The Newtown Pentacle

– photo by Mitch Waxman

As often mentioned in posts since the very inception of this, your Newtown Pentacle, when I screw up- whether it be a place name, roadway, or some other variance from reality- I’m counting on being called on it and corrected by you assembled Lords and Ladies of Newtown.

Often, when contacted on such matters- an unnecessarily confrontational tone is offered by the petitioner to your humble narrator. Sometimes, wild accusations of defaming the past or purposely smoothing over inconvenient truths are put forth. Before we discuss the rather lengthy list of errors that I’ve been made aware of regarding the Vanderbilt Mansion postings published earlier this month, allow me to restate and clarify things…

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The pitiable mendicant who calls himself “your humble narrator” is an unlettered amateur, untempered by the crucible of academic review, whose flawed attempt at presenting a cogent overview and glimpse into an often hidden world of relict infrastructure and unseen corners found around the great metropolis is sometimes successful.

There are certain subjects which I refuse to delve too deeply into- famously NYFD history and Rail- for there are amateur experts out there whose depth of knowledge on these topics is staggering. Intelligent discussion of historic Newtown can be had “off the top of my head”, but it’s when I leave “my beat” that I tend to get into trouble.

The Vanderbilt Mansion revealed certain lapses in capabilities, and remind one that I am an expert on nothing except embarrassing myself in public. If I’m wrong about something, please contact me through the comments, so corrections may be offered to your fellow Lords and Ladies.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Thankfully, Eric Weaver, who served as Horticultural Educator at “Vandyland” from 2004 to 2007 contacted me with a lengthy list of corrections regarding the Vanderbilt Mansion posts and has given me permission to post them here. All the following text (in blue) is from Mr. Weaver.

ERRATA Vanderbilt Mansion 1

– photo by Mitch Waxman

He also flew, having been the first to circumnavigate South America and cross the Andes in a “flying boat.”

He collected fauna not flora.

He didn’t have a fleet, his boats and ships were owned in succession.

His dock was too shallow to accommodate ocean going ships. He moored the Alva at Price’s Bend off of Eaton’s Neck. JP Morgan had to moor his ship there too which gave his son HP Morgan the idea of buying up 500 acres on Eaton’s Neck which is still known as the Morgan Estate.

The Guatemalan church only influenced the design on the Marine Museum.

He wasn’t powerful, just rich.

There was no fleet of vessels and the only collection was at Eagle’s Nest.

ERRATA Vanderbilt Mansion 2

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The Vanderbilt family were farmers, hence the boat to take the vegetables into Manhattan.

Willie K I  did not want to compete making money like his father and grandfather, so he decided to spend it. He seemed to compete with his brothers building houses.

Willie K II did not compete building houses. His places are modest compared to his father’s generation.

The planetarium was built by Suffolk County, not the state.

The Marine Museum has not been officially called the Hall of Fish since they put the second story on in the late twenties.

There are some nice totems and artifacts on the second floor.

The ironwork at the door of the second floor of the ‘fish house’ was used to haul up the large objects.

ERRATA Vanderbilt Mansion 3

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Willie K did not own a fleet. Did you visit the ship model room?

The ship Alva that you write about was Willie K I’s ship. Willie K II’s Alva was built in Kiel, Germany in the same shipyard that the U-boat that sunk it was built. (Did I mention that Lindbergh was one of Willie K II’s friends?)

The narrative goes that it takes five generations to make the fortune then squander it.

ERRATA Vanderbilt Mansion 4

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The Breakers was Cornelius V  II. GWV was the Biltmore in North Carolina. These were two of the Uncles of Willie K  II who competed in building.

Eagle’s Nest is in Centerport on Northport Bay. Maybe the fumes of formaldehyde (since replaced with alcohol) from the second floor overcame you.

Consuelo was forced to wear hoops on her neck to elongate it. Alva locked her in her boudoir for long periods.

The historic castle doors are ornamental. Security is too lax as golden things get stolen frequently. The curator was offered half a million in cash for one artifact on the second floor of the fish house. There are valuable things there.

The Alva didn’t dock in Northport.

ERRATA Vanderbilt Mansion 5

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The property is NOT  owned by the State of New York but Suffolk County. Willie K left an endowment of six million dollars. It was up over twenty in the late nineties. Graft and corruption by the former director brought them back to six mil. The county is loaning them money now to make ends meet. If not, the property reverts back to the family.

The photography policy is no professionals and not in the mansion because they make money on photo shoots, especially wedding pictures.

To get to the beach you need to go to the seaplane hangar.

There have been numerous Newsday articles about the wheelchair access. To make the place totally wheelchair accessible it would no longer be a museum.

Eagle’s Nest being decrepit serves as an indication of what happens to wealth.

Eagle’s Nest was started in 1909 but he kept adding on until the 1930s.

The portcullis is fake and does not move but there are iron bars on all lower windows   on most buildings – did I mention Lindbergh?

He had his own wells and a power plant to generate electricity.

Willie K did contribute to science, discovering and naming many new species.

Thanks to Mr. Weaver, who unfortunately doesn’t maintain a web presence that I can send you to check out.