The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast: Revised and Expanded

by Monica Randall

Photographs detailing architectural features and interior design, accompanied by a text capturing early twentieth-century ways of life explore the lavish houses built by the Vanderbilts, Morgans, and others on Long Island's North Shore, in an expanded, beautifully illustrated celebration of the design of a bygone era. 10,000 first printing.

Genres: Architecture, American History, History

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Scott Benowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title implies, this book is about the remaining historic mansions which are located in various towns and cities which are located on the north shore of Nassau and Suffolk counties, New York. Most of the mansions which are featured in this book were designed and constructed during the latter half of the 19th century and during the early decades of the 20th century.
Some of the historic mansions which are featured in this book are now museums, and I believe that as of 2023, one or two of the historic mansions which are included in this book are still vacant, hopefully someone will restore them before they collapse.
This book features a brief description of the history of each of the historic mansions which are included in it.
The color photos of the historic mansions which are featured in this book are all excellent.
This book is not an architecture textbook, this book is written for laypersons. You don't need to possess any advanced knowledge of architecture, design, architectural styles or the history of architecture to enjoy reading this book.
Anyone who enjoys touring historic mansions when you travel will enjoy this book. This book will also appeal to people who are interested in the history of Long Island, N.Y.

[Ashley {_xamountofbooks} · Rating 4 out of 5]

It makes me so sad that many of these beautiful places were torn down. :[

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since we'll be staying near Oyster Bay NY for a while when we return from Spain, I wanted to learn a bit about the Gold Coast Mansions that inspired Fitzgerald to write The Great Gatsby. This book is a treasure trove on the great houses, the owners, the Gilded Age, and how the passing of time has changed Long Island. Many of the 600 mansions are lost, but some remain as private residences or have been turned into public buildings. Having toured much older grand residences n Europe, I don't understand why in America we are so quick to bulldoze our buildings. This book has many lovely photographs and some fascinating information: parties that included circus horses, aristocrats jumping into pools in ball gowns or unclothed, entire mansions brought from Europe stone by stone, Easter egg hunts with eggs filled with $1,000 bills, a fulltme guard hired just to watch over a Renoir statue, fresh flowers changed every other day in a mansion that was only used three weeks each year, guests lists with the names of royals and Hollywood elite, $2 million dollar staircases, a dining room floor paved with tombstones from children's graves, etc. The author is a resident and an architectural photographer who writes lovingly of a lost age, I can't wait to see some of these beautiful homes and gardens that are open to the public.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful work. http://www.goldcoastmansions.com is an online website with pictures of the existing private and public Gold Coast Mansions, as well as pictures and information on the long forgotten Gold Coast Mansion ruins on Long Island.