Every house has its own story. Some houses embrace guests with their stories on a daily basis, while others remain untouched for decades, waiting for their stories to unravel. The mansion you're about to see was abandoned for 40 years. When it was finally discovered, the treasures inside stunned the entire community…
Photographer Bryan Sansivero was the first one to discover the farmhouse. In search of historic locations, he came to the outskirts of Long Island, and stumbled upon a quiet path that eventually led him to the estate. Trudging up the lengthy road, Sansivero felt that the place ahead would be different from any other one he'd visited.
Turns out the site goes way back in history. Constructed in 1701, it was last owned by a respected teacher called Marion Carll. But after she passed away in 1968, the grand house was left unattended due to a lack of funding, until Sansivero came to take pictures for the archives. Having learned about the long history, the man was eager to find out more.
When the 9-acre estate was discovered, it had been abandoned for over 4 decades. As a result, both the front roof and the windows had already been detached from the main house. However, with its milk paint and the Victorian structure, the homestead had retained part of its beauty. Now let's follow the photographer and see what mystery awaits inside.
Minus the debris on the floor, the parlor speaks to everlasting elegance. The ornately carved piano sits in the middle of the room where the guests would sing and dance to beautiful music. Besides the instrument that could keep everyone entertained, there's another surprise in this room.
Inside the parlor and many other rooms, you can spot fireplaces which could have provided warmth to people sitting on chairs reading or chatting with their friends. The peeling blue wallpaper doesn't seem to have diminished the grandeur of the marble hearth. But as comfy as it would've been, the parlor probably wasn't the room Carll most frequently visited…
Next to the parlor is a study, which might've been Mrs. Carll's favorite spot. As a dedicated teacher, she naturally would've been an avid reader. Here you can see books of literature and dictionaries piled up on the bookcase. And fun fact: the case was originally constructed to contain "Splendor Sunkist Oranges" from California!
The kitchen not far away is also filled with treasures. The blue-and-white china set on the shelf has stood the test of time and remains in good condition. There's also an oil lamp and a tea kettle, which we don't get to see often in a modern house.
The dining room close to the kitchen is covered with floral carpets, which gives the diners a sense of comfort and warmth. And based on the size of the table, we can probably tell that there weren't many people in Carll's family.
Having explored the first floor, we come to the staircase leading up to the second floor. As secure as it might look, the stairs are dangerous to walk on due to a lack of maintenance.
Mrs. Carll's bedroom is located on the second floor. Though it seems a bit dull with just a bed, a sofa, and 2 desks, at the time it would've felt quite cozy with the sunlight streaming into every corner of the room. And if you take a closer look, you may even notice another interesting thing about the owner.
See the hand-embroidered blouse at Carll's bedside? The teacher was passionate about sewing. She also had many other hand-made clothes laying around the house, along with a rare historical assortment we're about to see.
Used for containing medicine and oil, these bottles might've been common in Carll's time. However, they're now being snapped up by collectors as a rare piece of the past. Besides, other items around the house are also of great historical value.
For example, these old photos offer us some information about the Carll family. The well-tailored clothing might be a sign that the family were well-to-do, and the panoramas of the farm give us a glimpse of their life in the past.
Apart from the main house, the 9-acre farm also contains a spacious barn. It must've been filled with horses, sheep, and cows, which confirms our guess that the Carll family had great wealth, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to afford the livestock.
The outside of the barn is also fun to explore. Here you can see a sleigh and a wagon, which would've carried people to different locations on the farm.
It's extraordinary that the 300-yr-old Marion Carll mansion still retains its historical value. In 2011, the mansion was even nominated as an "endangered historic place" in a New York Times article. "It's a wonderful time capsule not only because of the collection of buildings but also because of their contents. Attention must be paid to this property, and money must be raised."
Historically significant as it might be, the farm's future remains unknown. Debbie Virga, director of community relations, says that the Marion Carll Farm committee has been meeting with the school board and local residents to discuss how to preserve this historic home.