Winfield...

I recently finished the book “Winfield – Living in the Shadow of the Woolworths” – about one of the Gold Coast Mansions on Long Island. The area had the ability to rival Newport, RI had the majority of the mansions not been torn down.

Massive amounts of money spent on homes that were built to last 500 years but were gone after 50 years. Built by people who would have their pet ducks driven South for the winter because “Yes, they can fly, but isn’t it nice that they don’t have to?”

The second owner of the home actually left it furnished exactly the way that Woolworth did – in my opinion, she was living in someone else’s dream home.

The book’s author was engaged to third owner of the home so she actually spent a few years in the home that she had been fascinated by as a child.

It is no secret that old houses do fascinate me – hidden passages, pipe organs in the ballroom, marble fireplaces, hidden meanings in the architecture since it was custom built for the owner…..but I am also a big chicken when it comes to exploring them.

I loved this book – could not put it down….until the last chapter came across as too far fetched with it’s ghost story. All in all, a good read and I was able to visualize Winfield without having to make the trek to check it out.