Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR · March 3, 1849] UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Stewart L. Udall, _Secretary_ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Conrad L. Wirth, _Director_ _HISTORICAL HANDBOOK NUMBER THIRTY-TWO_ This publication is one of a series of handbooks describing the historical and archeological areas in the National Park System administered by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior. It is printed by the Government Printing Office and may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. 20402. Price 60 cents. Vanderbilt Mansion NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE · NEW YORK _by Charles W. Snell_ [Illustration: Bridge] NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HISTORICAL HANDBOOK SERIES NO. 32 Washington, D.C., 1960 (Reprint 1961) _The National Park System, of which Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of its people._ [Illustration: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE] _Contents_ PAGE THE VANDERBILT NAME AND FORTUNE 2 “ANOTHER MILLIONAIRE IN DUTCHESS” 3 A MANSION IN THE MAKING 7 ESTATE DEVELOPMENT 8 FINAL CHANGES TO THE MANSION AND GROUNDS 12 A WAY OF LIFE 14 SOCIETY IN THE HUDSON VALLEY 17 OPERATION OF THE ESTATE 21 THE VANDERBILTS AND THE PEOPLE OF HYDE PARK 23 EARLY HISTORY OF THE ESTATE 26 DESCRIPTION OF THE MANSION 32 DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUNDS 45 TRAVEL ROUTES TO THE SITE 50 ABOUT YOUR VISIT 50 THE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 50 SUGGESTED READINGS 52 [Illustration: _Vanderbilt Mansion._] [Illustration: Horse-drawn coach]