This past weekend in Pennsylvania, I was happy to show some of my friends around one of my favorite places from childhood, Clayton House: the original Frick mansion in Pittsburgh.
The grounds house a really fine art museum, amazing antique car & carriage museum (recently renovated), an orchid filled conservatory, a playhouse turned giftshop (complete with bowling alley), a delicious cafe and wonderful grounds, not to mention a beautiful victorian home.
Many things on the property bare the name Clayton. The name is derived from Henry CLAY Frick: The 'ton' relates to the word town.
Part of the carriagehouse.
The playhouse was built for the children and is the size of a normal house. It held rooms for the children's toys as well as a bowling alley! Lucky kids! It now holds the giftshop: this is where you will start your tour.
The conservatory lies next door.
Across the walkway is an old caretakers cottage which now houses a pretty great restaurant. We didn't get a chance to eat here but I highly recommend it based on past experiences.
This stone house is now part of the property but wasn't owned by the Fricks till after Helen's Death in the 1980s when it was bought by the foundation for the administration offices. 
The main house was renovated after the Frick's purchase of a typical Victorian which they renovated into a gracious family home. The only original piece left was the porte cochere seen here below an amazing stained glass & copper bay.
A closeup of the port cochere columns.
A shot of the backdoor to end the tour. If you find yourself in Pittsburgh, don't forget to visit, the interiors are spectacular!
The main house was renovated after the Frick's purchase of a typical Victorian which they renovated into a gracious family home. The only original piece left was the porte cochere seen here below an amazing stained glass & copper bay.A closeup of the port cochere columns.A shot of the backdoor to end the tour. If you find yourself in Pittsburgh, don't forget to visit, the interiors are spectacular!
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10 comments:
Oh My Gosh!!! That is gorgeous!!!! I can't believe how beautiful it is to see these places through your eyes. I love your eye for detail. Thank you for sharing with us! I love it!!!
xoxo
Judith~
These recent post are making me very homesick. What a beautiful tour with a great narrative.
What lucky friends! I love seeing things from your eyes and learning what a - port cochere is!
It is even fun to say in an accent!
pve
This and your last post make me wish I could get out of town this Fall but it is not to be. I loved the photos of the Pennsylvania countryside and the Frank Lloyd Wright house was a bonus as I had never heard of it before. I hate to admit it, but I've never been to Falling Water.
One of the blessings for a European living in America is the spectacular colors of the Autumn. Europe does not have this range of color except perhaps in specimen trees in arboretums.
I need a getaway! It will probably be to the Lake of the Ozarks to my brother's condominium with a breathtaking view. These images are fabulous!
i wish they had adopted me!
i would love to live in the childrens playhouse.
xx
Such a great looking home-The Frick aesthetic lives in Pittsburgh, thank you for the tour. So many fabulous details. Again-I would take on the caretaker's house. The last photograph the handrail detail, the color, the lattice- simple elegance.la
Thanks for the visual tour of a fabulous mansion. I'd be pleased living in the carriage house. Blown-away bye the children's playhouse. Where was my bowling alley growing up?
Thank you!
I completely forget what day it was. Hope you all had a great time and I'll see you all next time. Cheer's Homer
It looks like you enjoyed your trip to Pennsylvania...such a gorgeous time of year. I enjoyed your images of Versaille also, just beautiful. I was there many years ago and can assure you I did not see the detail you showed here.
Thanks too for coming by and sharing with me the architect on the "green" kitchen! As I get older, I appreciate all kinds of architecture and color!
Blessings...
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