Unique Homes

Lethe200 said:
Excellent article and photos on the history of Carolands, often called the best pure example of Beaux Arts architecture in the U.S., and considered as the last great Gilded Age mansion built. It is not quite 20 miles south of San Francisco, in the ultra-wealthy suburb of Hillsborough, CA:

Murder and intrigue at California's last great Gilded Age mansion

Carolands Foundation (photos)
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Fascinating history and what a beautiful mansion. Spare, uncluttered, spacious and just my taste. I'd be happy to move in, but would need GPS to find my way around those 98 rooms!
 
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Jules said:
@Lethe200 Thanks for the history of Carolands. A fascinating story. Have you ever been lucky enough to tour it?
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No, afraid not. It's rarely open and the only two times I heard about a public tour, I wasn't able to take advantage of it. I have been to Filoli several times, which old-time TV viewers may recall was used as the backdrop for the "Dynasty" TV series with John Forsythe, Joan Collins, and Linda Evans.

Filoli was the 'gardening estate' of Lilian Matson Roth, heir to the Matson Shipping Lines fortune. YouTube has the website video tour of the house and its beautiful setting in Woodside, CA, and the stunning gardens established by the two families that have lived there, the Bourns and the Roths.

Filoli website (includes 3 min video on house & gardens)

The reason why the aerial view shows no other homes around Filoli is that it is now on protected watershed, the San Francisco-owned reservoir that holds the water brought by pipes from the Sierras mountains. Woodside itself is one of the wealthiest towns in CA, with a median home price of $6M in 2024 (there are a number of older, very large estates here) and a median income of $250K.
 
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