The du Pont name is synonymous with wealth, much of it originating and on display in Delaware. The French aristocratic family settled in the countryside of Brandywine Valley and built an American empire. The first generation cemented its fortune by manufacturing gunpowder during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Later, the du Pont scions expanded the family business, using their wealth to build Delaware’s grand estates of Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, and Nemours.
Industrialist Alfred I. du Pont had a French château built for fellow Francophile and second wife, Alicia Bradford, of Washington, DC, in 1909. The magnate hired architects to design the splendid 77-room mansion with indoor plumbing and modern appliances. By intention, Nemours was a party place, with 16 family and guest rooms and 13 bathrooms. Alfred installed a basement man cave, where he played billiards and bowled with his friends. Ten years later, Alicia died unexpectedly. Alfred carried on, buoyed by the support of his third wife, Virginian Jessie Ball.
The mansion where the two lived is flanked by two gateways. Wimbledon Gate was owned by Henry VIII, and Russian Gate was from Catherine the Great’s palace. Cathedral doors open to checkerboard marble floors, where gilded mantels and chandeliers sparkle. Light streaming from windows frames the mature trees, some over 200 years old, and acres of Versailles-inspired gardens.
As your feet sink into the plush oriental rugs, you might compare Nemours to Downton Abbey. Like other aristocratic homes, an army of workers maintained Nemours’ furnishings and fleet of vehicles. Moving from room to room on a self-guided tour, you’ll find interpreters eager to share stories about the home and family. They’ll point out distinctive treasures, such as Marie Antionette’s clock (she lost her head before receiving it); King George VI’s coronation chair; and a portrait of Jessie Ball du Pont’s ancestor, George Washington.
You’ll learn that when Alfred died in 1935, he directed his estate to build a philanthropic hospital for children with polio on the estate grounds. This project became Jessie’s lifetime passion. Today, Nemours Children’s Hospital still serves pediatric patients regardless of their ability to pay — a mission worth celebrating.
Feature image by Moon Loop Photography
This story originally ran in our October issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
