Special Report

Each State's Grandest Historic Mansion

Grant Suneson

Published: December 14, 2022 6:00 pm

Last Updated: December 14, 2022 7:14 pm

Though there are large historic homes all across the nation, each state is home to at least one massive estate that towers over the rest. These mansions have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of square feet of floor space. They’ve housed billionaires, presidents, and even royalty. Most of these mansions were built in the era between the Civil War and World War II, and many now function as hotels or museums.

In order to determine the largest historic home in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed media sources, local and state historical societies, tourism boards, and the National Register of Historic Places. Only homes built before 1966 were considered. The buildings had to serve as single-family homes at some point in their history.

Many of the mansions on this list are associated with America’s wealthiest and most notable family dynasties — names like du Pont, Vanderbilt, and Hearst. These families, headed by titans of industry who became some of the wealthiest people in history, created sprawling compounds, often surrounded by large grounds, to serve as single-family homes. This is the richest person of all time from your state.

Click here to see the grandest historic mansion in each state

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1. Alabama: Shorter Mansion
> City: Eufaula
> Built In: 1906
> Commissioned by: Eli Sims Shorter II
> Size: 8,700 sq. feet

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Russian Bishop House August 2005 (CC BY-SA 2.5) by The original uploader was Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia

2. Alaska: Russian Bishop’s House
> City: Sitka
> Built In: 1843
> Commissioned by: Bishop Innocent
> Size: 21,530 sq. feet

24/7 Wall St.
The Richest Person of All Time From Your State

Source: Google Maps

3. Arizona: McCune Mansion
> City: Paradise Valley
> Built In: 1963
> Commissioned by: Walker McCune
> Size: 52,000 sq. feet

W.H.H. Clayton House (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Hakbak

4. Arkansas: The Clayton House
> City: Fort Smith
> Built In: 1852
> Commissioned by: William Henry Harrison Clayton
> Size: Over 6,000 sq. feet

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Hearst Castle Casa del Sol September 2012 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by King of Hearts

5. California: Hearst Castle
> City: San Simeon
> Built In: 1947
> Commissioned by: William Randolph Hearst
> Size: 68,500 sq. feet

The Byers-Evans House Museum, Denver (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Robert Cutts

6. Colorado: Byers-Evans House Museum
> City: Denver
> Built In: 1883
> Commissioned by: Byers-Evans families
> Size: 10,000 sq. feet

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NorwalkCTLockwoodMansionSoSide09032007 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Noroton at English Wikipedia

7. Connecticut: Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
> City: Norwalk
> Built In: c. 1864
> Commissioned by: LeGrand Lockwood
> Size: 44,000 sq. feet

Winterthur Museum Building Wide Angle 2969px (CC BY-SA 2.5) by Ram-Man

8. Delaware: Winterthur
> City: Winterthur
> Built In: 1932
> Commissioned by: Henry Francis du Pont
> Size: 96,582 sq. feet

Source: maralagoclub.com

9. Florida: Mar-A-Lago
> City: Palm Beach
> Built In: 1927
> Commissioned by: Marjorie Merriweather Post
> Size: 62,500 sq. feet

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Hay House Front (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

10. Georgia: Hay House
> City: Macon
> Built In: 1859
> Commissioned by: William Butler Johnston
> Size: 18,000 sq. feet

Iolani Palace (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Arjunkrsen

11. Hawaii: Iolani Palace
> City: Honolulu
> Built In: 1882
> Commissioned by: King Kalakaua
> Size: 7,000 sq. feet

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Clark Mansion-Hayden-ID1 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Nancy Reilly Young

12. Idaho: Clark House
> City: Hayden Lake
> Built In: 1910
> Commissioned by: F. Lewis Clark
> Size: 15,000 sq. feet

Executive Mansion - Springfield - Illinois - USA (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada

13. Illinois: Illinois Governor’s Mansion
> City: Springfield
> Built In: 1855
> Commissioned by: Gov. Joel Matteson
> Size: 45,120 sq. feet

Source: Nyttend / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

14. Indiana: Culbertson Mansion
> City: New Albany
> Built In: 1867
> Commissioned by: William Culbertson
> Size: more than 20,000 sq. feet

