The Breathtaking Mansion In New York You Must Visit This Year
By Christy Articola|Published November 17, 2022
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Christy Articola
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Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
If you love historic homes, then you’ll love the Phelps Mansion Museum in Binghamton. This three-floor, Second Empire-style home was built in 1870 as a private home for businessman Sherman David Phelps, founder of the Susquehanna Valley Bank and, later, mayor of the city. He lived in it until he died in 1878 and it stayed in the family until 1889. Since then, it changed hands several times, but today, you can tour this incredible historic home in New York to see how the very wealthy lived during this time period. Read on to learn more.
In 1868 and 1869, Phelps purchased three homes on Court Street. He tore them down to build his dream home. He hired local architect Isaac Gale Perry to design the home; later, Perry designed the New York State Capitol Building.
At the time, Court Street was where the wealthiest Binghamton residents built their homes. The Phelps Mansion was at the end of the block and is the only one that remains today.
This historic home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. From 1905 to 2006, it was owned and maintained by the Monday Afternoon Club, a local women's civic organization.
In 1986, the Monday Afternoon Club transferred ownership to the Phelps Mansion Museum with the agreement that it would be used as a museum on an ongoing basis. However, the club continued to meet at the house until it disbanded in 2006.
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Although Phelps was a widower at the time he moved in, the home was designed for entertaining. Several parlors, a dining room, a formal waiting area, and solarium were on the first floor. A ballroom was added later. This photo was taken sometime before 1905.
Judge Phelps didn't live in the mansion alone, however. He had two teenaged sons from his second marriage, a widowed niece, two maids, and several carriage drivers and cooks who lived on the property with him.
The second floor had five bedrooms, a sitting room, and two bathrooms. The third floor had storage space, a billiard room, and servants' quarters.
The staff at the Phelps Mansion Museum take excellent care of the property. They do an especially wonderful job of decorating at Christmastime. The holiday season is the perfect time to visit.
You'll love visiting the Phelps Mansion Museum. This historic home in New York is special and will give you a feeling of having stepped back in time. Plan a visit today.
