Dr. Sylvester Willard Mansion
Encyclopedia
Dr. Sylvester Willard Mansion, now known as the Cayuga Museum of History and Art, is a historic mansion and related complex located at Auburn
in Cayuga County, New York
. It is a monumental Greek Revival
style brick mansion built originally in 1836-1843, with late 19th century Classical Revival additions. It is a two story, five bay center hall building resting on a stone foundation. The front facade features a monumental Greek Revival pediment
ed portico
with massive fluted Ionic
columns. A large dining wing and small palazzo
-like wing was added to the main block in the 1870s-1880s. The interior features a rare example of a Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company
domestic window added about 1894-1896. Also on the property is a 19th century carriage house
, converted into an experimental movie studio and former 19th century greenhouse
, converted in 1916 to the Case Research Laboratory. The property also includes an ornate, late 19th century cast iron
fence with elaborate stone pillars and gate, and a small collection of classically inspired lawn furniture. The house was built by Dr. Sylvester Willard. In 1916, it was occupied by Theodore Willard Case
(1888–1944), who built the laboratory to support his research into sound-on-film
technology.
The property is now occupied by the Cayuga County Museum of History and Art.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1989.
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
in Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
. It is a monumental Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
style brick mansion built originally in 1836-1843, with late 19th century Classical Revival additions. It is a two story, five bay center hall building resting on a stone foundation. The front facade features a monumental Greek Revival pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
ed portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with massive fluted Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns. A large dining wing and small palazzo
Palazzo
Palazzo, an Italian word meaning a large building , may refer to:-Buildings:*Palazzo, an Italian type of building**Palazzo style architecture, imitative of Italian palazzi...
-like wing was added to the main block in the 1870s-1880s. The interior features a rare example of a Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company
Tiffany glass
Tiffany glass refers to the many and varied types of glass developed and produced from 1878 to 1933 at the Tiffany Studios, by Louis Comfort Tiffany....
domestic window added about 1894-1896. Also on the property is a 19th century carriage house
Carriage house
A carriage house, also called remise or coach house, is an outbuilding which was originally built to house horse-drawn carriages and the related tack.In Great Britain the farm building was called a Cart Shed...
, converted into an experimental movie studio and former 19th century greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
, converted in 1916 to the Case Research Laboratory. The property also includes an ornate, late 19th century cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
fence with elaborate stone pillars and gate, and a small collection of classically inspired lawn furniture. The house was built by Dr. Sylvester Willard. In 1916, it was occupied by Theodore Willard Case
Theodore Case
Theodore Willard Case known for the invention of the Movietone sound-on-film sound film system, was born into a prominent family in Auburn, New York.-Family history:...
(1888–1944), who built the laboratory to support his research into sound-on-film
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
technology.
The property is now occupied by the Cayuga County Museum of History and Art.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1989.