Carolands Foundation
Location & Hours
Suggest an edit
565 Remillard Dr
Hillsborough, CA 94010
You Might Also Consider
Epic Limousine
Taylor S. said "This company really lives up to the Yelp reviews and deserves these 5 stars. I called many places and decided to go with Epic Limousines because of the reviews, price, and general attitude on the phone. I booked an 8 passenger limo…" read more
in Wine Tours, Party Bus Rentals, Limos
Superior Limousine
Special of the month: Special #1: Enjoy a relaxing ride for up to 12 passengers in one of our brand-new Mercedes Sprinter Vans. 8 hours at a discounted rate of $880. We specialize in corporate events, Wine tours, Sport events, City… read more
in Wine Tours, Limos, Bus Tours
Golden Gate Ferry
Jordan N. said "I'm a tourist... and a friend of mine who had lived in Sausalito recommended me to ride a ferry to Sausalito. Why? Well let me tell you something, you landlubbers. Did you know that "cruises" to see the Golden Gate Bridge was…" read more
in Public Transportation
Recommended Reviews
- 1 star rating Not good
- 2 star rating Could’ve been better
- 3 star rating OK
- 4 star rating Good
- 5 star rating Great
Select your rating
Overall rating
This is the best kept secret in California - A Docent lead 2+ hour tour into one of the grandest and most beautiful historic mansion and it is absolutely free! It doesn't even have a gift shop for you to buy anything! The downside - the tours are conducted only once a week on Wednesday - and due to high demand, it is by lottery only. Consider yourself winning the jackpot if you got selected to go on the tour. Allen, the Curator personally lead us to a wonderful tour. They are all volunteers, doing it because they love the house and nothing else! Allen is witty, funny, extremely knowledgeable and absolutely the best. The house is beautiful, the grounds are well kept, everything is authentic as if you are going back in time to the turn of the 20th century. Highly recommend visiting this wondeful mansion- absolutely the best value you can ever get from a tour!
Beautiful home and a wonderful tour, I wish we could have seen the third and fourth floors.
I just recently was lucky enough to tour this house. It's absolutely gorgeous, no question about it. However, I was disappointed in that none of the bedrooms were open to tour. The tour doesn't go the 3rd(?) or 4th floor where the maids quarters were. You really only get to see the kitchen and rooms on the first floor. The docent was very knowledgeable about the history of the people who lived there, however I wish he had spent more time talking about the house itself. For instance, does it have forced air heating/AC? I forgot to ask. How do the windows open and lock? , etc. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the tour but it just made me wanting to see more.
I was so fortunate to be able to tour Carolands yesterday. It was so exciting and spectacular to see. The house is a work of art, the expression of a particular vision of Harriet Pullman, the heiress to the Pullman Railcar fortune (one of them, she had siblings). Because her father had such a specific, highly detailed point of view, Harriet applied this to her vision of a French chateau with a French garden built in California in 1914. It is extraordinary in every way. The current tour is held on Wednesday afternoons, tickets by lottery from their website. Worth it! While the entire house is not yet available to tour, the ground and first floors can be seen. The website is beautiful if you would like to preview the house and see the rooms not on the tour, visit there for more information. Many thanks to Paul Price for an informative tour, that he loves this house is evident. He was the perfect person to see the house with!
MGL Limo - Executive Black Car Service
6.6 miles away from Carolands Foundation
- Luxury Sedan and SUV rental by day / hourly - Executive Transportation with super comfort - Affordable rates for everyone - Airport Limo Transfer , SFO, OAK, SJC - Hourly as directed service for Business , Wine Tour and night out.… read more
in Town Car Service, Limos, Wine Tours
Segway SF Bay
Tara S. said "This is the second time I have used this company. The first time I used this company was when a group of 8 friends and I spent a day in the city. We had so much fun that I decided to to plan to take my dad out during Father's Day…" read more
in Scooter Rentals, Scooter Tours
Collections Including Carolands Foundation
Mansion Tours
By Jill Fay R.
