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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Winterthur

In 1951 Henry du Pont opened his home and gardens, Winterthurjust north of Wilmington, Delaware, to the public.  He'd spent years collecting Americana, adding on to the mansion in order to house his collections.  The du Pont de Nemours (they dropped the latter part of their name) came here from France in 1800 to escape the political unrest there.  As the brochure states, they would leave an indelible mark on the Brandywine Valley.  You can read more about the family here.  

After picking up our tickets we went outside to wait for the garden tram.  It was an overcast morning, threatening rain at any moment, but it never came, so we were able to enjoy a refreshingly, cool walk around the grounds. . . .

We exited the tram at the Enchanted Woods, but you will have to wait to see and hear about that since I'm saving that for a separate post.  The next garden we visited was just down the hill--the Quarry Garden. . . .
 It was all quite lovely.  We walked down the steps into the quarry. . . .
. . . .passing a wooden bench. . . .
 . . . .winding our way around. . . .

. . . .to see another bench at the far end of the quarry. . . .
Scanning the quarry you saw many wildflowers. . . .
Off in the distance was one of many gazebos scattered about the grounds. . . .
Every nook and cranny had a plant growing from it. . . .
We walked down another path toward the bridge.  Water was flowing out of the rocks into a little stream. . . .
Because of all the plant markers I learned that those star-like white flowers growing throughout my woods at home are Wood Asters. . . .
Then we headed back up the path. . . .
. . . .and out of the quarry. . . .

Back up on the road we saw pink autumn crocus scattered across the hillside. . . .
As we crossed the lawn we got a glimpse of the house in the distance. . . .
We found ourselves in the Reflecting Pool garden. . . .
This was the bath house for what originally was the family's swimming pool. . . .







Your silver laugh...will always echo here...and soft your presence rest...in rustling leaves.....
....for Elizabeth N. du Pont
 . . . .down another path. . . .

. . . .to get to the house where we toured one of the galleries (photos can be enlarged by clicking on them). . . .





These are miniatures. . . .


After a quick lunch in the museum cafe located in the 50-room "Cottage" across the drive where the du Ponts had moved to when the house was turned into a museum, we browsed through the gift shop then went back to the house for the 1:00 tour which was only one floor of the nine-floor house.  We were all ushered to a waiting room where five groups of 10 were taken every 3½ minutes.  Each group sat in chairs facing each other.  We settled in for the wait.  I told the young couple sitting across from us that this must be why they have the chairs facing each other so we could visit.  Since we were the last to be seated, I added that if I'd known we'd have to wait our turn to go on the tour I would have pushed my way to the front of the line.  They gave one of those nervous-type laughs.  I think they took me seriously.  We chatted a bit.  I found out they were from NJ.  After a while I was getting antsy just sitting there so I went back out to the entrance to push the button on this display, which I'd rushed by earlier, because I wanted to see what happens (ah, my child-like curiosity hadn't entirely abandoned me).  I discovered it lights up a different section of the model of the house to show you when it was added on to the original.  When I returned to my seat everyone wanted to know what the button did.  I said, "You'll have to find out for yourself," but then I relented and told them. . . .

Finally, our group was called to start the tour.  The floor we toured, the fifth, was at ground level at the front of the house and contained the main living/entertaining area of the family.  The first three floors are totally under ground.  The mansion has 175 rooms that were added as du Pont continue to collect Americana.  He would purchase 18th-century houses that were about to be torn down and used the wainscoting and other architectural details to create period rooms in the mansion for his collections.  Those rooms were not included in this tour, however.  I will show you a few of the public rooms shown to us on this tour.  To help you get around here is a floor plan.

Henry du Pont collected a great many dishes (a man after my own heart). . . . 

