Park-McCullough Historic House
Encyclopedia
The Park-McCullough Historic House is one of the finest and best-preserved Victorian
mansions in New England
. It is a thirty-five room mansion, set on 200 acres (80 hectares) of grounds, and located off Route 67A in North Bennington, Vermont
, USA
.
The house was built in 1864-65 by attorney and entrepreneur Trenor W. Park
(1823-1882), who was born in nearby Woodford, Vermont
but amassed his fortune overseeing the mining interests of John C. Fremont
in California
. It was designed by Henry Dudley, a prolific New York architect of the popular firm of Diaper and Dudley. The house cost $75,000 and the family moved in on Christmas Day, 1865. His descendants made extensive renovations to the house in 1889-90, largely in order to entertain President Benjamin Harrison
who had come to town to dedicate the new Bennington Battle Monument
.
The Park-McCullough house is an important example of an American country house in the Second Empire Style. It also incorporates architectural features of the Romantic Revival
style popular at the time.
The house is now owned by a non-profit organization and is open to the public.
on December 8, 1823. His family was not wealthy while he was growing up. By age 16, Trenor was already studying law and subsequently was admitted to the Vermont
bar at age 21. He married Hiland Hall’s daughter, Laura V.S. Hall, on December 15, 1846. They had three children together: Eliza “Lizzie” Hall Park (born October 17, 1848, died 1938), Laura “Lila” or “Birdie” Hall Park (born 1858, died 1939), and Trenor “Train” Luther Park (born 1861, died 1907). Trenor, Laura and Lizzie traveled to San Francisco in 1852, following Hiland Hall who had been appointed California
Land Commissioner. Trenor joined the law firm of Halleck, Peachy & Billings
, but later opened a law firm of his own. He found great success in the west, managing the Mariposa
mines for John C. Fremont
. The family returned to North Bennington, Vermont
in 1863. The Park and McCullough fortunes were made through many different ventures, including mining, railroads, and other (inter)national means. Upon returning home to Vermont
, construction began on the “Big House,” which it was affectionately called, between 1864 and 1865.
His son, Trenor Luther Park married Julia Catlin. He was a Harvard Graduate and importer of silks. His mansion was in Purchase, New York which is now the Old Oaks Country Club. They had three children, Julia (died aged 3 days), Edith (died aged 10) and Frances. After his death in 1906 his wife and remaining daughter, Frances lived in France. Julia was the possibly the first American woman to be awarded the Legion of Honor in France through her efforts in the first world war, turning her Chateau d'Annel into a hospital on the front line. She went on to marry Governor of New Yorks' nephew, Chauncey Mitchell Depew, then after divorce, she married General Adolphe Emile Taufflieb.
Lizzie married John G. McCullough on August 30, 1871. McCullough was born in 1835 in Newark, Delaware
. He began a law practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and later opened another office in Mariposa County, California
. Together, John and Lizzie had four children, Hall Park McCullough (born 1872, died 1966), Elizabeth “Bess” McCullough Johnson (born 1873, died 1965), Ella Sallie Park McCullough (or Sister Mary Veronica, born 1874, died 1965), and Esther Morgan Park McCullough (born 1888, died 1957). He was elected governor
of Vermont
in 1902. In 1875, after the death of her mother, Lizzie became the caretaker of the home. Her father died in 1882, and Lizzie bought out the stake her siblings had in the home to become the sole owner along with her husband; she paid Laura and Trenor $23,333 each. After her husband’s death in 1915, Lizzie oversaw the house until she died in 1938. Even though her son, Hall Park McCullough, inherited the house, it was her daughter, Elizabeth “Bess” McCullough Johnson, who resided in the house until 1965. Following Bess’ death, John G. McCullough II (Hall Park McCullough’s son and Bess’ nephew) inherited the house in 1966. Although still alive, none of the descendants resided in the house after the death of Elizabeth "Bess" McCullough Johnson in 1965. In 1968, John G. McCullough II offered the property to the Park-McCullough House Association.
from his father-in-law, Hiland Hall. The “Big House” was under construction from 1864-1865, on a property of almost 200 acre (0.809372 km²), and was designed by New York architectural firm Diaper and Dudley. The house was built in the Second Empire style. Over time, the total amount of land owned by the family topped 600 acres (2.4 km²)! It was originally built as a summer cottage/retreat from their New York
home. The family occupied the house most likely from May or June to September or October, and occasionally spent the winter holidays at the house. From 1865 through 1965, the house was occupied by four generations of the Hall, Park, and McCullough families. The Park family moved into the “Big House” on December 25, 1865. As the lady of the house, Laura was responsible for purchasing the furnishings in the house.