People Also Viewed
The Foster Museum
Lands End Lookout
San Francisco City Guides
HI Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
Blue Painted Lady Tour
Love to Explore
NASA Ames Research & Visitor Center
San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour
San Francisco Bay Ferry - South San Francisco
Best Bay Area Tours
Best of Hillsborough
Things to do in Hillsborough
Other Historical Tours Nearby
Find more Historical Tours near Carolands Foundation
Browse Nearby
Restaurants
Arts & Entertainment
Bike Rentals
Historical Tours Near Me
People found Carolands Foundation by searching for…
French Mansion Hillsborough
Best Carolands Chateau in Hillsborough
Afternoon Tea San Mateo in Hillsborough
Carolands Mansion in Hillsborough
View Points in Hillsborough
Related Cost Guides
Town Car Service
Carolands Chateau (1916 - Present)
- 565 Remillard Dr
Harriett Pullman Carolan Builds Carolands Chateau In San Francisco Bay Area
Taking nearly two years two complete with construction finishing in 1916, Carolands was the ambitious creation of Harriett Pullman Carolan who was brought up in the large mansions and summer homes of her parents, George and Harriet Pullman . Whether it was the family home in Chicago on Prairie Ave , the summer home Fairlawn in Elberon, New Jersey, Castle Rest in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River, or trips to (and schooling in) Europe, the younger Harriett grew up with an appreciation of fanciful architecture.
After numerous relationships over a several year period, Harriett would marry Francis (Frank) Carolan , a Polo player, in 1892, shortly after the death of her paternal grandmother. The wedding would take place at the Prairie Street home in Chicago which had just finished a substantial addition in time for the wedding which would be small on account of the recent passing of her grandmother.
The couple would settle out west in San Francisco. After moving a few times, one of which was reportedly due to a visit from Mrs. Pullman who was not pleased with her daughter living in inferior settings, Mr. Pullman apparently would rectify the situation, for the time being, with the writing of a check as Harriett wouldn’t be able to access her fortune held in a trust until she turned 35.
After all, Mrs. Pullman was the mother who, nearly two decades later, would have the mansion built in Washington D.C. for Harriett’s sister Florence and husband Frank Lowden . Frank, a rising star in politics, didn’t necessarily need a 54-room mansion , but Mrs. Pullman would see to it that he would get one befitting of the name Pullman and the term “Presidency” – going so far as to use the same architect who built the West Wing of the White House. The irony here is, neither the mansion in Washington, D.C., nor the soon to be built Carolands, would receive much use from the Pullman daughters at all.
In 1912, a now 43-year-0ld Harriett would purchase over 500 acres in Hillsborough, California, said to be located on the highest parcel of land overlooking the San Francisco Bay in the neighborhood. Her intent: to erect a chateau that would be a blend of her interests and architectural inspirations, resulting in the Pullman name yet again equated with grandeur. To accomplish this, Harriett would hire one of France’s foremost architects, Ernest Sanson, to design what would become a Beaux-Arts Classical 98 room chateau – the largest mansion west of the Mississippi.
Sanson would never visit the site, being 76-years at the time, and local William Polk would be hired to ensure the work was carried out to Sanson’s plans. Carolands’ grounds would be designed by another leading French architect, Achille Duchêne, who would work onsite to lay out the gardens.
While Carolands would be completed in 1916, the marriage between Harriett and Frank would be nearing its end by the time they moved in that fall. The following year, Harriett would officially separate from Frank, close up Carolands and move to New York City. Frank would stay in California where he would pass away several years later in 1923 at the age of 62.
Two years after Frank’s death, Harriett would remarry, this time to Colonel Arthur Frederick Schermerhorn in 1925. It would be another three years before Hattie would remove the furnishings from Carolands and put it up for sale. It would sit abandoned for the better part of 25 years, though the United States Government considered purchasing it, twice in fact, as a “Western” White House, once in 1939 and later again during the Kennedy Administration. During this time, the land would be subdivided and sold off.
In the 1940s, Carolands came very close to being demolished and was saved at the last minute when Countess Lillian Remillard Dandini stepped in to purchase it and effectively saving it in the process, making it her home in 1949-50. At the time, the land accompanying the mansion had been reduced to a mere six acres of land. Upon her death in 1973 at the age of 93, Dandini left Carolands to the town of Hillsborough for use as an arts center, but the town declined as no provisions were made for the costly up-keep, an issue Dandini herself fell behind with. Carolands would be added to the National Register of Historic Places two years later.
