The Hildene Estate: A Lincoln Family Treasure

In March 2018, I took a small trip to Vermont during my spring break from teaching and happened to come across the marvelous family home of the Lincolns: Hildene. Located against the beautiful backdrop of Manchester, Vermont, the home of Robert Lincoln, President Lincoln’s son, was built in 1905 for himself and his wife Mary. 

This “summer cottage” was designed in the Georgian revival style, with stunning furnishings and woodwork throughout. After several generations of Lincoln family ownership, the home was left to the Church of Christ, Scientist, but when it became clear that the organization couldn’t manage the expense of the estate, it was finally purchased by the nonprofit Friends of Hildene, which renovated the house and gardens.

Robert Lincoln was an incredibly successful lawyer and businessman. He was a graduate of Harvard College, with further studies in law in Chicago. He developed a lucrative law practice by representing his corporate clients. Following in his famous father’s footsteps, he served his county as a staff member of General Ulysses S. Grant, and was the Secretary of War under James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. Later, he served as Minister to Great Britain under Benjamin Harrison.

Another source of Robert Lincoln’s wealth came from the Pullman Company, which manufactured sleeping cars for the train lines that were expanding across the growing nation. The company had a virtual monopoly for these kinds of cars, which brought in a fortune for their business. When the founder of the company, George Pullman, died in 1897, Robert became the president of the company. He later served as the chairman of the board, a position he retained until shortly before his death.

A Pullman car on the Hildene Estate (Photo by Matthew Deming).

One of the best parts of visiting Hildene is seeing the Pullman Car exhibit. This 1903 wooden Pullman car, named Sunbeam, was restored and put in place on the estate in 2011 following an extensive two-year renovation. The Pullman Company was the largest manufacturing company in the world during its time, and the porters who worked on these lavish cars were known for their superior service. The few pictures I took of the interior of the Pullman car don’t really do it justice. The extraordinary craftsmanship of the woodwork, the fabrics, lighting and amenities are all of the highest quality possible for that time period. You really need to walk through to experience the grandeur of what a ride was like in one of these Pullman cars.

Much of the house is available to see on either a self-guided tour or with a tour guide. It is a beautiful house, so tastefully designed but with a comfortable feel. The gardens are also a big attraction for visitors. In the formal gardens you can see the tremendous blossoms of the peonies come springtime. The estate also has a practical garden for growing food for the estate, and a cutting garden for flowers for the house. As a way to keep the gardens as self-sustaining as possible, estate grew many kinds of fruit trees and planted native specimens to attract pollinators.

Hildene is also very special among historic estates because its staff makes great efforts to offer educational programs. Children can learn about the role of the bees in our ecosystem, what types of insects live near to water sources, or how seeds are cultivated and planted. The estate offers a huge variety of programming, all of which you can find on their website.

There are many stately homes to visit across the United States if you are a fan of history or architecture, but what makes Hildene so special is the tie it has to one of our country’s most significant presidents, its connection with the major expansion and use of the railroad system, and the current estate’s role in protecting and promoting the local ecosystem through their insightful educational programming.

For more information: https://hildene.org/