lyndhurst

Wow, this house has an amazing story. Love to hear more about the ghosts. Summer residence of Harry and Evelyn Thaw (below). I missed their stories in the previous LoC photos, click through or search for "Thaw" in the LoC photostream.

I think the "haunted house" was a 20-room country home named Elmhurst Grange, located in Munster Township, PA [1] and also referred to as located in Loretto, PA [2] – both of which are next-door to the mis-captioned Cresson, PA.  Elmhurst was built by William and Mary Thaw, parents of Harry Thaw. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw reportedly stayed there a few times. The castle home in the above photograph was named Lyndhurst – the Gothic Revival home of William and Mary C. Thaw – and wasn't near Cresson, but was located at 1165 Beechwood Boulevard, in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, PA.[3] [4]   William Thaw (1818-1889) was a founder of the Pennsylvania railroad. It was named "Lyndhurst" for a Tarrytown, N.Y., home owned by fellow railroad magnate Jay Gould.[5]  [See: "Gould's home, Tarrytown" /LOC]

"It was designed by architect Theophilus Parsons Chandler, and construction began in 1887. William Thaw's widow, Mary Thaw, later sold part of the property to raise funds for her son Harry's legal defense. Harry K. Thaw was arrested for murdering prominent architect Stanford White in 1906." – Squirrel Hill - Images of America, The Squirrel Hill Historical Society, Arcadia Publishing, 2005.

Lyndhurst was then bought by industrialist Emil Winter (1857-1941), a prominent banker and a founder of the Pittsburgh Steel Co., who extensively remodeled the home. Lyndhurst was demolished c.1942. [6]

Thanks for the correction, @Pixel Wrangler. So the title of the photo is incorrect!

This is Lyndhurst, a Gothic Revival mansion begun in 1838 and expanded in 1864-65. Alexander Jackson Davis was the architect. Financier Jay Gould bought it as a summer home in 1880. After his death it became the home of his eldest daughter, Helen, and, on Helen's death, his younger daughter Anna took charge of the property. Anna left Lyndhurst to the National Trust for Historic Preservation on her death in 1961. Today it is a museum. Lyndhurst web site. Edit: The web site New York Social Diary provides this extensive page featuring many modern photographs of Lyndhurst and its grounds.

Whyaduck: thank you for the information about Lyndhurst. We will add this identification and reload the description.

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The porte-cochère, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Lyndhurst, at Tarrytown, New York. The house and grounds are now operated as a museum and park by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The former stables have been converted into a restaurant. Lyndhurst web site.

Whyaduck: Thank you for the information about Lyndhurst. We will update the photo information and reload the description.