Below: short promo for the documentary, Three Women and a Chateau , aka The Heiress and Her Chateau: Carolands of California , nominated for Two Emmys and produced by Luna Productions .
During the proceeding years, Carolands would fall into disrepair and become not only an eyesore for the neighborhood, but the setting of an adult film and the scene of a horrific crime during the 1980s. According to Pullman Videos YouTube channel —
By the early 1980s, the mansion was virtually abandoned which allowed adult filmmakers to gain access to the site where they produced the 1982 film All American Girls. These excerpts contain no nudity or pornographic images. These are some of the earliest interior video images of the historic mansion that exist.”
The clip can be viewed here .
In 1985, two high school girls, Jeanine Grinsell and Laurie McKenna, had heard that a security guard on-site would sometimes give “unofficial” tours of Carolands. They decided to make the drive up and the security guard, a twenty-three-year-old David Allen Raley, convinced them to park their car around back and out of site since they could all get in trouble. What happened next turned Carolands into a house of horrors as the two were kidnapped, raped, tortured and locked in the trunk of Raley’s 1973 Plymouth until his boss showed up to relieve him. Only one, Laurie McKenna, would ultimately survive the ordeal.
Some of the history of Carolands with plenty of photos and the details of the murder are presented in the Once Upon A Crime Podcast below (clicking on it will open a new browser.)
Despite their being several owners over the next decade plus, Carolands would continue its decline that began back during Countess Lillian Remillard Dandini’s ownership. Once again, the estate had plans for demolition in its future as a local developer wished to subdivide the property even further.
Things looked bleak with no alternatives until Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Johnson purchased Carolands to preserve the Chateau and restore its gardens. A reconstruction effort at the cost of an estimated $20,000,000 would take four years and be completed in 2002, at which time the Johnsons moved in and used it as their personal residence.
In 2012, the Johnsons would donate the Chateau to Carolands Foundation to preserve it for charitable purposes. Today, the foundation offers small tours to the Chateau and gardens, via tour lottery, for which more information can be found here .
565 Remillard Dr Hillsborough
No Records Found
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Google Map Not Loaded
1 reviews on “carolands chateau (1916 – present)”.
Incredible post! Can’t wait to go through all the documentaries. I would love to somehow get on a tour.
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
No listings were found matching your selection. Something missing? Why not add a listing? .
Contact Info
Places details.
- Tags: 1910's , 1920's , 1930's , 1940's , 1950's , 1960's , 1970's , 1980's , 1990's , 2000's , 2010's , 2020's , and National Register of Historic Places
- Category: Crime and Historic Home
- Address: 565 Remillard Dr Hillsborough California 94010 United States
Other Related Category Posts
Boldt Cottage On Heart Island – 1000 Islands
Carson Mansion – Ingomar Club (1886 – Present)
216 Keyes Ave (1870 – Present)
Sacket House – 451 Broadway – Cape Vincent – 1000 Islands
- Privacy Policy
- Terms & Conditions
© 2024 Wassup! LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Memory Ln uses cookies to ensure you get the best user experience on our website.
The Heiress And Her Chateau: Carolands Of California
Airs Monday, July 25, 2016 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV
“The Heiress And Her Chateau: Carolands Of California” is the 100-year saga of a 100-room mansion, a three-dimensional window into life among America’s elite. Chateau Carolands was built by one of the richest women in the world to be her ultimate dream home, but nothing went as planned.
Once the most fabulous house west of the Mississippi, now a foundation, the story of the rise and fall and rise of Chateau Carolands is a dramatic tale of wealth and ruin, love and loss, art and architecture – with a murder, a porno film, and a couple of earthquakes along the way.
It all ends happily, with a multi-million dollar restoration of the Chateau, more grand and glorious now than it ever had been. See how this unique historic architectural masterpiece has come to be preserved for decades to come.
“…the best way to see it is through the lens of Ryan and Weimberg….” — Nancy Davis Kho, SF Chronicle
“… magnificent visuals, eccentric characters, heart-sweeping soundtrack, and a plot action packed with murder, love, loss and a lush, lingering legacy.” — Lou Fancher, Contra Costa Times
“… like a real-life fairy tale with a twist, with the chateau in the role of an enchanted magic mirror, so grand and expensive that it encourages a dangerous hubris in those who fall under its spell.” — Gentry Magazine
A Luna Productions documentary.
