Inside Harkness House: Gilded Age Splendor and Service

Step inside Harkness House, one of New York’s most beautiful surviving Gilded Age homes. Harkness House curator Paul Engel will lead us through this architectural treasure at 1 East 75th Street, which the Landmarks Preservation Commission calls "an imposing residence in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo… outstanding not only for excellence of design and beauty of execution, but also for subtle richness of detail.” As we inspect Harkness House’s English, French and Italian-style interiors, we’ll see lovingly preserved details that remain virtually unchanged since the house was completed in 1908, as a wedding gift for Edward and Mary Harkness. The house never truly left the family, for the building was bequeathed to The Commonwealth Fund, the Harkness family foundation, in 1952. Anna Harkness founded the Commonwealth Fund in 1918, with the mandate that it should “do something for the welfare of mankind.” To this day, the Commonwealth Fund remains one of the world’s leading public health research and policy foundations. As we tour the House’s sumptuous interiors, we’ll see where splendor met service in the Gilded Age.

Saturday, October 5th
10:30 a.m.

Harkness House
1 East 75th Street
Portions of this venue may not be fully accessible.

*Please note, this program has now sold out! Please call 212-535-2526 to be placed on the wait-list*

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or email us at  [email protected].

Banner Photo: ©John Lei