Great American Mansions

Since the earliest days of the nation, the rise of wealth in the United States brought enormous mansions, manor homes, summer homes, and family compounds constructed by the country's most successful business people.

America's first leaders modeled their homes after the grand manors of Europe, borrowing classical principals from ancient Greece and Rome. During the Antebellum period before the Civil War, affluent plantation owners also built stately Neoclassical and Greek Revival manors. Later, during America's Gilded Age, newly-rich industrialists lavished their homes architectural details drawn from a variety of styles, including Queen Anne, Beaux Arts, and Renaissance Revival.

The mansions, manors, and grand estates in this photo gallery reflect the range of styles explored by America's wealthy classes. Most of these homes are open for tours. Follow the links for travel information.