Producers/Directors: Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg .
Cinematographer: Tim Metzger .
Editor/Writer: Gary Weimberg.
Original Music: Todd Boekelheide .
Narrator: Lorri Holt.
Carolands Chateau
Introduction.
Text-to-speech Audio
Exterior and reflecting pool of Carolands.
Overhead shot of the Carolands mansion and gardens.
One of the 98 rooms within Carolands.
Carolands Chateau under construction.
Backstory and Context
The Carolans separated in 1917, just a year after the estate was built and had it closed the following year. Francis Carolan died in 1923 and Harriet then married Colonel Arthur Schermerhorn and the couple would occasionally stay at Carolands. Harriet then put the land and mansion up for sale in 1928. Considered for purchase by the US government for a “Western White House" in 1939, the estate was eventually acquired by Tomlinson Moseley in 1948 for residential development.
The estate had been reduced to 25 acres when it was saved from demolition in 1950 by the Countess Lillian Remillard Dandini in 1950. However, during the 23 years she owned the mansion she was unable to renovate and maintain it and it fell into disrepair. The Countess then donated the now six-acre estate to the city of Hillsborough to serve as an arts center. The city, however, was unable to fund the necessary renovations. It was then added to both the National Register of Historic Places and the California Historic Landmarks list in 1975.
The estate then passed through several owners as it further deteriorated, was constantly vandalized, served as a party venue for teens, and was the site of a 1985 murder. The home was then purchased by Charles and Ann Johnson in 1998 and they spent the next four years renovating the venerable mansion. They then donated it to the Carolands Foundation in 2012 and the Foundation now opens it to the public every Wednesday using a lottery system to select the guests due to the large number of applicants. The mansion is also available for charity fund raisers.
Additional Information
- Official site of the Carolands Foundation with extensive history and reservation information.
- Nice article from SFGate regarding Carolands and the PBS documentary about the estate.
OpenBuildings
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. 2006-03-15 . http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ Kinney, Aaron (January 30, 2008). "Contra Costa Times (Insider blog): A brief visit by Dubya". The Contra Costa Times . http://www.ibabuzz.com/insider/2008/01/30/a-brief-visit-by-dubya/ . Retrieved 2008-08-23.
Full article
OpenBuildings - OpenBuildings is a searchable archive of buildings from across the globe including historic, contemporary or conceptual architecture.
565 Remillard Drive, Hillsborough, San Mateo County, California
This house is best associated with...
Harriett Pullman
Mrs Harriett (Pullman) Carolan, afterwards Schermerhorn
Lillian (Remillard) Dandini
Lillian Virginia (Remillard), Countess Dandini de Cesena
You May Also Like...
Marble House
Rose Terrace (1934)
Grosse Pointe
Perry Belmont House
Washington D.C.
George Pullman Mansion
Connections.
Be the first to connect to this house. Connect to record your link to this house. or just to show you love it! Connect to Carolands →
Local News | Horgan: Hillsborough’s Carolands Chateau has…
Share this:.
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Today's e-Edition
- Things to Do
- Real Estate
- Marketplace
Breaking News
Local news | google to stop showing links to california news reports, local news | horgan: hillsborough’s carolands chateau has a quiet centennial.
As 2016 comes to a rapid close (some might say mercifully so), it’s worth pointing out a San Mateo County historical footnote. The opening of the Carolands Chateau, located on Remillard Drive in Hillsborough, occurred 100 years ago.
The massive structure’s centennial has passed without much fanfare. Comprising 98 rooms, the mansion remains one of the largest residential buildings in the western U.S., a classic example of a pre-Depression Era gilded age.
Decades ago, the magnificent dwelling on a prominent hilltop had fallen into serious disrepair. The brainchild of railroad heiress Harriett Pullman Carolan, the huge home, which towers just under five-floors-high, had become a neighborhood eyesore and an attractive nuisance.
There was real concern that it would be torn down and the land sold for development. Fortunately for those dedicated to the county’s heritage, Charles and Ann Johnson bought it for $6 million in 1998 and spent an estimated $20 million to lovingly renovate and restore it completely. Roof repairs alone cost a reported $3 million.
