Trip Across America

Perched on a hill overlooking the scenic Battenkill Valley of southern Vermont, Hildene is the historic home of Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln. A Georgian Revival style home, encompassing 8,000 square feet, Hildene is an architectural masterpiece. Nestled between the Green and Taconic Mountains, the home features panoramic views of the surrounding area, which is quite picturesque. While Hildene was completed in 1905, the story of how the estate came to be extends back to the Civil War.

In the summer of 1864, Robert Todd Lincoln journeyed to Manchester, Vermont, to visit his mother at the nearby Equinox Hotel. The Equinox is worth writing about all on its own. The hotel has played host to multiple Presidents over the years, including William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Benjamin Harrison. Notably missing from that list is President Abraham Lincoln. Mary Todd Lincoln enjoyed staying at the Equinox so much, that she had planned to return the following summer with President Lincoln. The Equinox even built a special suite in anticipation of the President’s visit, but history intervened, and Lincoln would never step foot on Vermont soil, but I digress.

While President Lincoln never made it to Vermont, his son fell in love with the state. His career would keep him away from Vermont for much of his life, but nearly 40 years after that initial visit, he purchased 392 acres, and began construction on a summer home. Hildene was completed in 1905, the culmination of a dream spanning four decades.

At this point you may be asking how Robert Todd Lincoln could afford to build such a magnificent home, and it’s a fair question. I suppose one of the downsides of having Abraham Lincoln for a father is that any of your own accomplishments will be overshadowed, and that’s certainly true of Robert Todd Lincoln. Even if his father wasn’t one of the greatest American Presidents, Robert Todd Lincoln’s life would be worthy of studying. He served as a Captain under General Ulysses S. Grant, and was present for the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.  He served as Secretary of War under Presidents James Garfield and Chester Arthur. He was also appointed minister to Great Britain by President Benjamin Harrison.

In addition to his distinguished public service, Robert Todd Lincoln was an extraordinarily accomplished lawyer and businessman. In 1897, Lincoln was named President of the Pullman Car Company, which at the time was one of the largest companies in America. It was his time serving as President of the Pullman Company that enabled Lincoln to build Hildene.

That may seem like ancillary background information, but it’s really not. I won’t cover it here, but the Pullman Company has a fascinating history, and was quite consequential during the 20th century. Hildene actually has a restored 1903 Pullman palace car on display, which would have come off the production line during Lincoln’s tenure as President of the company. The car is really cool, and has some interesting displays explaining some of the history. It’s a really interesting addition to the house, and serves a valuable role in explaining that period of Lincoln’s life.

While Hildene and the surrounding scenery are beautiful, my favorite part of the house might be a set of bricks buried in the front lawn. Set directly in front of the porte-cochere, the bricks represent the outline of the log cabin where Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809. It’s a striking bit of symbolism, demonstrating the progress made in just one generation. From log cabin on the Kentucky frontier to summer mansion in Vermont in less than 100 years.

You’re not going to find Hildene listed with other historic homes such as The Breakers or Biltmore Mansion, but it really should be. While not as large or opulent as some famous Gilded Age mansions, Hildene is just as beautiful, and has its own unique story to tell. I’ve had this one on my list for a while, and I’m really glad I finally got to visit. As an added bonus, this part of Vermont has some really amazing fall foliage, which makes for an easy excuse to visit if you need some extra motivation.