The style of the house borrows from many different styles, including Second Empire and Gothic. The house is quite revolutionary for the time because there was indoor plumbing, hot and cold water, and gas lighting. Because of the hazard the gas machine posed, the Park’s insurance was cancelled. Only some of the fixtures were converted to electricity around 1910. Most rooms contained fireplaces which provided heat, but if that was not enough, there was a steam boiler, located in the basement, which heated air and rose to the first and second floors.
Diaper and Dudley also designed the Carriage Barn, which was built between 1865-1866. It was renovated many years later to make room for automobiles, and included hardwood floors and new partitions. The Park’s dog, Abe, occupied the dog house located to the east of the main entrance. It was turned into a play house in its current location, complete with a kitchen (with a wood stove and furniture) and details similar to those in the “Big House”.
What once was part of the apartment occupied by Hiland Hall and his wife is now a sitting room right above the staircase on the second floor. This renovation was made around 1889-1890. This was the first of many renovations made to the home after Lizzie and John became masters of the home. President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) stayed at the home in August 1891 for the celebration of the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument
. Lizzie and John introduced the Colonial Revival architecture
style to the house in 1889 in preparation for the President, when the renovations were made to the front hall. The main hall is 75 feet (22.9 m) long, and includes a large fireplace and inglenook bench. The parquet floor, fireplace, and inglenook bench were installed in 1891 prior to the visit from the President. The wallpaper that still covers the walls dates to that renovation. Even though many renovations have taken place over the years that the family occupied the house, the Park-McCullough house is one of the best preserved Victorian mansions in New England
. It still largely retains the original design of the house, including original pieces owned and used by the family over one hundred years.
When the family first moved into the house, Lizzie chose for herself the bedroom that would be hers for the entire time she lived in the house. It is located right off the master bedroom that her parents slept in, and when she married John G. McCullough, the couple continued to live in her childhood bedroom. The “Big House” boasts 14 chimneys and 35 rooms – 20 of which are bedrooms. When first built, the house contained 18 coal burning fireplaces, all of which were constructed out of Italian (not Vermont) marble. To keep up with the changing styles of the time, the fireplaces located in the library, main and west halls were converted to wood burning. The house has two entrances, one for those who arrived by carriage (which is located on the South) and one for those that had walked to the house (located on the East). When entering the house from the South, guests are welcomed by a bust of Hiland Hall, placed on the mantle of the fireplace. Rooms on the first floor include the Morning, Library, Music, Dining and Billiard rooms, which all have entrances to the long hallway. The lady of the house used the Morning room to meet with house staff or write letters. The Library is also known as the gentlemen’s parlor, which was used as an office by Trenor Park and by John G. McCullough during his tenure as Governor. After the death of John, Lizzie changed the space to another sitting room. The Music room served as a venue for visits from guests, which lasted only 20 minutes. The dining room table is thought to have been used by the McCullough’s in their New York home. The room also has a smaller, circular table near the widows used for more informal meals.
The billiard room contained many luxurious and high-tech gadgets, including a pool table which reportedly cost $803 (made around 1875) and an elevator that ran between the first and second floors, which was installed in 1930 by Lizzie. There is only one bedroom on the second floor that did not have access to a bathroom, and as such, a hole was cut in the wall to make a door and provide access to a bathroom on a lower floor. This bedroom was occupied at one time by Esther Morgan Park McCullough, Lizzie’s daughter
Part of the west wing of the house was removed around 1940. Rooms that were contained in this section included the original kitchen and sections of the servants’ living area. Over time, the McCullough’s changed their gardens (surrounding the grounds) around, and at one point, converted them into a tennis court
.
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mansions in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. It is a thirty-five room mansion, set on 200 acres (80 hectares) of grounds, and located off Route 67A in North Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington is an incorporated village in the town of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,428 at the 2000 census....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The house was built in 1864-65 by attorney and entrepreneur Trenor W. Park
Trenor W. Park
Trenor William Park was an American lawyer, political figure, businessman, and philanthropist.-Life:Trenor William Park was born in Woodford, Bennington County, Vermont on December 8th, 1823...