The Johnsons moved into the iconic home in 2002. Today, the chateau is owned and operated by the Carolands Foundation, established by the Johnson family. The aim of the foundation is to maintain the structure going forward.
The mansion is on the list of California Historical Landmarks. For more information about tours and other matters relating to the chateau, you can visit the foundation’s website at carolands.org.
A planned ‘Zuckerburg”
There is a certain irony in any celebration of what amounts to a beautifully repaired and transform 98-room housing option, currently empty, in an area beset by a chronic shortage of affordable places in which to live.
But the obvious dichotomy of great wealth existing in the midst of pressing Peninsula housing needs remains one of the hallmarks of life in these blessed parts.
A new generation of capitalists is making its mark here today. The Johnson family, founders of the highly successful Franklin Resources mutual fund firm in San Mateo (Charles is also a principal owner of the San Francisco Giants), is just one in that modern moneyed genre.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is another. He is currently trying to establish his own private family compound in upscale Palo Alto. He wants to combine five residential properties into one.
But Palo Alto authorities have balked at certain aspects of his plan. However, there is little doubt that Zuckerberg is a sharp cookie. He has been busy helping Peninsula towns with some of their various housing desires.
The boyish billionaire’s latest goodwill move is to donate $20 million to a couple of housing advocacy groups to help to create affordable living spaces in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
The betting in this corner is that Zuckerberg eventually will get what he wants in Palo Alto. Let’s just call his proposed compound “Zuckerburg.” It won’t be another Carolands Chateau, but it might be the next best thing in a new, digital gilded age.
HMB celebration
Looking for some refreshing small-town, feel-good hoopla? Check out this Sunday’s 9 a.m. gala parade down Main Street in charming Half Moon Bay.
The scheduled event in the pleasant coastal village will fete the town’s back-to-back Central Coast Section high school football champions. There will be a celebration for the team in a downtown park when the parade concludes. Good stuff.
John Horgan’s column appears weekly. You can contact him by email at [email protected] and by regular mail at P.O. Box 117083, Burlingame, CA 94011.
- Report an error
- Policies and Standards
More in Local News
SUBSCRIBER ONLY
High school sports | branham athletic director saga: formal complaint provides more details about why landon jacobs was dismissed.
Crime and Public Safety | San Jose: Two arrested on suspicion of making illegal guns
Technology | Google to stop showing links to California news reports
Crime and Public Safety | They told a Fremont woman they’d just won the lottery and needed her help. A few minutes later she was $20,000 poorer
I Want to Go to There: Carolands
The other night I had the TV all to myself for once, and was scrolling through the guide when I happened to see this title on PBS: The Heiress and Her Chateau . How could I not be intrigued? I clicked over to the program and was treated to a fantastic documentary about Carolands , this huge, 98-room Beaux-Arts style chateau built in — wait for it — Hillsborough. Hillsborough is a tiny little town just south of San Francisco. In 7 years of living in SF, I had never even heard of Carolands, let alone the stories behind it!
The mansion was built by Harriett Pullman Carolan and her husband, Francis. Harriett was the daughter of George Pullman , the American engineer who designed the Pullman sleeping car, a luxury train car. The Pullman “palace car” gained notoriety after one was used to transport President Lincoln’s body following his assassination; as crowds gathered along the train’s route, everyone took notice of the car and orders increased. The Pullmans became incredibly wealthy.
Harriett and Francis purchased the 500 acres of land Carolands would eventually sit on in 1912. It took another four years for the house to be completed, following the drawing of plans for the home, gardens, and the actual build. Harriett and Frank moved in during the fall of 1916, but amazingly enough, only lived in the house for two years! What happened to it after is a roller coaster: periods of disrepair, ownership by a Countess, a bizarre and tragic murder on the grounds. In 1998, Charles and Ann Johnson purchased the home and began an extensive restoration and renovation . They brought in famed interior decorator Mario Buatta to give many of the rooms a fresh face lift (the result, of course, was traditional yet stunning). In 2012, the Johnsons donated the home, and today, Carolands lives on as a foundation.
