Norwalk CT Historic Luxury Homes: Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
By Steven Penny
One of New England's finest examples of a Second Empire style luxury home is the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut. Built in 1864 by LeGrand Lockwood, this stunningly elegant white stone mansion is widely regarded to be the first true summer estate built in the northeast.
LeGrand Lockwood made his fortune as a financier and railroad baron. He started a horse-drawn rail car line in 1862, was very successful acquiring financing for railroad projects and eventually became the controlling stockholder of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad.
Lockwood journeyed to Europe during the Civil War to sell American Bonds to finance the conflict that was costing the government two million dollars a day. He made an important and widely appreciated contribution to the financing of the war effort and upon his return in 1863 was elected Treasurer of the New York Stock Exchange.
His railroad dealings that began in the New York and Connecticut area later expanded to the west after the Civil War which, along with his steamship interests made LeGrand Lockwood one of America's first millionaires.
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion was designed by Detlef Lienau and has been described as "One of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built." The three story white stone mansion with its octagon, turreted entryway, staggered stonework that accents the mansion's corners and steep roofline are all executed on a massive and magnificent scale.
The interior represents the finest of Victorian Age splendor. The entrance room is decked with exquisitely carved Italian woodwork with marble statues and columns.
The stunning three story central rotunda has been beautifully restored. The Lockwood-Mathews mansion was featured in the movies House of Dark Shadows and The Stepford Wives, and Paramount Pictures donated $400,000 for the mansion's restoration. The film production also donated several large paintings that help to dramatize the scale of the brick red and white rotunda.
Each of the rooms adjacent to the rotunda - the dining room, drawing room, music room and library all represent the finest in gilded age Victorian elegance. From the dining room's imported Italian woodworking and exquisitely upholstered chairs, to the drawing room with its ethereal mauve and sky blue painted dome ceiling, the music room's crystal chandeliers, to the library's massive doors, patterned wooden ceiling and hearth all represent the finest workmanship of the day.
The mansion was ahead of its time having faucets and hot running water in the 1860's - something even the White House didn't have yet -and the central heating system required a ton of coal a day.
However, Lockwood had financial reversals in 1869, his health declined and he died in 1872. Foreclosures resulted in the loss of the estate by Lockwood's heirs in1874. Charles D. Mathews, a wealthy retired New-York provisions dealer bought the property in 1876 who used it as his summer estate.
The 62-room mansion located at 295 West Ave. Norwalk, CT is on the National Register of Historic Places and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971. Widely regarded as one of the first summer estates in New England with its stunning, beautifully restored interior makes the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Norwalk, Connecticut's most important historic luxury home.
LeGrand Lockwood made his fortune as a financier and railroad baron. He started a horse-drawn rail car line in 1862, was very successful acquiring financing for railroad projects and eventually became the controlling stockholder of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad.
Lockwood journeyed to Europe during the Civil War to sell American Bonds to finance the conflict that was costing the government two million dollars a day. He made an important and widely appreciated contribution to the financing of the war effort and upon his return in 1863 was elected Treasurer of the New York Stock Exchange.
His railroad dealings that began in the New York and Connecticut area later expanded to the west after the Civil War which, along with his steamship interests made LeGrand Lockwood one of America's first millionaires.
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion was designed by Detlef Lienau and has been described as "One of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built." The three story white stone mansion with its octagon, turreted entryway, staggered stonework that accents the mansion's corners and steep roofline are all executed on a massive and magnificent scale.
The interior represents the finest of Victorian Age splendor. The entrance room is decked with exquisitely carved Italian woodwork with marble statues and columns.
The stunning three story central rotunda has been beautifully restored. The Lockwood-Mathews mansion was featured in the movies House of Dark Shadows and The Stepford Wives, and Paramount Pictures donated $400,000 for the mansion's restoration. The film production also donated several large paintings that help to dramatize the scale of the brick red and white rotunda.
Each of the rooms adjacent to the rotunda - the dining room, drawing room, music room and library all represent the finest in gilded age Victorian elegance. From the dining room's imported Italian woodworking and exquisitely upholstered chairs, to the drawing room with its ethereal mauve and sky blue painted dome ceiling, the music room's crystal chandeliers, to the library's massive doors, patterned wooden ceiling and hearth all represent the finest workmanship of the day.
The mansion was ahead of its time having faucets and hot running water in the 1860's - something even the White House didn't have yet -and the central heating system required a ton of coal a day.
However, Lockwood had financial reversals in 1869, his health declined and he died in 1872. Foreclosures resulted in the loss of the estate by Lockwood's heirs in1874. Charles D. Mathews, a wealthy retired New-York provisions dealer bought the property in 1876 who used it as his summer estate.
The 62-room mansion located at 295 West Ave. Norwalk, CT is on the National Register of Historic Places and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971. Widely regarded as one of the first summer estates in New England with its stunning, beautifully restored interior makes the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Norwalk, Connecticut's most important historic luxury home.
Author of Hiring The Best People, Steven Penny writes on Connecticut's best communities to live for your home and family. If you are looking for Norwalk CT Luxury Homes please visit http://www.Prudentialct.com
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