Woolworth Estate (Winfield Hall)

Long Island's Gold Coast is known for its opulent homes, but even among its lavish estates, F. W. Woolworth's Winfield Hall is striking. Built in 1916, when Woolworth's five-and-dime stores dotted towns and cities across the country, the 56-room mansion was built on a remarkable scale. The mansion cost $10 million to construct, with one-fifth of the cost going to the home's stunning marble staircase, one of its most well-known features. The home has been used as a filming location for several films, including the HBO miniseries, Mildred Pierce, and, like many storied residences, is rumored to be haunted. Winfield Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Before there was WalMart, there were Woolworth's Five-and-Dime stores. Frank Winfield Woolworth was a retail pioneer, intoducing the notion of selling basic goods at rock-bottom prices. At the peak of his success, there were more than 5,000 Woolworth's in cities and towns around the world. By 1910, Woolworth had amassed enough wealth to commission what was then the tallest building in the world, the 792-foot Woolworth Tower at Broadway and Park Place. From 1911 to 1915, he commissioned three magnificent residences on East 80th Street, one for each of his daughters.

He had his own lavish residence on East 80th, a home which was eventually demolished. But it was on Long Island's fabled Gold Coast where Woolworth built what is arguably his most colorful and storied residence, the expansive Winfield Hall. The home, which was built in 1916, was designed by architect Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert, and cost an astonishing $10 million. An earlier Woolworth residence was destroyed by fire, so Gilbert designed Winfield Hall entirely out of marble, believing it would be fire-proof. At the time, the mansion was one of the largest private residences in the United States.

Woolworth reportedly had an interest bordering on an obsession with Napoleon, and built his remarkable estate with an arched entryway reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe. The home's interior was worthy of an emperor: mahogany, bronze, and sterling silver were used throughout. There is also reportedly a network of tunnels and hidden passageways connecting different parts of the home. But it was the home's grand staircase that garners the most attention. Designed in pink and beige marble, it cost $2 million to build in 1916, roughly one-fifth of the home's total construction cost.

Winfield Hall is remarkable not only because of its immense scale and its luxurious interior. Practically from its inception, the home has reportedly been the site of supernatural occurrences. Woolworth's daughter, Edna Woolworth Hutton, (mother of "poor little rich girl" Barbara Hutton) died in 1917. The record seems clear that she died at the Plaza Hotel, but stories persist that she committed suicide inside Winfield Hall, in a room that has reportedly been locked ever since. There are accounts of a woman's crying from the room where Hutton supposedly died. Other guests have reported hearing organ playing, although the record is unclear as to whether F. W. Woolworth played the organ in life. That the tycoon also reportedly had an interest in the occult, and the fact that he died only two years after the home's completion almost certainly led some people to speculate about supernatural goings-on at the mansion.

After Woolworth's death, the estate changed owners several times. At one point, it housed a girls' school. In 1976, the home was purchased by Martin Carey, the late brother of former New York governor Hugh Carey. Carey leased the residence to the Pall Corporation for use as the company's headquarters. The mansion was listed for sale in October of 2020.

The home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was badly damaged by a fire in 2015 but has been repaired. Several movies were filmed in Winfield Hall, including the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce.

Mystery Blaze destroys Woolworth Family's $90 Million Long Island Estate 'Haunted' by Heartbroken Heiress who Killed Herself in 1917 in the 'Marie Antoinette Suite' Which has Been Locked Ever Since, Daily Mail . January 29th 2015. Accessed June 14th 2021. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2931480/Historic-Woolworth-mansion-suffers-extensive-damage-fire.html.

Historic Woolworth Estate's Winfield Hall Listed for Sale in Glen Cove , Patch. October 1st 2020. Accessed June 14th 2021. https://www.longislandpress.com/2020/10/01/historic-woolworth-estates-winfield-hall-listed-for-sale-in-glen-cove/.

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