He would display them even in cabinets meant to house books. . . .
Whenever they would entertain he would choose the dish pattern.  Flowers were also a very important part of his table settings.   He and Mrs. du Pont would occupy a chair on either side of the table instead of at the head so they could be more involved in the conversation at the table. . . .
. . . .like why the British delegation at the 1783 Treaty of Paris were left out of this painting . . . .
The mirror on this wall, our guide explained, had once reflected the image of Martha Washington.  She had bought it and given it as a gift.  If you look closely, you may very well see Martha. . . .
This pattern is called Society of the Cincinnati.  It once belonged to George Washington and had been made to commemorate the Society which recognized the officers who had served in the Revolutionary War.  It was passed down to Martha's great-granddaughter, Mary Custis, who had married Robert E. Lee.  When Lee's estate, Arlington House, was captured during the Civil War, the government confiscated it.  However, in the early 1900's it was returned to Mary Custis Lee and in 1928 Mr. du Pont purchased the remaining 60-some pieces. . . .
Mr. du Pont had the Chinese Parlor built to fit the wallpaper.   He always made sure there were flowers in every room.   This is where his guests would gather after dinner.  Mrs. du Pont would play the piano sometimes. . . .



This staircase came from an early 19th-century house, Montmorenci, that was to be demolished.   It serves floors six and seven, where the guest and family's bedrooms were. . . .

The foyer where this staircase begins was often used as an after-dinner dance floor.  Here is a display of what might have been refreshments for his guests. . . .
This room exits out into the conservatory.  This doorway had been the original entrance to the house before Mr. du Pont began expanding it.  The museum decorates the conservatory each Christmas season with a tree that reaches to the ceiling.  I found this site showing many of the trees that decorate Winterthur during the season. . . .
Henry (he's beginning to feel like an old friend by now) loved sitting in this room, called the Marlboro room, to read his newspaper. . . .
I loved the room, too.  Even though it was quite large, it felt cozy.   Afternoon tea was set out. . . .
Wouldn't it be wonderful to be a guest in his home. . . . !

The next room was the Music Room called the Empire Room because of its furniture's style. . . .

This is the Baltimore Room because the furnishings came from Maryland. . . .


The framed portrait is of Charles Carroll, a Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence. . . .
This miniature piano caught my eye as our tour concluded. . . .

It was just a little after 2:00--our timed entry for the Downton Abbey exhibit.  I will be doing a separate post for that, too, later.

Now it was time for a tea break back at the Cottage cafe.  This time we sat out on the terrace. . . .

We realized there was still time to do one of the Reserved Tours.  For an additional fee we selected the Distinctive Collections which promised us "stroll through a cobblestone courtyard and see Shop Lane's historic storefronts from the early 1800s.  Explore collections and styles from Shaker to Pennsylvania German, rural to urban.  Floors 1, 3 & 8; 1 hour."  Photography was not allowed here, but I was able to purchase this postcard.  This space had been the 3-story gymnasium before Henry turned his house into a museum.  They would play badminton here.  Now, its facade is four different period dwellings.  The brick "building" on the right came from the 19th-century Red Lion Inn in Delaware.

After touring several rooms on the 8th floor (it seems our guide skipped the 3rd floor I just realized!) we headed back to the visitor's center where we would exit.  There are shuttle buses to take you between the museum and the center, but we opted to walk.  The sun had come out and it was a chance to savor the grounds once more.

We arrived at Pennsbury Inn in Chadds Ford, PA, just before 5:00.  This lovely painting of the Inn was in one of the common rooms. . . .
I took this photo of the front of the house the next morning before we left. . . .

Their Havanese pooch liked to follow us around. . . .
The original part of the house was built in 1714.  You can see the newer addition clearly here on the right.  Another addition was added to the back of the house in the last century. . . .
This sitting room is in the second addition. . . .


This sitting room is in the original house.  The steps lead to the Lafayette Room upstairs.  It is available to be reserved as a suite. . . .

That evening we had supper at the historic  Dilworthtown Inn, circa 1780. . . .