(1823-1882), who was born in nearby Woodford, Vermont
Woodford, Vermont
Woodford is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 414 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.6 square miles , of which 47.5 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile is...
but amassed his fortune overseeing the mining interests of John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was designed by Henry Dudley, a prolific New York architect of the popular firm of Diaper and Dudley. The house cost $75,000 and the family moved in on Christmas Day, 1865. His descendants made extensive renovations to the house in 1889-90, largely in order to entertain President Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
who had come to town to dedicate the new Bennington Battle Monument
Bennington Battle Monument
The Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
.
The Park-McCullough house is an important example of an American country house in the Second Empire Style. It also incorporates architectural features of the Romantic Revival
Romantic Revival
The Romantic revival in serious music arose in the 1960s after decades of relatively conservative and traditional offerings by the world’s concert presenting organizations and record companies....
style popular at the time.
The house is now owned by a non-profit organization and is open to the public.
Family history
Trenor William Park was born outside of Bennington, Vermont in Woodford, VermontWoodford, Vermont
Woodford is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 414 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.6 square miles , of which 47.5 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile is...
on December 8, 1823. His family was not wealthy while he was growing up. By age 16, Trenor was already studying law and subsequently was admitted to the Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
bar at age 21. He married Hiland Hall’s daughter, Laura V.S. Hall, on December 15, 1846. They had three children together: Eliza “Lizzie” Hall Park (born October 17, 1848, died 1938), Laura “Lila” or “Birdie” Hall Park (born 1858, died 1939), and Trenor “Train” Luther Park (born 1861, died 1907). Trenor, Laura and Lizzie traveled to San Francisco in 1852, following Hiland Hall who had been appointed California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Land Commissioner. Trenor joined the law firm of Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings was one of the leading early law firms in San Francisco, California and specialized in land cases. The firm was organized by Frederick H. Billings and Archibald Carey Peachy in 1849, who were joined soon after by Henry Wager Halleck. Halleck, Peachy & Billings was...
, but later opened a law firm of his own. He found great success in the west, managing the Mariposa
Rancho Las Mariposas
Rancho Las Mariposas was a Mexican land grant in present day Mariposa County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Juan Bautista Alvarado. The grant takes its name from Mariposa Creek, which was named for the butterflies in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains...
mines for John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
. The family returned to North Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington is an incorporated village in the town of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,428 at the 2000 census....
in 1863. The Park and McCullough fortunes were made through many different ventures, including mining, railroads, and other (inter)national means. Upon returning home to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, construction began on the “Big House,” which it was affectionately called, between 1864 and 1865.
His son, Trenor Luther Park married Julia Catlin. He was a Harvard Graduate and importer of silks. His mansion was in Purchase, New York which is now the Old Oaks Country Club. They had three children, Julia (died aged 3 days), Edith (died aged 10) and Frances. After his death in 1906 his wife and remaining daughter, Frances lived in France. Julia was the possibly the first American woman to be awarded the Legion of Honor in France through her efforts in the first world war, turning her Chateau d'Annel into a hospital on the front line. She went on to marry Governor of New Yorks' nephew, Chauncey Mitchell Depew, then after divorce, she married General Adolphe Emile Taufflieb.
Lizzie married John G. McCullough on August 30, 1871. McCullough was born in 1835 in Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
. He began a law practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and later opened another office in Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
. Together, John and Lizzie had four children, Hall Park McCullough (born 1872, died 1966), Elizabeth “Bess” McCullough Johnson (born 1873, died 1965), Ella Sallie Park McCullough (or Sister Mary Veronica, born 1874, died 1965), and Esther Morgan Park McCullough (born 1888, died 1957). He was elected governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
in 1902. In 1875, after the death of her mother, Lizzie became the caretaker of the home. Her father died in 1882, and Lizzie bought out the stake her siblings had in the home to become the sole owner along with her husband; she paid Laura and Trenor $23,333 each. After her husband’s death in 1915, Lizzie oversaw the house until she died in 1938. Even though her son, Hall Park McCullough, inherited the house, it was her daughter, Elizabeth “Bess” McCullough Johnson, who resided in the house until 1965. Following Bess’ death, John G. McCullough II (Hall Park McCullough’s son and Bess’ nephew) inherited the house in 1966. Although still alive, none of the descendants resided in the house after the death of Elizabeth "Bess" McCullough Johnson in 1965. In 1968, John G. McCullough II offered the property to the Park-McCullough House Association.
