The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson is a museum and one of the best-preserved presidential homes in the United States.

The Hermitage History

Land speculation was at its height when Andrew Jackson arrived in Nashville in 1788.

The young lawyer acquired the land that would become The Hermitage, but it would be another thirty-one years before he had enough money to build on it.

Construction began on The Hermitage in 1817 and lasted for fifteen years. Many of the fine touches that grace The Hermitage came from the suggestions of Jackson’s wife, Rachel, who never lived to enjoy them.

Rachel died in 1829, just before Jackson’s inauguration. Jackson returned to The Hermitage in 1837 and lived there until his death, eight years later.

He and Rachel are buried side by side in the garden. The house was acquired as a historic monument shortly after his death and is filled with original pieces and appears much as he left it.

The Hermitage Visitor Information

Opening Hours

Open daily, 9 am to 5 pm. Closed the third week of January, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving Day.

Admission:
$10 for adults, $9.00 for seniors (age 62+), $9.00 for students (13-18), $5.00 for children (6-12), and free under age 6. Admission is free on January 8.

The Hermitage Tours:
Historically costumed interpreters take visitors on guided tours of the mansion. Seasonal tours of the grounds are also offered.

The Hermitage Location

The Hermitage Address: Interstate 40, exit 221, 12 miles east downtown of Nashville.

The Hermitage Map

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In Tarrytown, New York, a castle overlooks the Hudson River. This is Lyndhurst, one of America’s finest Gothic Revival mansions.

Lyndhurst Mansion History

The house was born as a country villa, designed in 1838 by Alexander Jackson Davis. In 1864, the house was purchased by a wealthy merchant, and Davis was commissioned to double the size of the villa. In 1880, the house was bought by railroad tycoon Jay Gould, who added rich stained glass to the house, as well as exotic trees to the grounds.

Lyndhurst’s 67-acre estate is as beautiful as the house itself, preserving the classic 19th-century estate design, with its sweeping lawns, and calculated views. A restored 1865 carriage house now serves as a visitor’s center.

Visitor Information

Opening Hours and Admission

Timetable:

April to 15 through October: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Weekends: 10 am – 3:30 pm
November to April 14: On Weekends
May to October, lunch is held in the Historic Carriage House.
Admission: $9.00 for adults, $3.00 for children 12-17, children under 12 free.

Lyndhurst Mansion Location

Address: 635 South Broadway; Tarrytown, New York 10591; Lyndhurst is located a half-mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge on Route 9 in Tarrytown, New York.

Lyndhurst Mansion Map

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On a hilltop in the Santa Lucia Mountains, a 127-acre estate rises in classic grandeur. This is La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”), the one-time home of publisher William Randolph Hearst.

Hearst Castle History

Construction began on Hearst Castle in 1922 and continued until 1949.

The center of the estate is Casa Grande, a vast 130-room Mediterranean Revival mansion. It is surrounded by terraced gardens and shaded walkways.

Nestled among these gardens are three “cottages” or guest houses, each grand enough to be called a mansion in another company. Fountains, pools, and marble spillways carry cool water through the gardens of the estate.

Today it is maintained by the California Park Service and is commonly known as Hearst Castle.

Hearst Castle Visitor Information

The interior of Hearst Castle is rich in art treasures, including Greek pieces more than 2500 years old. The estate is a complete museum as well as one of the most lavish residences constructed in modern times.

Opening Hours

Hearst Castle is open for tours daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Four daytime tours and one Evening Tour are available.

Day tours begin at 8:20 A.M. daily. The last tour starts at 3:20 P.M. in winter, later in summer. Daytime tours take about 1 hour and 45 minutes

Admission
Day tours are $14.00 for adults and $8.00 for children 6-12. The Evening Tour is $25.00 for Adults and $13.00 for Children 6-12.

Web site: http://www.hearstcastle.org

Hearst Castle Location

Hearst Castle is located along California Highway 1, about 40 miles north of San Louis Obispo. Get help with directions:

Hearst Castle Map

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Drumthwacket Short History

The Greek Revival mansion, surrounded by stately lawns, was built in 1835 by Charles Smith Olden, a Philadelphia businessman.

He returned to Princeton after making his fortune and built himself a mansion behind his grandfather’s cottage, the place where he was born.

The cottage still stands on the front lawn of Drumthwacket. Olden was closely associated with Princeton University and was Governor of New Jersey from 1860 to 1864.

After Olden’s death, the house passed to a second owner, Moses Taylor Pyne. In 1895, Pyne began a twenty-year renovation that added grand wings to the central mansion, carefully matching the style of the original house.

Today, Drumthwacket once again houses the governor of New Jersey.

Visitor Information

Opening Times

Drumthwacket is open for visitors and it is open each Wednesday from 12,00 to 14,00. It also hosts a museum.

Drumthwacket is closed during January, February, and August, and on the Wednesdays preceding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Admission is free but donations are welcome.

Drumthwacket Facts

Drumthwacket is the official residence of the governor of New Jersey.

Architectural Style: Mansion with Greek Revival and Colonial Georgian elements.

Since 1975 it is part of the National Register of Historic Places of the USA

The estate is officially administrated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and currently, it is under Drumthwacket’s Foundation responsibility.

Drumthwacket Location

Drumthwacket Address: 354 Stockton Street, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540. Get help with directions using the map provided below:

Drumthwacket Map

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