Gilded Age mansion on private Great Island lists for $100M

A rare Gilded Age mansion in Connecticut has hit the market for a whopping $100 million.

Located in the town of Darien, the estate is said to be one of America’s last family-owned estates from the 19th century — a time America showed rapid economic growth, leading in industrialization ahead of Britain.

Known as the Great Island for its location on 60 acres of private land, the home offers over a mile of “pristine shoreline” on the Long Island Sound, according to the listing.

The 10-bedroom, 10-bathroom mansion is also pegged as “one of the most remarkable properties ever to become available,” and a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The centerpiece of the property is a 13,000-square-foot manor dating back to 1905. It was inspired by an Italian villa and is detailed with “fine craftsmanship for which the era is known,” the listing notes.

Also on the property is a separate guest house, a caretaker’s cottage, a 19th-century farmhouse, a seaside cottage and a deep-water dock that can accommodate a 100-foot yacht.

Other features include a world-class equestrian facility designed by renowned architect Rafael Guastavino, known for his work on New York City’s Grand Central Terminal and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The equestrian facility features an 18-stall granite stable, indoor and outdoor riding rings, a polo field, and numerous paddocks and riding trails.

Other exterior amenities include an expansive pool, several outdoor spaces for entertainment and a private white sand beach.

Great Island is also considered the largest private island ever to be offered for sale on the East Coast.

The property was first built in 1902 and then purchased a few years later by baking powder entrepreneur William Ziegler, and it has remained in the Ziegler family since.

The Ziegler family has an interesting history and includes descendant William Steinkraus, who was an Olympic show-jumping champion and won a gold medal at Mexico City in 1968.

In the 1930s, Addison Mizner, known as the architect to the very wealthy, did extensive renovations to the home, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Similar to many of the Gilded Age mansion owners, Ziegler bought the estate as a summer home to escape New York City’s heat. These massive mansions, built for families such as the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Astors, were sometimes referred to as “summer cottages,” with owners who were often competing to claim the largest and most extravagant home.

Today, very few of the Gilded Age mansions are still owned by families.

Most have been demolished for their land, burnt down or donated to schools and nonprofit institutions.

Jennifer Leahy of Douglas Elliman holds the listing.