Marshall Field Estate

The Marshall Field Estate, which is also known as the Caumsett Manor, is one of the largest mansions on Long Island. It is also one of the Gold Coast Mansions. Marshall Field III purchased the property in 1920, which consisted of 1,426-acres of land, which he named Caumsett, after the Matinecock tribe’s original name for the peninsula which means place by a sharp rock.

Soon after the purchase of the land, the estate was built in 1924-25 for Marshall Field III to use as a hunting lodge and farm. It was designed by architect, John Russell Pope, who was famously known for designing the National Archives and Records Administration building, the Jefferson Memorial, and the West Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The estate is an example of English Georgian design, but was adapted for a more modern (at the time) 20^th century American country home.

The homes original site was much larger than what is seen today. The west wing and east wing have since been demolished. These demolition projects have removed the original living room, master bedrooms, and servants’ quarters. The remainder of the house has been restructured and the rooms on all three floors have been rearranged or changed to serve a different purpose. An example of this would be that the dining room has been changed to serve a new purpose as a kitchen.

On February 3, 1961, New York State purchased the property for $4 million and they made it a state park for use of the people. The estate was eventually listed on the National Register of Historic Place in 1979, which helped preserve one of the largest Gold Coast Mansions. 

 

Sources: 

Caumsett Manor-Marshall Field Estate, Cold Spring Harbor New York. (2016, December 20). Retrieved November 19, 2020, from http://www.historic-structures.com/ny/cold_spring_harbor/caumsett_manor.php

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve. (2020, October 20). Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caumsett_State_Historic_Park_Preserve

John Russell Pope. (2020, November 14). Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Russell_Pope