A single of Stamford Connecticut’s most beautiful historic luxurious homes is Marion Castle developed in 1914 by Frank Marion, 1 of the initial early motion photo pioneers. This stunning waterfront Neo-French Renaissance chateau at 1 Rogers Highway, Shippan Place exemplifies the period of Stamford’s emergence in the early 1900’s from a farming community to the year-spherical residences of rich New York family members.
Marion Castle was designed by a person of the 1st correct motion picture moguls, Frank Marion, whose Kalem Corporation made some of the earliest a person reelers demonstrated at nickelodeons and silent motion picture homes throughout the nation. His first huge hit was Ben Hur in 1907 that was fifteen minutes in size concentrating mainly on the chariot race. The film was shot at the beach front with firemen as actors working with the horses that commonly pulled the fireplace wagons pulling the chariots.
Ben Hur was one particular of the most well-liked novels of its working day and the movie was an fast results. Frank Marion proved himself to be not only a fantastic businessman but also owning a social acutely aware when he lifted the every day wage of actors to 5 dollars a day – forcing the rest of the emerging movement photo marketplace to do the identical.
Nevertheless Marion was on the cutting edge of what at the time was the rising technological know-how of his day. The publisher and estate of the author of Ben Hur took the enterprise all the way to the US Supreme Courtroom and set up the very first copyright precedent that while the movie only focused on the chariot race that was a quite quick portion of the reserve, movement photograph producers should very first attain rights to printed perform prior to they can make a movie dependent upon that do the job.
Undaunted, Marion’s Kalem Organization future built motion photo heritage by sending a crew to Ireland in 1910 to make what was the initial American motion photograph to be shot on place outside of the United States. Two a long time afterwards, he despatched a digicam crew to Palestine wherever From the Manger To the Cross was filmed.
These films ended up incredibly effective, he bought the corporation immediately after ten many years in the movement picture enterprise and constructed Marion Castle as his retirement home for the satisfaction of his wife, son and four daughters.
Marion Castle was created in the design and style of a French Renaissance chateau by the noted New York City based architectural organization of Hunt & Hunt who had manufactured this design and style quite popular on Fifth Ave at the flip of the century. Marion Castle is a composite of quite a few Loire Valley chateaus.
It options a steep slate roof with copper crestings rising substantial previously mentioned the major human body of the mansion. The entrance confront has substantial dormer windows with higher pediments bordered by finials. A gabled wing that faces the seaward facet has a significant triple window with mullions and transom bars and measures major down to the grade.
On the north aspect of the house, a very long 50 %-timbered bay tasks from the key wall top up to a circular turret supplying it its distinct “castle” appear. The inside includes a balconied main corridor and practically thirty supplemental rooms of numerous measurements and uses.
Frank Marion designed and occupied Marion Castle until finally his demise at 93 in 1963. The assets was then marketed to Martha and David Cogan, an inventor and chief in the improvement of radio and tv who assisted develop the initial shade television tube. Martha was widely renown and respected for saving numerous youngsters from Hitler for the duration of Earth War Two.
In 1978, Jay Kobrin and Gordon Micunis procured Marion Castle and were being extremely influential in having it put on the Nationwide Sign up of Historic Places in 1982 – the only composition in Stamford’s Shippan Stage outlined in the Register.
Since 1998 Marion Castle has been owned and occupied by Thomas L. Rich, a properly recognised Stamford genuine estate developer. Mr. Wealthy has permitted the house to be applied extensively for non-financial gain situations these kinds of as the Shippan Position Association’s once-a-year group occasion.
Today, the lovely waterfront historic luxury property of Frank Marion is one particular of Stamford CT’s most unique landmarks. Owning been owned by various ground breaking civic minded business owners, Marion Castle continues to be the centre position of several of the town’s significant neighborhood and social events.
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