Beacon Towers

 Beacon Towers was completed in 1918, for Alva Erskine Smith, the widow of Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and ex-wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt. It was located on the Gold Coast it was one of the most fantastical of all the Gilded Age castles. In the 1920s, it gained a reputation for progressive thinking concerning feminism and women's rights in America. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beacon Towers was the inspiration for "East Egg" in Baz Luhrman's film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”. It is also said to have influenced the fairytale castle in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Alva almost singlehandedly led the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She established the Political Equality League, organized the first picketing event in front of the White House, and was elected President of the National Woman's Party, a position she held until her death.

Alva paid $84,000 for 7-acres of prime beachfront real estate at the northern tip of Sands Point. In 1917, she called architectural firm Hunt & Hunt to build her a Gothic castle, loosely modelled on a Norman château associated with Joan of Arc. Rumors abound as to how many rooms it contained, but a conservative estimate would be in the region of 100. 

In 1924, to obtain more privacy Alva spent a further $100,000 acquiring an additional 5.5 acres of land that included the old lighthouse and Keeper's House. After only seven years in residence, Alva conceded that the castle was too expensive to maintain - the household staff alone cost her $25,000 a year. In 1925, she closed up the castle and moved to France. In 1927, Beacon Towers was purchased for $400,000 by William Randolph Hearst. He and his wife immediately set about making structural improvements to the castle: The roof was raised, dormer windows were added to break the roofline, and all the windows throughout were enlarged; and, as huge fans of Hollywood, they added a movie theater.

In 1942, Hearst was forced to handover over the estate to the bank for tax purposes. In 1945, the castle was unceremoniously demolished and 8 houses were built in its place. Found among the woods today are various structural remnants, including old towers, the gatehouse, garage and the ruins of the garden walls.

Source:

“Beacon Towers.” American Aristocracy, americanaristocracy.com/houses/beacon-towers. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024