4. Swannanoa
Where: Virginia
1912 is the year.
Price: adjusted for inflation was $51 million.
Major James H. Dooley, the owner, spared no expense in building this opulent palace, which took three hundred artisans over eight years to complete. The mansion was constructed as a romantic getaway for Dooley and his cherished spouse, who also had a four-thousand-dollar Tiffany stained-glass window installed in it.
Virginia.org/Swannanoa
In addition to its magnificent design, the estate had contemporary features like an elevator and was the first in the area to have electricity. Following the Dooleys’ deaths, the mansion was sold, moved around a little, and then was left empty for many years. Eventually, it was converted into a museum, which closed and is currently only open to tourists during certain months.
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