"I dream't I dwelt in marble halls"
Devoted to the histories and current state of the great mansions of America's Gilded Age.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Haunted Mansion of the Gilded Age #31 Lyndhurst

Lyndhurst at Tarrytown, New York
Lyndhurst is an amazing mansion that we are so fortunate to still have standing and open to the public. While there doesn't seem to be any well documented  wild stories of hauntings, ghosts or evil deeds at Lyndhurst, it is a house that seems built for them. It was this architectural image that made it a natural backdrop for the movies, House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows. Both movies were based upon the hit 1960s Gothic Soap opera, Dark Shadows. I have visited Lyndhurst for many years since I was child and photographed it numerous times. On one occasion in the 1980s while visiting other houses in the Hudson Valley area I stopped by to see it after a  recent snowstorm. In the 1980s I was experimenting with black & white film and shot a series of photographs at houses before and after my visit to Lyndhurst. In those days 36 images to a roll were all you got. After I got the film back I noticed on the photos that I took of Lyndhurst that there were some sort of imperfections? Almost like ice crystals and I was disappointed  because they were some nice views of the house and I felt they were ruined. I took them back to the film shop and asked what went wrong. The shop keeper said he had never seen anything like this and of kindly offered me a new roll of film. What puzzled me the most is why only at Lyndhurst? After my visit to Lyndhurst I went to the Vanderlip mansion called Beechwood, which has a rumored past of murders and odd happenings. Nothing strange appeared on those photos? Same day, same cold temperature, same lighting, etc. I have been to many old mansions over my lifetime  and visited some houses that many claim are haunted. I have never experienced anything odd at any of them or photographed any unexplained unusual. So these images below may be just a quirk of the camera, film or some other natural occurrence, but maybe not? 

Here are the images with the first one almost clear of any oddities.

Lyndhurst at Tarrytown: Photo Gary Lawrance

Lyndhurst at Tarrytown: Photo Gary Lawrance

Lyndhurst at Tarrytown: Photo Gary Lawrance

Lyndhurst at Tarrytown: Photo Gary Lawrance

3 comments:

Unknown said...

How do I get hold of you? My old Delano & Aldrich house Strawberry Fields on Chicken Valley Road in Locust Valley has just been put up for sale. My ex husband Peter Huang has owned it since 1972. Perhaps he'd let you document the interiors. You can reach him at 212 249 2825 or petercrhuang@gmail.com. You may also reach me 323 838 8514 or nancy.stoddart@gmail.com. There is a book on Delano & Aldrich but Strawberry Fields (named by me) is not mentioned in it for some reason. I'd be happy to give you some impressions and reminiscences of this wonderful house.
Best,
Nancy Stoddart

Gary Lawrance said...

Thank you, I would love to hear more. Can give you a call next week?

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