Some of my favorite details about the home: the bathtub in Mrs. Carolan’s bathroom carved from a single piece of marble (you can see it above — can you even imagine?), and how Mrs. Carolan purchased multiple salons from a home in Bordeaux and had them re-installed in the home (I love when history is preserved like this). I also think it’s kind of interesting how the 500+ acres that used to comprise the entire estate were sold off, so you have regular homes right outside the gates of this massive, historic one. Kind of funny.
It’s hard to believe a house with this much history was sitting just a few miles from me! I really wish I had visited when I lived back west; the foundation actually offers tours every Wednesday afternoon (though they must be popular — the site says right now they’re booked through March!). If you like learning about gorgeous, old, historical homes like this, I also recommend that you check out The Heiress and Her Chateau: Carolands of California . It was a fun and interesting watch, and you were really able to see the scale, details, and grandeur of the home! The Carolands Foundation also has a film and book you can check out about the property. Here are some links where you can learn more about Carolands, if you’re interested:
“Romancing History,” Architectural Digest
“Hillsborough’s Downton Abbey,” San Francisco Chronicle
“Carolands,” Wikipedia
Carolands history, Carolands Foundation
Also, the Carolands Foundation has amazing photo galleries of the property!
Images all via the Carolands Foundation
Well, So, Yeah
19 comments.
whoaaa so beautiful! there are so many places in the US that i want to visit — this one makes the list! xo jillian – cornflake dreams
How beautiful, and so tastefully decorated (so many of those mansions are way gilded and over the top). If you’re looking for something closeby here, you should take the train to see The Rockefeller Estate in Tarrytown. We went there in September, and felt like we were in Europe! http://www.hudsonvalley.org/historic-sites/kykuit
Woah, such beautiful photos! I want to visit there too!! Even though I’m usually more minimalist in my design/decor style, I can’t help but LOVE/ADMIRE the details of a home like this. Gorgeous!
Oh my gosh that bathroom with the giant chaise!! I don’t think I would ever leave.
Kristina does the Internets
And the chandelier! It’s so over the top pretty.
I’m trying to imagine that block of marble that the tub would have been, but actually can’t! That’s beautiful – so nice to see history like this in North America!
Every picture is more stunning than the last! Although the chateau is breathtaking, I think the gardens are my favorite. I might have to take a trip out there just to take a closer look.
That is so interesting! I LOVE reading about/seeing the giant, opulent mansions from this time period, like The Frick here in NYC, and Westbury Gardens on Long Island. I grew up going to Westbury with my parents and as I’ve gotten older I have a much bigger appreciation for it. Whereas with Westbury the house is relatively modest compared to this one, it’s the gardens and grounds that really make it stunning and transport you to a different time. The Carolands looks absolutely amazing, I would love to take a tour. Definitely going to watch the documentary.
Umm.. I want to go there too please. Gorgeous place!!
http://www.thecasualclassic.com
This is gorgeous! The grounds, the atrium space/stair hall, even the kitchen and it’s call box is just lovely. Thank you so much for sharing this historic house. I am going to put this documentary on my list of shows to watch.
This place is gorgeous … and now I definitely want to go there! Documentary added to the list.
My husband’s parents live 15 minutes away, give or take, and I’ve never hard of Carolands! I’m pretty sure my husband never knew about it either! It looks so beautiful!
I live on the Peninsula, just a few minutes away and had never heard of this! I definitely plan on making a visit! Thanks for the find!
It’s heartwarming to hear your enthusiasm about the Chateau. It is, indeed, a special and a unique place. We are beginning small docent tours on Wednesday afternoons, and we invite you to check our website for available reservations. April dates will be posted the last weekday in January, May dates on the last weekday of February, etc. Please be patient as it will be very busy in the coming months. It is well worth the wait…your patience will be rewarded. We look forward to welcoming such enthusiastic guests. Please join our mailing list by clicking contact at the bottom of Carolands.org home page. Meg Starr, Executive Director, Carolands Foundation.
Meg, thank you so much for your comment and the extra info! I hope all my Bay Area readers will make their way to the property to check it out…and when I’m in town next for a long haul, you can bet I’ll be there too!
UGH. I cannot believe I lived in SF/Palo Alto for eight years and never visited (nor do I think I really have heard of it!). Wonderful to know when I make my next visit. Great find!
