April 12, 2008 - Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum
Mayor Scott Avedisian recently congratulated owner Anne Holst on her acquisition of federal nonprofit status for Clouds Hill, a spectacular mansion and estate located at 4157 Post Road. The receipt of nonprofit status will help to ensure that the grandiose residence will be preserved for future generations as a museum that offers a glimpse of the decadent Gilded Age era. "Getting their non-profit status is such a big step," Mayor Avedisian said. "It took them a lot of time and a lot of work. But it will help enable us to promote them and give more people a chance to see the heritage that the house has to offer."
Constructed in 1872 by William Smith Slater as a wedding gift for his daughter, Elizabeth Ives Slater, the palatial home has been in the same family for 5 generations and can be traced back to Samuel Slater, the founding father of the American Industrial Revolution. Considered to be one of the country's best examples of high gothic style architecture, the pink and blue granite gingerbread trimmed home is spectacularly detailed with black walnut woodwork, etched glass and towering nine-foot-tall windows that overlook Greenwich Bay. Uniquely, the majority of the home"s furnishings and adornments are authentic period artifacts, instead of now-common replicas.
The 27-room 15,000 square feet home rests on 24 acres - only a small portion of its original 500 acres - and offers a meticulously landscaped formal garden that has become a favorite local backdrop for wedding and family photos.
Currently, Clouds Hill is open by appointment only. With increased funding and access to grants, Anne hopes to be able to expand the hours the home is available to the public.