Category: The Trials of Doris

On December 11th, the flavor of the Duke legacy shifted under our feet. It has been a year since the permission was granted to demolish Doris Duke’s beautiful and unique mansion on her New Jersey property. Doris herself was celebrated at Rough Point in Rhode Island during her 105th birthday this past month. Members of the Hillsborough and Somerset County communities still feel the palpable wounds left behind in place where her home- the principle domicile of the richest girl in the world, the main residence of the billionaire baroness Doris Duke- once stood empty and waiting for its fate to be determined.

In Hillsborough, once known as South Somerville, changes and empowerment are brewing into a flavorful stew. Instead of observing the property as it experiences crumbling balustrades and pets’ headstones, a rapidly-decaying glass house, and other seemingly forgotten artifacts; I decided that it was time to incite new determination to the public to demand a greater exhibition of the fullest known Duke legacy at Duke Farms. With the help of a great book, The Duchess of South Somerville, we brought the discussion into public forum for the first time since the court hearings over two years ago. No taboo, no beating around the bush. December 11th was a night of total transparency and awareness- it already felt like I had done the right thing.

In reflecting back on the evening’s discussions, I have to thank the attendees and patrons of the library for making it such a great success. There was so much fascination with the estate, the Dukes, and how much they belong in our darling central Jersey story. It seemed like everyone left with some inspiration, some direction, and some hope for the future visions for the property. Going forward, the public has interest in seeing the greenhouses awarded their status as a preserved structure with an appropriate title: The Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouses. The plant life inside was dearly beloved by all, and we are all staggered by the decision to end their display (myself included).

Despite the harshly-felt absence of the Duke Mansion, it felt like people still cared deeply for the rest of the property, which was uplifting. Operation ORCHID kicked off on a high note with guests attaching to the idea of greater education available to the public, with interest to creating meaningful dialogue with staff and executives. The ORCHID (Organized Reform Coalition to Honor the Intent of Doris) wants to start seeing a more deliberate presence of the Dukes on their property and potentially into the community outside the estate. For a nonprofit with the net worth of the DDCF, this seems relatively feasible with some thrifty new concepts and innovative ideas. The question of how to get to this point with diplomacy and reciprocal regard is the next journey.

And so the story continues into another year as it evolves from a story of demolition and salvage into a revitalized legacy of preservation, integration of ideas, and strong new concepts with all the greatest people coming forward to share their stories and offer their alliances to Operation ORCHID. At this time, RetroRevivalBlog will be recognizing the new articles under OpOrchid instead of the Trials of Doris, which seem to have concluded as of earlier this year. We look forward to a new year full of excellence in public relations and outreach, history education and research, as well as amazing advances as we are able to share! Stay tuned!

Hello darling readers! This weekend marks a long-overdue reveal at the Duke Estate in New Jersey: the 50-or-so acres that housed the iconic, likely-historic mansion of the late tobacco baroness, Doris Duke. Once the richest girl in the world is now the victim of her own foundation’s ethical debacle. It is still hotly debated whether the mansion’s demolition was an act of honest decision or to pursue personal interests of the foundation’s executives. The grassroots movement, DORIS (demolition of residence is senseless) maintains that the entire motion was a rude notion to erase Duke’s memory from the very property she called home.

The full article, provided by Mike Deak of the Courier News, is available here: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/land-environment/2017/10/18/duke-farms-unveil-section-where-doris-dukes-mansion-used/776174001/

So what will be on the site of the ‘ramshackle’ mansion? Nothing. The oldest and possibly most historically valuable building (as defined by the foundation’s criteria, not the criteria of the National Trust), the boathouse, will be used as a bathroom. Care to stay classy? The former Japanese gardens, whose specimens of plants were not indigenous to New Jersey as the mission statement boasts, has been altered from its intended, modified, cultural landscape.

It is critical to note that the mansion, whose only real damage was its reputation, was not a pastiche or ramshackle, but instead a treasure trove of styles from select masters of architecture. This timeline of styles and craftsmanship was the only one of its kind, and was lost to the very foundation entrusted to care for the property in late March 2016.

What can be done from here? What can be salvaged from this seemingly-systematic decomposition of a cultural landscape, historic estate, and home of one of America’s most elite families? The answer is surprising, but there is much to be done and a whole landscape still in jeopardy while in the ‘care’ of those who ‘maintain’ it. The half-truths can’t hide their other halves forever. So it’s a precarious game of hide and seek.

Stay tuned for the latest in learning how (and how not) to integrate modern life, green living, and historic integrity through the model of the Duke Estate through the efforts of Operation ORCHID~ Stay curious, darlings!