The house dates to 1758.  This is the shell of the stables now turned into an outdoor area of the restaurant. . . .
We dined in the main dining room. . . .
I had the Baby Spinach and Lardons (Bacon) Salad (I had to ask Ken what a Lardon was). . . .
. . . .and the Herb Roasted Free Range Chicken with Local Mushroom Risotto, Baby Carrots, & Port Wine Jus, which was all excellent. . . .

I also had a taste of Ken's mushroom soup and wished I'd ordered that too, but as it was I could not finish the chicken.  When our the lady at the next table received a cup of ice cream with a candle in it, I'd wished I'd notified the restaurant that it was Ken's birthday.  At that point, though, if I'd said anything I would have felt the need for Ken to show his license to prove it was, indeed, his birthday and that we weren't just trying to get a free dessert!  But we were both stuffed as it was, so we did not order dessert.

We drove back in the dark, getting lost for awhile. We soon discovered we were headed in the right direction and were not lost at all--we just found a different way back to the Inn!

The next day's itinerary was Longwood Gardens in  Kennett Square, PA--another du Pont home just 7 miles up the road.  This one belonged to cousin Pierre.  

A View of the original house:  Pre-1884
A Biography by Ruth du Pont Lord who died earlier this year:  Henry F. du Pont and Winterthur: A Daughter's Portrait

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely tour of Winterthur, Cathy. I can see you as a docent in one of our many historical homes or museums. You certainly know how to pick the most interesting places and inns to visit. I found it quite interesting that the Quarry Garden is now filled with lovely plantings. It reminds me of the tour we took of Buchart Gardens in Victoria,British Columbia. It also was built over a former quarry. I look forward to the Downton Abbey exhibit! ♥

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    1. We've been to Buchart Gardens, too! Wasn't that place amazing? This was on a much smaller scale, but just as interesting considering it was for his own pleasure. It's easy to find interesting places if it's a house someone once lived in and there is history to go along with it.

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  2. Lovely tour as always, Cathy. I have been to Winterthur but it has been many years so this was a reminder to return. We go often to Longwood but not in this season; I look forward to your tour!

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    1. We have gone to both in the Spring (but did not tour Winterthur's garden because of the weather) and Longwood at Christmas time, but this is the first time in Autumn. This trip made us realize that the gardens can offer something in each season, especially at Longwood because of the Conservatory.

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  3. What a beautiful post and looks like a wonderful time. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. Wonderful virtual tour of Winterthur, Cathy! I had friends [now both passed away] who were longtime supporters? patrons? of Winterthur. They always put my name in for the annual catalog that was sent near Christmas, I think. I used to drool at all the beautiful things in it, but I had no idea how gorgeous the actual rooms were. Your photos were wonderful and I enjoyed hearing all the little "homey" bits and stories about the duPonts. And I have to agree with Martha - you'd be an excellent docent at any historical spot [church, library, home, public building etc]. Your passion for the history shows and you notice every little detail. I could totally see you doing this kind of work. PS - I didn't know what "lardons" were either. Never even heard the word before. Must be nice being married to such a smart fellow! Take care and talk to you soon. xoxo

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    1. Janet, I'm glad you got this virtual tour! Thank you to both you and Martha for thinking I'd make a good docent. If I could dress up in period costume all the time, then I think I'd give it a try! But I quite enjoy just being a blog docent. ☺

      My husband knows a lot about food with all the magazines and cooking shows he reads and watches! Plus he's taken some classes.

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  5. Cathy you put a lot of work into this post and I feel like I was along with you in your tour. What a place! Hard to believe so many stories to that house and you only saw certain floors. (and three underground? amazing). Your B and B looked good too. I'm so glad you included the picture of the room with the yellow chairs. So cheery. It makes me realize we need to get out of the south a bit more and see other things.

