In the 1800’s it wasn’t only rare for women to hold professional jobs, but in some
places it was illegal.
Hi everyone, Ken here, welcome to "ThisHouse"!
In 1867, Effie Brooks Pope was born into a wealthy Cleveland, Ohio family.
Her father was a wealthy industrialist and art collector with a seemingly never ending
supply of funds.
He encouraged his daughter to dream big and supported her as she strived to achieve her
goals.
When Effie was 19, she started going by the name, “Theodate,” a way to honor her late
grandmother who had played such a pivotal role in her development.
In a time when women of status were encouraged to find a husband and become a housewife,
she chose to pursue an education, but there was just one problem, no schools of architecture
would admit a woman.
Theodate dug deep into her father’s pocket book to hire an esteemed architect to tutor
her and after years of hard work and apprenticeship she became the first woman to become a licensed
architect in the state of New York.
While Theodate was working on becoming licensed, she collaborated with the prominent Gilded
Age architecture firm of McKim, Mead, and White to design a country house for her parents.
Located on 250 pristine acres in Farmington, Connecticut, the 33,000 square foot Colonial
Revival style mansion was finished in 1901.
The property consisted of rolling hills and pastures broken up by formal gardens and wild
woodlands.
And when her parents passed away, she inherited the house she had designed, now known as Hill-Stead,
and moved in.
In the entrance hall she incorporated a gallery wall to run above the wainscotting by the
stairs and had custom carpets cut to delineate the walking path above the parquet floors.
To the right hand side of the entrance hall we will find the drawing room separated by
an ornate archway.
Towards the front of the room, an oversized bay window allows natural light to flood the
interior.
And viewing the drawing room form the opposite corner, a simple, but elegant fireplace acts
as the room’s centerpiece.
Traveling through the opening towards the rear of the drawing room we come across the
sitting room.
As we turn around and head towards the dining room, keep an eye out for her father’s art
collection which includes works by Degas and Monet.
The dining room harkens back to earlier design trends from the 1700s, with an accent wall
of floor to ceiling wood paneling containing built-in china cabinets while all the other
walls are wainscoted to the height of a chair rail.
While we are here, we can find the etched glass door and take a peek into the butler’s
pantry.
Even though neither Theodate nor her parents would have used this space, it is perfectly
finished out with glass pained cabinets and a decorative tile mosaic floor.
Let’s turn around and head back out into the public areas of the house to continue
our tour.
The library is clad in floor to ceiling wood paneling with built in bookcases cleverly
set between the door surrounds.
There is also an Arts and Crafts style theater was Theodate could entertain large audiences
with speeches, music, and plays.
Upstairs, and organized off of the second floor stair hall, we will find the bedrooms.
If we were staying over as a guest, we might be treated to the Green Room which included
not one, but two fireplaces and a separate sitting room.
But if that room was already taken, perhaps Theodate would show you to the Mulberry Room
named for its distinctive wallpaper pattern.
While there are several more bedrooms we could explore, let’s head back out into the second
floor stair hall and find the private hallway which will lead us to Theodate’s suite.
Her massive bedroom boasts a fireplace set between nearly floor to ceiling windows with
antique furniture cluttering the walls.
Her dressing room, with crystal pulls, is perfectly organized with the season’s latest
fashion.
And her full, 4 piece bathroom includes a tub, sink, toilet, and sitz bath.
Theodate loved her life at Hill-Stead.
In her later years, she set up a fund to preserve the estate along with its furnishings for
the enjoyment of future generations.
Upon her passing in 1946, the transition from home to house museum was smooth.
Today, 19 of its elegant rooms are open to the public for tours.
Did you have a favorite room?
Let me know down below in the comments section.
And while you’re there, make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an
exciting episode of "ThisHouse"