This was the summer home of the Choate family. Mr. Choate was a corporate lawyer for the Vanderbilt’s, Rockefeller’s, and rail road robber barons. He had world wide notoriety, and when he died at 85 half a million New Yorkers attended his funereal.

He cofounded the Met and was also an ambassador to Great Britain.

His wife came from average means and they met at a NYC art show. An avid artist she eventually succumbed to Mr. Choate pursuits of her and they produced 5 children.

Two died in early adulthood, and one suffered a mental breakdown from a college hazing incident and was institutionalized his entire life. As for the remaining 2 children one followed in his father’s footsteps as a prominent lawyer with his sister never married. She cared for the summer estate, traveled the world, and was a social/political advocate.

Her mother was an involved suffragette and co founded Barnard and City College in New York City. She was an avid political and social advocate of which her daughter followed in her footsteps.

While the home was lovely with impeccable views, the gardens were outstanding. While Mrs. Choate began them, her daughter upgraded them with the 30 year assistance of Fletcher Steele, a landscape artist. While their relationship challenging Miss Choate gave him reign as he created a masterpiece.

Some pictures

This is the original with a replica at the Met.

And a Moon Gate. The docent on this tour was phenomenal. Learned much from him and the other attendees. As you walk into a Chinese Garden you make an angle and this is thought to keep the bad spirits from entering. Then leaving through the Moon Gate assures good luck.🍀

And some pics of the home