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Life and Leisure
The Cranes lived in luxury, but their leisure was not our modern concept of the word. Managing such a grand estate, even for the summer, required 60 house staff and 100 gardeners. Their lives were ruled by a strict daily routine that could be tracked as much by changes of clothing – different occasions required a different set of clothing, even for the servants – as the clock. In spite of their rigid lives, the Cranes loved opening their doors to friends and neighbors. Presidents Taft and Wilson, among other dignitaries, visited Castle Hill over the years, and Mr. Crane especially loved entertaining friends, neighbors, and Ipswich children at clambakes. Great and good times were to be had by those fortunate enough to enjoy the serene summers on Argilla Road.
The Great House
When the first house failed to satisfy, the Cranes decided to tear it down and start again. They turned to Chicago architect David Adler. The tradition of English country life was much admired by wealthy Americans like the Cranes, and Adler was skilled at interpreting architectural tradition to suit the needs of his time. In addition to the use of authentic detail, his designs had a great sense of scale and style, and he knew how to provide luxury. Adler even acquired entire rooms from 17th-century London townhouses for the Cranes’ bedrooms and installed a beautiful paneled library from the dismantled manor house of the Earl of Essex. The Stuart-style Great House was completed in 1928.
Photos: Top to Bottom: Richard T. Crane, Jr., son Cornelius – named after Richard's friend, Cornelius Vanderbilt – daughter Florence, and wife Florence in the Rose Garden. The Grat House c. 1930. The Great House library c. 1931. |
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