Just finished watching KQED show on Chateau Carolands. Wonderful program. I really like to visit & take a tour. Noticed tour reservation are void after Sept 2. When will there be future tours? Thank you Norman Cheu
Hi Norman — You’re best bet is to contact the Carolands foundation directly. http://carolands.org/ I just happened to write about the property, but am not affiliate with them in any way and can’t speak to their future tour schedule.
I watched the documentary on PBS tonight 4/23/17 and I really enjoyed hearing about the history of this Chateau. I like decorating and seeing beautiful homes. I also have never heard of this Chateau before and I think that the restoration is absolutely gorgeous. I would like to go on a tour one day! Very inspiring story!
Comments are closed.
What are you searching for?
Geoffrey Nelson Markets and Sells Hillsborough’s Most Unique Estates
Some Representative Streets
Alberta, Barbara, Craig, Darrell, Denise, Laurent, Moseley, Mosswood, Pinehill, Pullman, Ralston (upper), Remillard. Robin Road. Warmwood
Neighborhood Overview
Carolands is a sprawling and scenic area of upper Hillsborough with a broad housing diversity. The lands were originally the 554 acre hilltop kingdom of Harriet Pullman Carolan, who built one of America’s greatest estates at 565 Remillard Road in 1914. Painstakingly restored, the authentic French Chateau "Carolands" is now held in a Foundation and proudly hosts occasional events and private tours. The 65,000 sq. ft. Chateau currently holds 5.37 acres with gates visible on both Remillard and Craig Road. The Carolands neighborhood offers a bit of everything: from 1950s classic ranchers on half-acre lots, to new luxury constructions from the 2000s, and glamorous Bay-view estates on 2 acre minimums. Streets around West School such as Darrell, Barbara, Craig, and Remillard originated as the 1950s California suburban dream: a ranch-style house opening to swimming pool. The 600 block of Pullman and 500 block of Craig Road present good examples of newer 2-story luxury homes built-out to maximize their mostly half-acre lot coverages. The first subdivision of the Carolands Chateau starting in 1929 comprised a unique sub-district that I call The 2-Acre Corridor . Today, these streets such as Robin Road, Upper Ralston (2900-3300 blocks), 400 block of Pullman, and all of Pinehill showcase epic Bay-view estates in the exclusive 2-acre minimum location. High-end estates in this pocket will rival Lower Hillsborough for some of the top prices in town. All of Carolands enjoys easy proximity to Highway 280, and is served by the main artery of Chateau Drive (a straight shot up and down the hill) linking downtown Burlingame and commute highways.
The Carolands neighborhood is assigned primarily to West School, Crocker Middle, and Burlingame High.
For Hillsborough School District School Boundaries, North, South, West, By-Street click here .
Explore All Hillsborough Neighborhoods at Geoffrey Nelson’s Hillsborough Google Map .
Appeal to Residents and Homeseekers
- Strong housing diversity from classic 1950s ranchers, to glamorous eight-figure new estates
- Neighborhood feeling with nearby West School, Nueva School, and easy 280 connection
- Incredible views of Bay, SF skyline, and Valley
- Along with Lower North and Lower South, Carolands will have opportunities for those seeking $10M+ estates with 1-2 acre lots and resort-like amenities
Potentially Adverse to Residents and Homeseekers
- Proximity to Highway 280 creates varying degrees of freeway noise
- Upper location makes "walking to downtown" mostly prohibitive. Requires a car to reach downtown amenities of Burlingame or San Mateo.
Historic Notes
Original hilltop site of one of the most storied private residences ever built in the United States: the circa-1914 Carolands Chateau, National Register of Historic Places # 75000478. Now a masterfully restored private residence complete with its own coffee table book and DVD feature “Three Women and a Chateau.” Many of the subdivision street names (Denise, Barbara, Darrell, Moseley, etc) were dubbed after friends and family members of 1940s landholder the Moseley family.
Geoffrey's Recent Track Record in Carolands Area of Hillsborough
- 465 Barbara Way, Listed at $5,788,000 SOLD $6,350,000 with 3 offers (2022 Buyer Representation)
- 480 Pullman Road, Listed at $7,388,000 SOLD $7,400,000 (2021 Seller Representation)
- 30 Mosswood Road, SOLD at $6,866,000 (2021 Buyer Representation)
- 1415 San Raymundo Road, Listed at $5,298,000, SOLD $5,407,000 (2021 Buyer Representation)
Crowded House: Gravity Stairs Tour
Chateau Ste. Michelle - Standard Parking Crowded House
Chateau ste michelle winery | woodinville, wa.