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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

15. Iowa: Brucemore
> City: Cedar Rapids
> Built In: 1886
> Commissioned by: Caroline Soutter Sinclair
> Size: 15,000 sq. feet

Source: kansastravel.org

16. Kansas: Seelye Mansion
> City: Abilene
> Built In: 1905
> Commissioned by: Dr. A.B. Seelye
> Size: 11,000 sq. feet

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Kentucky Governors Mansion (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Matthew Beck

17. Kentucky: The Governor’s Mansion
> City: Frankfort
> Built In: 1914
> Commissioned by: James B. McCreary
> Size: 18,428 sq. feet

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

18. Louisiana: Nottoway Plantation and Resort
> City: White Castle
> Built In: 1859
> Commissioned by: John Hampden Randolph
> Size: 53,000 sq. feet

EEGONOS (CC BY-SA 3.0) by JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD

19. Maine: East of Eden
> City: Bar Harbor
> Built In: 1909
> Commissioned by: Walter G. Ladd
> Size: 15,000 sq. feet

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Source: Ostranox / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

20. Maryland: Government House
> City: Annapolis
> Built In: 1870
> Commissioned by: Gov. Oden Bowie
> Size: 38,000 sq. feet

Crane estate (CC BY 3.0) by Djmcrenn

21. Massachusetts: Castle Hill
> City: Ipswich
> Built In: 1928
> Commissioned by: Richard T. Crane Jr.
> Size: 56,881 sq. feet

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Meadowbrook Hall (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Wm. Chris Rowland, II

22. Michigan: Meadow Brook Hall
> City: Rochester
> Built In: 1929
> Commissioned by: Matilda Dodge Wilson
> Size: 88,000 sq. feet

24/7 Wall St.
Richest Person in Every State

James J. Hill House 2012 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by McGhiever

23. Minnesota: James J. Hill House
> City: St. Paul
> Built In: 1891
> Commissioned by: James J. Hill
> Size: 36,500 sq. feet

Mississippi Governor Mansion, Jackson, Mississippi (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

24. Mississippi: Mississippi Governor’s Mansion
> City: Jackson
> Built In: 1842
> Commissioned by: Gov. Tilghman Tucker
> Size: 11,448 sq. feet

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Vaile Mansion (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Melissa Kothe

25. Missouri: Vaile Mansion
> City: Independence
> Built In: 1881
> Commissioned by: Harvey Vaile
> Size: 30,000 sq. feet

Hamilton MT Daly Mansion 2 (CC BY 2.0) by DAN

26. Montana: Daly Mansion
> City: Hamilton
> Built In: 1886
> Commissioned by: Marcus Daly
> Size: 24,000 sq. feet

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091407-JoslynCastle (CC BY 3.0) by Bobak

27. Nebraska: Joslyn Castle
> City: Omaha
> Built In: 1903
> Commissioned by: George Joslyn
> Size: 19,360 sq. feet

Thunderbird Lodge (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Tonywiki09

28. Nevada: Thunderbird Lodge
> City: Incline Village
> Built In: c. 1936
> Commissioned by: George Whittell Jr.
> Size: 16,000 sq. feet

Searles Castle Gate (CC BY-SA 3.0) by David Kolifrath

29. New Hampshire: Searles Castle
> City: Windham
> Built In: 1915
> Commissioned by: Edward Searles
> Size: 30,000-35,000 sq. feet

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Woodrow Wilson Hall, West Long Branch, NJ - south view (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Zeete

30. New Jersey: Shadow Lawn / Woodrow Wilson Hall
> City: West Long Branch
> Built In: 1929
> Commissioned by: Hubert Templeton Parson
> Size: 90,000 sq. feet

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

31. New Mexico: Villa Philmonte
> City: Cimarron
> Built In: 1927
> Commissioned by: Waite Phillips
> Size: 28,400 sq. feet

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Oheka Castle (CC BY-SA 3.0) by OhekaCastle

32. New York: Oheka Castle
> City: Huntington
> Built In: 1919
> Commissioned by: Otto Kahn
> Size: 109,000 sq. feet

24/7 Wall St.
The Most Stressed Out City In Every State

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

33. North Carolina: Biltmore Estate
> City: Asheville
> Built In: 1895
> Commissioned by: George Vanderbilt
> Size: 135,280 sq. feet

