Perched dramatically atop Mount Orama, 1,300 feet above the Ramapo Valley in Harriman, New York, stands Arden House—a monument to American excellence that defies the European mimicry of its Gilded Age contemporaries. Built between 1905 and 1909 by railroad magnate Edward Henry Harriman, this 100,000-square-foot mansion represents a bold statement of national pride: while other millionaires imported European castles stone by stone, Harriman insisted on creating something uniquely American, using only domestic materials, artisans, and designs. The result is the fourth-largest historic house in the United States and one of the most remarkable expressions of American Beaux-Arts architecture.
Edward Henry Harriman's journey from the son of an Episcopal clergyman to one of America's most powerful railroad barons reads like a classic American success story. Born in 1848, Harriman quit school at just 14 to work on Wall Street. With help from his uncle Oliver Harriman, he purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange by age 22. Through his marriage to Mary Williamson Averell—whose family were prominent figures in Ogdensburg, New York—Harriman was introduced to the railroad business that would make his fortune.
By the time of his death in 1909, Harriman had amassed a fortune of $100 million (equivalent to nearly $3 billion today) and controlled vast railroad networks across the United States. His business acumen and sometimes ruthless tactics earned him a place among the era's most prominent "robber barons," though his legacy would be tempered by the philanthropic efforts of his family.
Harriman's connection to the Harriman, New York area began in 1886 when he purchased the 7,863-acre Parrott estate at auction for $52,500. The property had belonged to Peter Parrott, brother of the inventor of the Parrott gun, and was named "Arden" after Mrs. Parrott's maiden name. This initial purchase would grow into an empire of land that eventually encompassed 40,000 acres—an area larger than Manhattan.
What sets Harriman's approach apart was his methodical process of site selection. Rather than immediately building, he first created over 40 miles of bridle paths through his vast forested estate. By riding these trails personally, Harriman eventually determined the ideal location for his house: the crest of a forested ridge with commanding views of the Ramapo River on one side and Forest and Cranberry Lakes on the other.
The logistical challenges of building a mansion 1,300 feet above sea level would have deterred most, but Harriman approached the problem like the railroad engineer he was. He constructed a cable railway system to transport workers and materials up the steep mountainside, bypassing the meandering 3-mile carriage road that would later serve as the formal approach to the house.
To prepare the site, workers blasted a 50-acre plateau from the summit of Mount Orama. This massive engineering project not only created a level building site but also produced an abundance of granite that would be used in the mansion's construction. A deep artesian well was drilled to supply water to the estate, demonstrating Harriman's commitment to self-sufficiency.
For his architects, Harriman chose Carrère & Hastings, the firm responsible for some of America's most prestigious buildings, including the New York Public Library and the Frick Collection. John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings were both trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and had established themselves as masters of adapting European architectural traditions to American contexts.
Their design for Arden House embraced the Beaux-Arts style but with a distinctly American interpretation. The mansion's irregular shape was carefully planned to maximize views while creating intimate interior spaces. The architects worked closely with the Harrimans to ensure every detail met their exacting standards, creating a residence that was both monumentally impressive and surprisingly livable.
What makes Arden House truly unique among Gilded Age estates is Harriman's insistence on using exclusively American materials and craftsmen. While contemporaries like the Vanderbilts imported European artisans and materials for their Newport "cottages," Harriman saw his home as a showcase for American excellence.
The mansion features:
This commitment to American craftsmanship extended to the decorative arts as well, with numerous American artists commissioned to create works specifically for the house.
The interior of Arden House represents a remarkable collaboration between architects and artists, creating spaces that are both architecturally significant and artistically rich:
The Music Room, modeled after a medieval great hall, serves as the mansion's centerpiece. With soaring ceilings and dramatic proportions, it was designed for both intimate family gatherings and grand entertainments.
The Central Courtyard, surrounded by a brick corridor lined with murals by Barry Faulkner, creates an interior garden space that brings light into the heart of the mansion.
The Great Hall features a marble floor softened by rugs and bearskins, with a fireplace tall enough for a man to stand in, flanked by comfortable seating areas.
The Indian Corridor on the second floor displays photographs of Native Americans taken by Edward S. Curtis during the Harriman Alaska Expedition of 1899, documenting Harriman's interest in indigenous cultures.
Harriman's commitment to American artistic excellence is evident throughout the house. He commissioned works from the nation's leading sculptors and artists:
Rumsey's involvement became particularly significant when he married Harriman's daughter Mary in 1910, much to the surprise of New York society, creating a personal connection between the artist and the family.
Tragically, E.H. Harriman had little time to enjoy his magnificent creation. The family moved into Arden House in the summer of 1909, but by September of that year, Harriman was dead from stomach cancer, leaving his widow Mary to oversee the estate.
Despite the brief period of Harriman's residence, the house became a center of social activity. The estate operated with a staff of over 600 employees, maintaining not just the house but the vast acreage surrounding it. The family's social position ensured a steady stream of distinguished visitors, though the remote location meant that Arden was never as socially active as the Newport mansions.
In 1910, just a year after her husband's death, Mary Averell Harriman made a remarkable gesture of public philanthropy. She donated 10,000 acres of the family's land and $1 million to New York State to create Harriman State Park. This gift, made in accordance with her husband's wishes, transformed a private domain into a public treasure that continues to serve millions of visitors annually.
