Nemours Estate, the Jewel of the Brandywine Valley
The Nemours Estate and Gardens takes visitors back to the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, when it served as home to Alfred I. duPont and his family.
Visitors are welcomed from April to December, and tickets can be purchased at nemoursestate.org
The gold leaf Achievement statue stands atop the fountain at the center of the Maze Garden.
The 77-room mansion was built in 1910, designed by Carrere and Hastings (the architects behind, among others, the New York Public Library, the House & Senate Office Buildings in Washington, and the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in New York) and created as a gift by duPont to his second wife Alicia.
At 47,000 square feet, the mansion features an entire wing dedicated to the staff, duPont’s embrace of modern (at the time) mechanics and equipment, and operations of the house.
Reception Hall
Servant’s Hallway leading to the kitchen, servant’s sitting room and other operational areas.
Butler’s Pantry
The Silver Safe in the Bulter’s Pantry
Kitchen
Refrigeration and Freezers
Furnaces
Mechanics of ther Mansion
duPont’s dark room
Light therapy chair
Conservatory, with birdcages to hold a variety of songbirds.
Grand staircase with some of duPont’s collection of tapestries.
Grand Staircase
Nemours contains rare 18th Century furniture and a collection of antiques, works of art and tapestries, including:
Louis XVI musical clock from the late 1700’s
Clock made for Marie Antionette
Chair from the coronation of King George VI (attended by duPont’s third wife)
Chair from Independence Hall
Dining Room
Phonograph in the Servant’s Sitting Room
Telephone in Servant’s area of the mansion
Laundry facilities including storage for furs.
The bowling alleys in the mansion’s basement.
A few of duPont’s collection of military helmets from around the world.
Scale model of World War 1 ship completed by duPont’s son. Batteries could be added to the model, lighting the portholes and powering the ship to sail on the estate’s reflecting pool.
duPont’s office
One of the manion’s many chandeliers
Hearing aid in duPont’s dressing room. By the end of his life, he was nearly deaf.
Chandelier in the Venetian Bedroom
Reading Room
Library
Shuffleboard in the Bowling Alley
Billiards Room
Billiards Room
Hats in Mrs. duPont’s closet
The duPont coat of arms, featuring the words “Rectitudine Sto” (“Stand Upright”), part of the stained glass window in the grand stairs.
Morning Room
Music Room
Diana the Huntress stands at center of the Temple of Love.
Chauffer’s Garage, home to Rolls Royce and Buick automobiles used by members of the duPont family at Nemours.
