The Crane Estate, located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, was the summer home of Richard T. Crane, Jr., son of the founder(with the same name) of R.T. Crane & Bro. which later became the Crane Company. Richard Jr. purchased the property in 1910, and built the first version of the house as well as the gardens in 1912. It was then torn down in 1924 and was finished being rebuilt in 1928, which is the home that stands now. David Adler designed the home in a 17th Century Stuart style, with the gardens having remained unchanged, designed by the Olmstead Brothers. Richard Jr. married Florence Higinbotham in 1904, and they had two children, Florence and Cornelius. Richard Jr. was a member of the Jekyll Island Club, which was a
prestigious club with members of the Vanderbilt, Astor, Rockefeller, and
other wealthy families. The Crane Company still exists today, but the house and its grounds are owned by The Trustees of Reservations, who received the property after the death of Richard Jr.'s wife in 1949.
My visit to the Crane Estate corresponded with the Roaring Twenties Lawn Party held there every year, so I was only able to get one shot of the outside.
Further Research:
Crane Co. - History
Trustees of Reservations: Crane Family Collection
Wikipedia: Castle Hill(the grounds of the house)
Trustees of Resrvations: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
