As some of you guessed correctly, last weekend I visited the stately Nemours mansion outside of Wilmington, Delaware.
Built by the industrialist, Alfred I. Dupont, in 1909, the mansion was designed by the prominent New York firm of Carrere and Hastings.
The French Beaux Arts styled house was loosely based on the Petit Trianon. On the main facade you can find a stretched out and enlarged version of the western elevation of the villa with a roof plopped down on top and wings to either side.
Dupont had a local contractor build the estate, much to the chagrin of the architects but he was always concerned with using local labor and materials. Much of the stone used for construction came from the actual building site.
Designed on a symmetrical axis, beautiful views exist from the main house down through the gardens (inspired by Versailles that I will post on next week) of the reflecting pools and colonnade.
While interior photography was not allowed, I am able to share with you what I noticed on the exterior of the house. 
Pairs of gracious Corinthian columns grace the front facade.
The scale of the place is immense which thanks to a very balanced design isn't instantly recognized. Notice the size of the front porch columns next to the furniture!
Doesn't your house have the building date inscribed?
The front terrace contains only a fragment of the many urns found throughout the grounds, all filled with beautiful flowers.
Also located on the south is a neoclassical limestone pavilion which houses the plant (and bird!) filled morning room; probably my favorite room in the house!
It was also the favorite room of Jessie Ball Dupont (Alfred's 3rd wife) and where she spent most of her time. Jessie died in 1970 and the house was eventually converted to a museum.
The cornice on this house is great, I love the Greek key freize.
The rear of the house is much simpler stucco with the continued cheerful canvas awnings.
The backyard has, I fear, suffered from neglect as the front yard is the showpiece of the estate. We were the only people from the tour to venture back here!
To the right of the main house is the massive servants wing, which easily is over 1/3 of the house. 
Like many industrialists of the time, Dupont was obsessed with the latest technology which fills much of the basement of the wing; ice making machines, ice cream making rooms, generators, a movie theater / bowling alley and his own water bottling plant still all exists. 
Servants rooms are on the second floor while the first level is full of a number of kitchens and pantries.
The laundry, oddly enough, is located in this small house behind the servants wing.
The house must have been very efficiently run as the kitchens feel almost commercial. The yard is a practical loading dock!
Join me next week for a tour of the gardens, out-buildings and an additional house on the grounds which charmed the pants off me!
Alfred Dupont loved his estate, Nemours, so much, that despite spending his last years in Florida chose to rest there eternally after his death in 1935.
The 210 foot tall Carillon tower stands off the main mansion museum grounds (now) but within the original surrounding walls on the grounds of the adjacent children's hospital. 
Designed by his architect son through his firm Massena and du Pont, the carillon is still in working order and plays a number of songs daily, watched over by 4 stone eagles at the summit of the tower. 
Oddly enough, the mausoleum contains a 6 passenger elevator; can't seperate the industrialist from his gadgets even in death! Dupont's 3rd wife, Jessie and her brother, Edward Ball, are also interred at the Carillon.
Of course, a showplace estate such as Nemours must have an outstanding garage. What self respecting industrialist wouldn't have the latest gadgets of the day? 
The second floor held a large apartment and offices for the chauffeur and his family while the first floor contained the estate's collection of vehicles as well as repair and machine shops.
Five car bays (plus entrance ends) now hold 5 automobiles, a pony carriage and motorboat once owned by Dupont and his wife.
The interior is simple and of its' time: textured plaster walls, simple woodwork and tile floors.
The entry hall holds the original telephone
As well as the machine shop to which Alfred Dupont escaped to tinker.
Dupont's taxidermy collection from his hunts once graced the main hall of the 
Admittedly I don't know much about cars but I certainly appreciate their style.
Dupont would only buy American made cars and drove this Pontiac for many years until his death.
At this time, Jessie went out and purchased a British made Rolls Royce (Silver Cloud no less!)
All of the cars are in mint, working order and still are driven around the estate.
Why don't more cars today have hood ornaments?
Two of the cars were so beloved by the Duponts that they had their bodies transplanted onto new cadillac engine beds. I had never heard of that before!
The sides of this green car had an interesting woven texture.
The oldest car featured a true 'lantern' as headlight.
And they're called 'trunks' for a reason!
Also in the collection is a wooden motor launch which would ferry the Dupont's guests across the Little Choptank River to their nearby country estate.
Now this is a collection I can appreciate!
Was this some sort of folly for Dupont's grandchildren I wondered? I had visions of a playroom at the top of the tower with a Rapunzel theme.
It turns out to be much more utilitarian than all of that: the tower is filled with machinery and is the pump and water tower for the estate! 
A local stone base with tall stucco shaft, matching the house, is topped with an ornate wooden structure. Notice the clock and weather vane too!
A very grand and picturesque necessity but maybe a tad disappointing for me; I still want Dupont's office at the top or at least the aforementioned playroom!. 