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

34. North Dakota: Chateau de Mores
> City: Medora
> Built In: 1883
> Commissioned by: Marquis de Mores
> Size: 8,600 sq. feet

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Stan Hywet (CC BY 2.0) by Ohio Office of Redevelopment from Columbus, Ohio, USA

35. Ohio: Stan Hywet Hall
> City: Akron
> Built In: 1915
> Commissioned by: F.A. Seiberling
> Size: 64,500 sq. feet

Marland Mansion South Front (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Landry76

36. Oklahoma: Marland Mansion
> City: Ponca City
> Built In: 1928
> Commissioned by: E.W. Marland
> Size: 43,561 sq. feet

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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

37. Oregon: Pittock Mansion
> City: Portland
> Built In: 1914
> Commissioned by: Henry Pittock
> Size: 16,000 sq. feet

24/7 Wall St.
What It Costs to Retire in Every State

Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park PA 01 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Shuvaev

38. Pennsylvania: Lynnewood Hall
> City: Elkins Park
> Built In: 1900
> Commissioned by: P.A.B. Widener
> Size: 70,000 sq. feet

The Breakers Newport (CC BY-SA 3.0) by UpstateNYer

39. Rhode Island: The Breakers
> City: Newport
> Built In: 1895
> Commissioned by: Cornelius Vanderbilt II
> Size: 62,482 sq. feet

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Lace House, Columbia Richland County, South Carolina (CC BY-SA 3.0) by KudzuVine

40. South Carolina: The Lace House
> City: Columbia
> Built In: 1855
> Commissioned by: Thomas Robertson
> Size: 16,500 sq. feet

MELLETTE HOUSE, WATERTOWN, CODINGTON COUNTY, SD (CC BY-SA 3.0) by JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD

41. South Dakota: Mellette House
> City: Watertown
> Built In: 1885
> Commissioned by: Calvin Mellette
> Size N/A

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Mansion Front 2010 (CC BY 3.0) by Irishjames2909

42. Tennessee: Belmont Mansion
> City: Nashville
> Built In: 1853
> Commissioned by: Adelicia Acklen
> Size: 19,000 sq. feet

Source: Google Maps

43. Texas: Crespi-Hicks Estate
> City: Dallas
> Built In: 1938
> Commissioned by: Pio Crespi
> Size: 28,996 sq. feet

McCune Mansion, SLC (CC BY-SA 4.0) by David Jay Fullmer

44. Utah: McCune Mansion
> City: Salt Lake City
> Built In: 1901
> Commissioned by: Alfred W. McCune
> Size: 22,000 sq. feet

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Source: Wilson Castle / Facebook

45. Vermont: Wilson Castle
> City: Proctor
> Built In: c. 1885
> Commissioned by: John Johnson
> Size: N/A

Source: dhr.virginia.gov

46. Virginia: North Wales
> City: near Warrenton
> Built In: 1781
> Commissioned by: William Allison
> Size: 38,500 sq. feet

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Thornewood 02 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Jmabel

47. Washington: Thornewood Castle
> City: Lakewood
> Built In: 1908
> Commissioned by: Chester A. Thorne
> Size: 27,000 sq. feet

24/7 Wall St.
Richest Person in Every State

WVGovernorsMansion (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Enrichyourmind

48. West Virginia: Governor’s Mansion
> City: Charleston
> Built In: 1925
> Commissioned by: William MacCorkle
> Size: 21,000 sq. feet

Residence Taliesin Spring Green Wisconsin June 5 2012 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Stephen Matthew Milligan

49. Wisconsin: Taliesin
> City: near Spring Green
> Built In: 1911
> Commissioned by: Frank Lloyd Wright
> Size: 37,000 sq. feet

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Trail End State Historic Site aka Kendrick Mansion-Sheridan WY-06-28-2011 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by IreneWyo

50. Wyoming: Trail End
> City: Sheridan
> Built In: 1913
> Commissioned by: John B. Kendrick
> Size: 13,748 sq. feet