This act of generosity set a precedent for the family's ongoing commitment to public service and land conservation. The park would eventually grow to encompass much of the original Harriman holdings, preserving the natural beauty that had first attracted E.H. Harriman to the region.
In 1915, Mary Harriman gave Arden House to her son W. Averell Harriman (1891-1986) as a wedding present, though she continued to live in the west wing until her death in 1932. Averell would go on to become one of America's most distinguished public servants:
Despite his busy public life, Averell maintained Arden as the family's summer retreat, preserving its character while adapting it to changing times.
When the United States entered World War II, the Harriman family demonstrated their patriotism by offering Arden House to the U.S. Navy. The mansion was transformed into the nation's first naval convalescent hospital, following successful models established in England and Russia. The vast rooms that once hosted society gatherings now served as spaces for healing and rehabilitation, with the estate's peaceful setting providing an ideal environment for recovery.
In 1950, W. Averell Harriman and his brother E. Roland Harriman made another significant contribution to public service by deeding Arden House to Columbia University. The estate became home to the American Assembly, a public policy institution founded that same year by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was then president of Columbia.
This transformation marked Arden House as America's first conference center, pioneering a new use for historic estates. The mansion's 97 guest rooms, multiple meeting spaces, and spectacular setting made it ideal for hosting policy discussions, academic conferences, and executive education programs.
In 1966, Arden House was designated a National Historic Landmark, recognizing its architectural significance and historical importance. This designation acknowledged not just the mansion's physical attributes but its role in American social, political, and cultural history.
The 21st century brought new challenges for Arden House. In 2007, the Open Space Institute acquired the property and its remaining 450 acres for $4 million, with plans to sell the protected land to New York State. However, these plans did not materialize, leading to the property's sale in 2011 for $6.5 million to the Research Center on Natural Conservation, a nonprofit organization backed by the Beijing-based real estate company Soufun Holdings.
This international ownership represents a new chapter in Arden's history, with the estate continuing to function as a conference center while its surrounding lands remain protected within the larger conservation framework established by the Harriman family's original gifts.
Arden House stands as one of the finest examples of American Beaux-Arts architecture for several reasons:
Today, the preserved lands that were once part of the Harriman estate total nearly 70,000 acres across New York State, including:
This remarkable conservation legacy ensures that the natural beauty that attracted E.H. Harriman to the region remains protected for future generations.
While Arden House is not regularly open to the public, it continues to function as a conference center, hosting meetings, retreats, and special events. Its location just 40 miles from Manhattan makes it accessible while maintaining the sense of remote grandeur that Harriman originally sought.
The approach to the house still inspires awe, whether via the winding 3.5-mile drive through forest or by contemplating the engineering feat of the original cable railway. The views from the mansion's terraces remain as spectacular as when Harriman first surveyed them from horseback, encompassing the Ramapo Valley, surrounding lakes, and distant mountain ranges.
What makes Arden House particularly significant in the context of Gilded Age architecture is its deliberate Americanness. At a time when many wealthy Americans looked to Europe for cultural validation, E.H. Harriman chose to make a statement about American capability and excellence. Every aspect of the house—from its materials to its decoration—proclaimed that American artisans and resources could produce work equal to anything in Europe.
This philosophy extended beyond mere nationalism to encompass a vision of American potential. Harriman believed that the United States was capable of creating its own architectural traditions, ones that drew on European precedents but were uniquely suited to American landscapes, lifestyles, and democratic ideals.
The story of Arden House is ultimately one of innovation and adaptation. From Harriman's engineering solutions for building on a mountaintop to the estate's transformation into America's first conference center, the property has consistently found new ways to remain relevant while preserving its historic character.
Today, as we grapple with questions of historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and the role of private wealth in public benefit, Arden House offers valuable lessons. The Harriman family's commitment to conservation, their willingness to share their private paradise with the public through state parks, and their donation of the mansion for educational purposes demonstrate how great wealth can serve the common good.
Standing atop Mount Orama today, Arden House remains what E.H. Harriman envisioned: a testament to American achievement. Its granite walls, quarried from the very mountain on which it stands, speak to the transformation of natural resources through human ingenuity. Its artistic treasures celebrate American creativity. Its dramatic setting reminds us of the sublime beauty of the American landscape.
For those fortunate enough to visit, whether for conferences or special events, Arden House offers an experience unlike any other Gilded Age mansion. It is not just a house but a complete environment—a world created by one man's vision but sustained by generations of caretakers who recognized its unique value to American culture and history.
In an era of globalization, Arden House stands as a reminder of a moment when America was discovering its own voice in architecture and art. That this monument to American excellence is now owned by an international organization perhaps reflects our interconnected world, but its stones, its art, and its setting remain quintessentially American—a castle in the clouds that continues to inspire awe more than a century after its creation.
Perched dramatically atop Mount Orama, 1,300 feet above the Ramapo Valley in Harriman, New York, stands Arden House—a monument to American excellence that defies the European mimicry of its Gilded Age contemporaries. Built between 1905 and 1909 by railroad magnate Edward Henry Harriman, this 100,000-square-foot mansion represents a bold statement of national pride: while other […]