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    1. Whenever I do a post about the places we visit I learn even more about the place. I keep saying I should do the kind of research I do for a post BEFORE I go there. The reason I do the research for the post is I can never remember everything exactly right so I have to research the facts before I go and tell it all wrong. I think I need to keep a notebook handy to write things down from now on. When I take my camera out in restaurants I always wonder if they think I'm a restaurant reviewer. I saw an article in a magazine recently called "When Bloggers Gather" and it showed a lady standing on the chair taking a photo of the food on the table. I'm not quite THAT bad--yet.

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  6. Cathy, I'm just now getting back to savor more details of this informative post. Of course, the details that leap out to me are the miniatures and the model of the house. Having also visited Buchart Gardens, I find the quarry gardens to have a similar feel ... although I'm always imagining creepy critters in the lush, thickly-planted landscape. In the Tasha Tudor book I recently 'rescued,' she remarked that 'the snakes think my walls are Ritz-Carltons.' I cannot imagine strolling through them barefoot as she did. For what it's worth, I also cast my vote with your other readers that you have a future as a docent should you so choose. I'm looking forward to your forthcoming post of the Enchanted Woods. Happy belated birthday to Ken!

    Hugs from Alabama

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    1. In one of the videos about her she tells of bringing a snake into bed with her.....maybe she just said that to shock us! I don't even care for worms! But I've learned to live with both, but not to the point I'd go barefoot in my yard. Thanks for your vote of confidence in my ability to be a docent. ☺ Now that I have 3 people saying so if I should ever be asked, perhaps I shouldn't turn it down.

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    2. ... in that same book of Tasha's, she remarked about the snakes: "There's a lovely tame one, which lives in the largest wall just before the house. He was injured when he was tiny. I brought him inside and made a nest of moss and raised him up until he was a foot long. Then I had to let him go because he was getting too big. He would sit curled up in my hand at night while I read in bed. Snakes love warmth, and he would make a perfect circle on my palm."

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    3. Sharon, a baby snake makes it more plausible that she was telling the truth! ☺ It is rather endearing that she was such a friend to all animals--except if they were in her garden eating her flowers!

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  7. Dearest Cathy,
    This was such a marvelous post with such wonderful pictures! What a great visit you had!!
    So many lovely pictures! And such interesting information! Thank you for sharing this grand place! My kind of sight seeing to be sure ! :-)

    Thank you for you visit on the barn quilt tour! I can not take any credit for the making of the sewn quilts, but I purchased them at a thrift store only a few dollars a piece!! What a blessing that was!
    Many many blessings, and warmth, Linnie

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Linnie. Those quilts really were a blessing!

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  8. I cannot believe I nearly missed this! Bloggle is acting up and you nearly slipped through the net with this superb entry. What a wonderful place. I do so love wandering through and old, established garden. It has a quality of softness that only comes from age. Eagerly awaiting the Enchanted Forest now {which as I am so late to the party might not be that long a wait?} and feeling all Tolkien~esque with names such as Enchanted Forest, Quarry Garden, and Reflecting Pool ~~~waving~~~

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    1. You're going to have to wait a bit yet for the Enchanted Woods because I'm going to do Longwood Gardens next (hopefully tomorrow), then I'll do the children's garden for both Winterthur and Longwood....then Downton Abbey!

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  9. Those gardens are so lovely both the quarry garden and the reflective pond look so peaceful too. The collection in the house is huge! Sarah x

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    1. Yes, to see it all you must take specially-reserved tours which I think would take 2 days!

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  10. Good Morning from Wales!

    Cathy, I know this must be the same Winterthur, there cannot possibly be two ~ this one has a museum and currently has a Downton Abbey exhibition! Did you see it? Had it commenced when you were there? I have spied some wonderful exhibitions of needlework and antiques also. You are so lucky to have this close by.

    ~~~waving~~~

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    1. Yes, we did see the Downton Abbey exhibit! I'm planning to do a separate post about it, but it will have to wait until next month.

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