So as usual I find myself (Harpie, this time) compelled to wander the lavish Duke Estate on the hottest and most isolated day of this week. Thankfully, I was in good company. Despite starting the day out without a tram service (which is fine, not many people were there, admittedly, but still…) This particular day was the first time either of us had been to visit the cemetary that Miss Duke kept for her beloved animals, which included her camels, Princess and Baby. There was a common theme that emerged on this crispy September day: it appeared rather clearly to both of us that the stonework incorporated into the landscape has become broadly neglected… or at least profoundly disregarded either on purpose or otherwise.

Since our first stop was the Fox Hollow hill where the pets were laid to rest, it was a shady and cool walk. I noticed right away as we rounded the curve that these stones were mostly made of slim black stones with names stenciled into them in weatherproof white ink. What struck me in this area of the property was the sadness of each stone left in pieces in the grass, some with portions of the headstone still standing and the broken fragments sitting at their base. Perhaps with too much empathy, I thought of my own parakeet’s little marker and how devastated my family would be if something happened. Needless to say, it would be rapidly replaced or fixed. I’m not seeing the same sense of immediacy here, which is troubling since this is the illustration of Miss Duke’s love for animals- it was only the greatest devotion she had at Duke Farms besides plant life.

In walking back from the cemetary, I wondered if our old friend, Mr. stone balluster was ever fixed. Then, I realized, most likely not if this is a pattern of behaviors. I could argue all my life that this is a maneuvered landscape and that these stones that Mr. Duke himself laid are respectfully integrated into any environmental concepts to be applied, I’m still falling on deaf ears and cold feet.

Time to go home already? Sadly, yes. Today was a shorter-than-normal visit. We cut through the stairs to the old foundation and here is where I may have gotten most frustrated. Not only were the stones previously mentioned in need of serious love and attention, but the edges of the old foundation’s series of stairs were separating from one another at the seams. This one really tugged on both our heartstrings because of just how much this old foundation was used for in its lifetimes. It has the mark of James B Duke, Doris, the staff, James Cromwell, and a bunch of stories attached to each of them. It feels like the very essence of the Dukes is crumbling, literally away in the very property it was meant to be heralded at. This wasn’t just one instance: these fractures in the stone work were evident on each set of stairs we walked down.

Now really, I get it. It’s an expense. Everything in the world costs something if it’s worth doing. Trust me, we are young people who cringe at the word ‘afford’. But let’s change the perspective and the lens for a moment and put that cognitive therapy education to good use: What if you were alive during the estate’s most magnificent years when Miss Duke was in residence? How would you feel after years of natural decay occuring to a place you once called home? It hurts! People feel for this place and there are dozens of instances where historical integration into the landscape is an environmentally appropriate approach (consistent with the status quo at the farms today). Take fiscal challenge on and take a little extra to keep the property from falling apart… gradually. Last I remember, this is called neglect.

Stay curious and stand against wrongful erasure of out history. #RetroLife #VintageLife

This week in the Trials of Doris series, we are thrilled to announce that the latest piece of literature covering the Duke Estate’s story, The Duchess of South Somerville, has been nominated three times for the IPPY Awards 2018!

In the midst of all things retro, out antiquated antics summer series, and our 100th post; this comes as a humbling and exciting piece of news for the grassroots. While the mansion at the iconic Duke Estate was lost to the bulldozers hired by Duke Farms Foundation (it’s owner) and the parent charity, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2016, the story of the fight lives on as a testament to the original intent of Doris Duke. While it may seem like a lost battle, the IPPY-nominated book serves to chronicle the lesser-known chapters of history at the estate; memoirs of those whose lives were touched by the Dukes, former employees’ stories, and the efforts of the DORIS group have all been chronicled for the first and only time in this unique read.

For more information on The Duchess of South Somerville, or to obtain your own copy, please visit the Duchess Bookstore website:  https://sites.google.com/site/theduchessbookstore/home

Through December 31st of 2017, the book will be discounted to $19.95 to celebrate the amazing nominations!

This week marks an excellent award for the DORIS group’s ongoing efforts to bring a historical and cultural homage component back to the beautiful, timeless Duke Farms Estate in Hillsborough NJ.

Nancy Piwowar, a devoted member of DORIS and a historian in her own right, has attempted for several years to nominate the Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouse structure on the property for New Jersey’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Structures. This year, she was successful and attended the announcements at the State House in Trenton on Thursday, May 18th.

Piwowar was also a memoir contributor to the independently-published success, The Duchess of South Somerville. Her contributions to the DORIS group and the subsequently published book have been able to shape the stories of how the Duke family has continued to influence generations of people, even after their unfortunate passings. She has been with the group for years.

Horace Trumbauer (Click here for full bio) was one of the greatest architects of the 19th and 20th century in America. His work, based out of Philadelphia was considered masterful, which resulted in many of his creations being preserved for future generations. He hired a gentleman named Julian Abele (Click here for background) who would later create the campus landscape at Duke University. Abele was one of the first and arguably the most profound African American architect there has ever been. Due to the year that he began working under Trumbauer, evidence suggests that his signatures in design reflect the construction of the Greenhouse complex at Duke Farms.

The Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouse structure was initially constructed in 1909 by James Buchanan ‘Buck’ Duke as a way to produce fruits and vegetables for his family and staff on the property. Luxuries like oranges and watermelons were cultivated year-round. In 1917, the greenhouses experienced their first major additions, which accomodated more plants and more employees. Later on, Buck’s daughter Doris (‘The Richest Girl in the World’) decided to pay respect to her father’s love of nature by recreating the interior of the structure in 1958.

For 6 years, the interior was designed and grown into the iconic, award-winning Garden of Nations, also known as Duke Gardens. This wholly separate foundation was responsible for opening its doors to the publicly-accessible series of internationally-inspired gardens to fascinate its visitors for years until its closure by the Duke Farms Foundation in 2008. The garden complex and foundation located on the property of Duke Farms was also responsible for selling plants to visitors and offering events like easter egg hunts for children on a yearly basis.

Garden of Nations

Wood Rot (This Gallery is owned by RetroRevival)

Horace Trumbauer’s work being sentenced to decay

The Garden of Nations, and the Duke Insignia

Where’er a rose blooms

In 2008, the argument for its permanent closure was defined by the executive director, “The era of display gardens is over”, despite its annual yield of over 100,000 visitors. No plants have been sold since in an attempt to create an environmentally-friendly property. In a recent printed article in the Star Ledger (5/17/17), executive director Michael Catania states that restoration and reuse for the complex will begin “in a few years”. In the same article, a representative from Preservation New Jersey (the organization that recognizes the 10 most endangered each year) stated that the selection of the greenhouses for this recognition was, “A no-brainer”. Since 2008, the structure has suffered severe decay: chipped paint, extensive wood rot, and multiple broken panes of plexiglass compliment the missing French garden wing that was identifiable by its encompassing green trellises. (Author’s note: the French Garden was almost entirely destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and was not restored.) A few more years may yield another demolished structure on the estate that could cost too much money to restore (sound familiar yet?). This state of disrepair was the very reason that the Dukes’ own home was deemed unpreservable by the property’s overseers. The display gardens once housed in these greenhouses can be considered the most visible depiction of the beauty and value of Duke’s vision for inspiring others through nature’s wonders. Is it really being maintained? Will the proprietors of this space allow enough decay to occur to make the building irreparable?

The Doris Duke insignia still perches atop the front entryway, which has lost some roofing (replaced with rotting plywood, est. 2015), hopeful that someday the complex welcomes guests again. As of now, the only publicized use for the structure is partial, with only a segment of the overall greenhouse complex still active for propagating seeds for neighboring farms leased through Duke Farms. Several decaying or partly-living plants linger behind the glass curtains. Fragments of window panels, which were transitioned to plexi-glass decades ago, lay strewn about the edges of it’s stately façade, with its rampant wood rot complimenting what shadows remain of a once-lush indoor paradise.

The future is still hopeful for this amazing, unique, and signature of Trumbauer and Abele’s. The overall integrity of the structure is uncompromised yet: it can be saved! With a little love and attention to restoration and some impetus for change, this greenhouse would be perfect to teach guests about orchid care, residential greenhouses, and the values of biodiversity (just examples, the imagination is limitless) and more!

Due to the recent history at Duke Farms, it is difficult to speculate whether or not a historic nomination will be sent in for the greenhouses. The strict adherence to a mission statement of environmental stewardship may overpower any protective status the staff could seek for its buildings. Perhaps help, support, or encouragement will help save the historically significant Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouses: featured as a staple of the Duke Farms lifestyle- which has how spanned more than 100 years.

(Photos courtesy of gardensvisit.com & RRBlog)

***More on Abele, courtesy of newyorksocialdiary.com: “There is uncertainty and just a little fear on that handsome face. Being black in racist turn-of-the-century America, he very probably felt both, even in Trumbauer’s world of rich and cultured clients. Abele took credit for the design of only one building during his entire career, the Duke Chapel in Durham, NC.
He never made the claim himself, but the Wildenstein Gallery on East 64th Street is generally attributed to him as well. Trumbauer spotted Abele in 1902 when he was fresh out of the University of Pennsylvania’s architectural school. Abele was not only its first black graduate, but also the president of the university’s Architectural Society.
Trumbauer subsequently underwrote three years of study in Paris for Abele. In point of fact, Abele did a great deal of Trumbauer’s heavy lifting. When the Depression hit and business collapsed, Trumbauer descended into alcoholism. After his death in 1938, it was Abele who kept the firm alive.”

Open windows

West-facing facade