Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, Akron, Summit County, Ohio
The Manor House is one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival architecture in America. The Seiberlings chose architect Charles S. Schneider to design the home for $150,000. Schneider and the Seiberlings travelled to England and visited well-known homes including Ockwell’s Manor in Berkshire, Compton Wynyates in Warwickshire and Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, influencing the design of Stan Hywet.
An enormous amount of detail went into building the Manor House, including 3,000 separate blueprints and architectural drawings for its design. The groundbreaking took place in early 1912. To facilitate the delivery of massive quantities of building supplies, a railroad spur was created for transport onto the property.
The Seiberlings also hired Boston landscape architect Warren H. Manning and New York interior decorator Hugo F. Huber. For the interior of the house, many furnishings and pieces of art were purchased by Huber in New York, with additional pieces purchased by Huber and the Seiberlings on a trip to England in 1915. Manning sought inspiration from the natural topography, with the idea and goal that the landscape and house should complement each other. In addition, Manning and Schneider worked together to ensure that the house would be built on a location that would provide for five different overlooks of the Cuyahoga Valley and that allées would extend to allow views of the lagoon and surrounding foliage.
Each year thousands of visitors enjoy Stan Hywet’s artfully landscaped gardens and grounds. Originally a vast estate of more than 3,000 acres, its remaining 70 acres provide an aura of beauty and color that flow into the natural surroundings.
Designed between 1912 and 1915 by renowned American landscape architect Warren Manning, Stan Hywet’s grounds represent one of the finest remaining examples of Mr. Manning’s private work in the United States. In addition, the English Garden, redesigned by Ellen Biddle Shipman in 1929 (and restored in the 1990s) is one of the only Shipman gardens that is open to the public.
Warren Manning and Manor House architect Charles Schneider worked closely together. The result is a remarkable blending of nature and architecture at Stan Hywet.
The Seiberling Family:
Franklin "F.A." Augustus Seiberling (1859-1955) m. Gertrude Penfield (1866-1946)
John "Fred" Frederick Seiberling (1888-1962) m. Henrietta Buckler (1888-1979)
"Irene" Henrietta Seiberling (1890-1999) m. Milton Whately Harrison (1889-1949)
"Willard" Penfield Seiberling (1892-1981) m. Mary Gerrish (1897-1950)
James "Penfield" Seiberling (1898-1982) m. Harriet Manton (1899-1973)
Gertrude "Virginia" Seiberling (1899-1971) m. "Jack" Littlefield Handy (1892-1980)
"Franklin" Augustus Seiberling, Jr. (1908-1990) m. Nancy Jackson (1917-present)
Stan Hywet Hall:
Stan Hywet ~ Pronounced STAN HEE-WIT
Crest Motto ~ Non Nobis Solum – Not For Us Alone
Architecture Style ~ Tudor Revival
Architect ~ Charles Sumner Schneider, Cleveland offices of George B. Post & Son, New York City
Interior Decorator ~ The H.F. Huber Co. of New York City
Woodwork & Paneling ~ The Hayden Co. of New York City
Plaster Ceilings ~ The Hayden Co. Of New York City & McNulty Brothers Company of Chicago
Leaded Glass ~ Heinigke & Bowen (later known as Heinigke & Smith)
Stained Glass ~ Thorton Smith & Otto Heinigke
Iron Work ~ Samuel Yellin
Rugs ~ Beloochistan Rug Weaving Company of India, Wilton Royal Factory of England
Tile Work ~ Mary Chase Stratton, Pewabic Pottery, Michigan & The American Encaustic Tile Company, Zanesville, Ohio General Contractor ~ The W.B. McAllister Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Landscape Architect ~ Warren H. Manning, Boston, Mass.
English Garden Designer ~ Ellen Biddle Shipman, New York City
Inspirations for Stan Hywet:
Compton Wynyates ~ Located in Warwickshire, England. Built between 1509-1528, additions in 1640’s and 1732
Ockwells Manor ~ Located in Berkshire, England. Built by Sir John Norreys, ca. 1446-1466
Haddon Hall ~ Located in Derbyshire, England. Building from the 12th to 17th centuries
Stan Hywet Hall Construction:
Built ~ 1912-1915
Length ~ 300 Feet,the basement extends the length of the house
Height ~ The Main Structure is 3 stories; the Music Room is 2 stories; and the Tower is four stories
Square Footage ~ The Manor House is 64,500 square feet
Materials ~ Red brick, steel, sandstone, Vermont slate, copper, oak and plaster. The interior woods include American oak, chestnut, black walnut, sandalwood, teak and rosewood.
Stone Source ~ Stone out of Lagoon was quarried to produce sand and gravel. Stone blasted and removed from the basement excavation was used to build the "Double divided Garden walls" along Garman and N. Portage Path. All exterior steps and door sills were specified to be Euclid Bluestone supplied and installed by R.C. Blum & F.O. Delbridge of Cleveland. The cut stone was specified to be "first quality Ohio sandstone" supplied by the Donnelly & Ricci Co., NY.
Statistics:
Acreage ~ Approximately 3,000 originally (1916). 70 acres today
Rooms (Manor House) ~ 65
Bedrooms (Manor House) ~ 18 total-5 guest bedrooms, 5 family bedrooms, 8 servants bedrooms, along with 2 sleeping porches, a Nursery and Dormitory
Bathrooms (Manor House) ~ 23 total- 14 complete baths, 9 half baths (lavatories)
Fireplaces (Manor House) ~ 23
Chimneys (Manor House) ~ 12
Doors (Manor House) ~ 273 doors plus 20 sets of French Doors
Windows (Manor House) ~ 21,455 panes of glass
Heating/Cooling ~ Coal boilers originally located in the Manor House and all support buildings except the Gate Lodge which used coal fired forced air.
Domestic Staff ~ 22-24, & the Gate Lodge, Gardener’s Cottage, Carriage House, and Poultry Manager’s House on Reynolds Avenue were also homes for domestics and their families.
