Sonnenberg Mansion- Canandaigua, NY

One of the last remaining grand country estates of the Gilded Age, Sonnenberg is a stunner. Although arguably overshadowed by its elaborate gardens, it is a fantastic Queen Anne mansion, chock full of elaborate, costly details. For those who love Victorian architecture, it is not to be missed.

Built between 1885 and 1887 by Boston architect Francis Allen, Sonnenberg was the summer home of Frederick Ferris Thompson and Mary Clark Thompson, a wildly wealthy New York City couple. Frederick founded a series of banks with is father, including Chase National Bank in 1873, while Mary was the daughter of the governor of New York, Myron Holley Clark. As such, they certainly had the means to build one impressive house.

The Thompson’s purchased the property in 1863, retaining its German name Sonnenberg, which translates to Sunny Hill. They did not keep the original brick farmhouse, which was razed to make way for their new massive 40 room graystone and timber turreted mansion. Despite it’s size, the house was only to be used as the couple’s summer escape.

Just inside the gracefully arched Porte Cochere is the Billard Room and Great Hall, masculine spaces accented with dark wood paneling. The remainder of the first floor is surprisingly open, with a Dining Room, Breakfast Nook, and Library. Outside, the Italian Garden leads up to the Library doors, with walkways uniting the two spaces.

The space upstairs is absolutely brilliant; a collection of bedrooms off a grand arched hallway, open to the Great Hall below. Shockingly light and airy for a Victorian Home, details include carved wood beams, columns and balustrades. A small balcony off the master bedroom adds interest to the space.

The Turret Room is perhaps the highlight of the second floor. Full of sunlight and porches, it is an inviting space, with excellent views of the garden below. All around, it is an exceptional house, that succeeds in feeling cozy and comfortable despite its size. Although Frederick died in 1899, Mary continued to summer at the house, taking comfort in designing the estate’s grand gardens as a tribute to her husband. Upon her death in 1923, the property passed to her oldest nephew, Emory Clark, who sold the property to the federal government in 1931.

The government built a VA hospital on part of the property, using the mansion to house nurses. Many of the gardens and outbuildings suffered from neglect and vandalism, while others where deliberate razed by the government. Interestingly, VA patients and staff continued to use the estate’s pool during this time. In 1966, a citizen’s group rallied to save the historic estate, raising funds to purchase and restore a 50 acre portion of the original estate, including the mansion and the greenhouse complex. In 1972, the VA transferred the remaining portion of the estate to the non-profit organization, which started formal restoration of the property.

Early restoration involved returning the mansion to its original floor plan and excavating long buried gardens and fountains. In 1973, the gardens opened to the public. Over the next thirty years, the non-profit struggled to keep the property open and maintained, given its size and associated costs. In 2006, the property was acquired by the New York State park system, in a move that cleared the non-profit’s debts, while allowing the site to remain open under their management. This is fortunate for us all, as the mansion and gardens are an absolute treasure.

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