Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

Alfred Hopkins

Charles Follen McKim

David Hosack

Frederick Vanderbilt

John Bard

Louise Vanderbilt

Robert Henderson Robertson

Samuel Bard

Few employees have left as visible a mark on National Park Service (NPS) exhibits as John A. Segeren. His work has been enjoyed by generations of park visitors who never knew his name but appreciated his intricate wood carvings and playful animal figures displayed in parks throughout the system. A master woodcarver described by former President Lyndon B. Johnson as "a legacy to this country," Segeren carved out his own place in NPS history.

The National Park Service (NPS) was only 26 years old when the United States entered World War II. The young bureau faced very real threats to its mission, with increasing pressure to contribute its natural and cultural resources to the war effort even as its budget and staff were slashed. Under the leadership of Director Newton B. Drury, the NPS was able to do its part for the war while maintaining its public trust responsibilities to the American people.

The Vanderbilt estate traces its origins to John Bard, who purchased the 3,600-acre Fauconnier Grant in 1764 and established “Hyde Park,” which became one of the most renowned of the Hudson Valley estates. The Hyde Park mansion, built for the Vanderbilts, came to represent the palatial country homes erected by a group of extraordinarily wealthy families.

With well over 100 citizen-science based apps now available for smartphones, there is no lack of opportunity for people of all ages and affectations to significantly add to the collective knowledge base about many aspects of the natural world. The phrase “there is an app for that” has perhaps never been more true for natural resource monitoring.

In December 2022, the National Park Service will begin an 18-month project to conserve the verdure tapestries in Mr. Vanderbilt's Bedroom. The tapestries, dating to the 17th century, have not been treated since they were originally installed in the mansion in 1898.

It was the Great Depression, but luxury cars were still king, for those who had the means. Frederick Vanderbilt's 1933 V-16 Cadillac is a sleek, modern statement of machine age design, carefully detailed and refined. Cadillac built only 300 V-16s during 1932, a huge drop from the nearly 3,000 built in the enthusiasm of 1930. Production never recovered, making the 1933 model a rare automobile.

Sophie Millar recently worked as a Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) and TTAP Landscape Stewardship Corps (LSC) intern at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. This experience led her to a NPS position as a gardener at the White House and President's Park. We caught up with her to hear about her experience, her background, and her work now as an NPS employee.

Managing a house for luxurious living required a large staff of servants. As was customary in homes of the wealthy, three department managers—the housekeeper, butler, and chef—supervised the Vanderbilt household staff.