells for $8.88M". NJ.com. 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
  6. ↑ "History of the School of Theology". Seton Hall University. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Seminary at Darlington 1926-1984". Seton Hall University. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Living Large – £37 million Darlington Crocker Mansion, New Jersey". The Steeple Times. 2017-04-23. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  9. ↑ "Darlington, New York Metro Mansion, a Luxury Home for Sale in Mahwah, New Jersey - | Christie's International Real Estate". www.christiesrealestate.com. Retrieved 2017-04-23.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ "675 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430".
  11. ↑ Mary Chao (January 31, 2022). "This mansion is the most expensive house sold in NJ last year. Here's what $26M bought". USA Today.
  12. ↑ "Ho Wan Kwok, A/K/A "Miles Guo," Arrested For Orchestrating Over $1 Billion Dollar Fraud Conspiracy". United States Department of Justice . Retrieved 2023-03-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.