The "Big House"
Trenor Park purchased the land the house sits on in North Bennington, VermontNorth Bennington, Vermont
North Bennington is an incorporated village in the town of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,428 at the 2000 census....
from his father-in-law, Hiland Hall. The “Big House” was under construction from 1864-1865, on a property of almost 200 acre (0.809372 km²), and was designed by New York architectural firm Diaper and Dudley. The house was built in the Second Empire style. Over time, the total amount of land owned by the family topped 600 acres (2.4 km²)! It was originally built as a summer cottage/retreat from their New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
home. The family occupied the house most likely from May or June to September or October, and occasionally spent the winter holidays at the house. From 1865 through 1965, the house was occupied by four generations of the Hall, Park, and McCullough families. The Park family moved into the “Big House” on December 25, 1865. As the lady of the house, Laura was responsible for purchasing the furnishings in the house.
The style of the house borrows from many different styles, including Second Empire and Gothic. The house is quite revolutionary for the time because there was indoor plumbing, hot and cold water, and gas lighting. Because of the hazard the gas machine posed, the Park’s insurance was cancelled. Only some of the fixtures were converted to electricity around 1910. Most rooms contained fireplaces which provided heat, but if that was not enough, there was a steam boiler, located in the basement, which heated air and rose to the first and second floors.
Diaper and Dudley also designed the Carriage Barn, which was built between 1865-1866. It was renovated many years later to make room for automobiles, and included hardwood floors and new partitions. The Park’s dog, Abe, occupied the dog house located to the east of the main entrance. It was turned into a play house in its current location, complete with a kitchen (with a wood stove and furniture) and details similar to those in the “Big House”.
What once was part of the apartment occupied by Hiland Hall and his wife is now a sitting room right above the staircase on the second floor. This renovation was made around 1889-1890. This was the first of many renovations made to the home after Lizzie and John became masters of the home. President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) stayed at the home in August 1891 for the celebration of the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument
Bennington Battle Monument
The Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
. Lizzie and John introduced the Colonial Revival architecture
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
style to the house in 1889 in preparation for the President, when the renovations were made to the front hall. The main hall is 75 feet (22.9 m) long, and includes a large fireplace and inglenook bench. The parquet floor, fireplace, and inglenook bench were installed in 1891 prior to the visit from the President. The wallpaper that still covers the walls dates to that renovation. Even though many renovations have taken place over the years that the family occupied the house, the Park-McCullough house is one of the best preserved Victorian mansions in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. It still largely retains the original design of the house, including original pieces owned and used by the family over one hundred years.
When the family first moved into the house, Lizzie chose for herself the bedroom that would be hers for the entire time she lived in the house. It is located right off the master bedroom that her parents slept in, and when she married John G. McCullough, the couple continued to live in her childhood bedroom. The “Big House” boasts 14 chimneys and 35 rooms – 20 of which are bedrooms. When first built, the house contained 18 coal burning fireplaces, all of which were constructed out of Italian (not Vermont) marble. To keep up with the changing styles of the time, the fireplaces located in the library, main and west halls were converted to wood burning. The house has two entrances, one for those who arrived by carriage (which is located on the South) and one for those that had walked to the house (located on the East). When entering the house from the South, guests are welcomed by a bust of Hiland Hall, placed on the mantle of the fireplace. Rooms on the first floor include the Morning, Library, Music, Dining and Billiard rooms, which all have entrances to the long hallway. The lady of the house used the Morning room to meet with house staff or write letters. The Library is also known as the gentlemen’s parlor, which was used as an office by Trenor Park and by John G. McCullough during his tenure as Governor. After the death of John, Lizzie changed the space to another sitting room. The Music room served as a venue for visits from guests, which lasted only 20 minutes. The dining room table is thought to have been used by the McCullough’s in their New York home. The room also has a smaller, circular table near the widows used for more informal meals.
The billiard room contained many luxurious and high-tech gadgets, including a pool table which reportedly cost $803 (made around 1875) and an elevator that ran between the first and second floors, which was installed in 1930 by Lizzie. There is only one bedroom on the second floor that did not have access to a bathroom, and as such, a hole was cut in the wall to make a door and provide access to a bathroom on a lower floor. This bedroom was occupied at one time by Esther Morgan Park McCullough, Lizzie’s daughter
Part of the west wing of the house was removed around 1940. Rooms that were contained in this section included the original kitchen and sections of the servants’ living area. Over time, the McCullough’s changed their gardens (surrounding the grounds) around, and at one point, converted them into a tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
.