Crowded House
Latest setlist, crowded house on march 6, 2024.
Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
Popular Tracks
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
- Our Mission
- Preservation
- Photo Gallery
CAROLANDS FOUNDATION’S charitable mission includes support of programs, projects and organizations that educate people about the rich cultural legacy, architectural heritage and historic preservation of Carolands Château. We do this by opening our doors to carefully curated tours of the property and by offering select charitable organizations an opportunity to use Carolands Château for appropriate activities. In doing so, the Foundation endeavors to set a standard of preservation and stewardship that will inspire an active interest in the art and practice of the classical traditions in architecture and landscape design. This is aligned with a belief that a vibrant society supports cultural and historical expression across the myriad landscape of the arts and sciences.
Carolands Foundation Mavie Mendelson, Executive Director 565 Remillard Drive Hillsborough, CA 94010 (650) 343-0613 mavie.mendelson@carolands.org
photography by Mick Hales , David Glomb, Stefen Turner , Jack Hutcheson interiors by Mario Buatta contemporary landscape design by Martin Lane Fox FRICS VMH Holiday décor by Image Three, Inc. special thanks to our docents for their valuable contribution: Paul Price, Allen Deering, and Tom Larsen site by: Dyad
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Carolands. CAROLANDS FOUNDATION is pleased to open its doors for small curator-led tours of the Château and gardens. Tours focus on Carolands' rich historical background and classical architectural traditions. Guests glimpse both the "Upstairs and Downstairs" experiences of those residing in one of the last of the Gilded Age mansions.
Carolands, also known as "The Chateau," was constructed around 1915 and considered one of the finest examples of French Classical architecture in America.It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is a California State Landmark. Carolands address: 565 Remillard Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010. Design & Construction. The home was built in Hillsborough by Harriett Pullman Carolan ...
Carolands Chateau is a 46,050-square-foot (4,278 m 2), 4.5 floor, 98 room mansion on 5.83 acres (2.36 ha) in Hillsborough, California, United States. ... as they said that the mansion would be open to self-guided public tours every weekday from 9-5.
Carolands is designated California Historic Landmark No. 886 and added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP Reference #75000478). Carolands slides into a serious decline with multiple owners and threats of demolition. 1991. Carolands is used as a Decorators Show House.
Visit the Carolands Mansion in Hillsborough for a fascinating, docent-led tour of this storied "chateau". Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the home is considered one of the finest examples of French Classical architecture in the U.S. Roundtrip via motorcoach transportation included.
4 reviews and 12 photos of Carolands Foundation "This is the best kept secret in California - A Docent lead 2+ hour tour into one of the grandest and most beautiful historic mansion and it is absolutely free! It doesn't even have a gift shop for you to buy anything! The downside - the tours are conducted only once a week on Wednesday - and due to high demand, it is by lottery only.
Carolands Chateau, built for approximately $1,000,000 in 1914-1916 (the equivalent of $25,793,394.50 in 2022 dollars). Photo: Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, E Saint-Saens, Achilles Duchene, Harriett Pullman Carolan, Willis Polk, and Ernest Sanson. ... the foundation offers small tours to the Chateau and gardens, via tour lottery ...
Music room: Carolands, 565 Remillard Dr., Hillsborough, San Mateo County, Calif. "The Heiress And Her Chateau: Carolands Of California" is the 100-year saga of a 100-room mansion, a three ...
This 46,000 square foot, 98 room Carolands estate was built by Harriet Pullman Carolan and her husband Francis. Daughter of the railroad magnate, George Pullman, Harriet desired a home inspired by the architecture of 17th century France. Construction on the home and gardens began in 1912, shortly after Harriet purchased 554 acres. The mansion was completed in 1916, but the Carolans would only ...
The Carolands Chateau is a 65,000 square foot (6,000 m²) mansion in Hillsborough, California. Its 75 foot (23 m)-high atrium holds the record as the largest enclosed space in an American private residence. Considered a masterpiece of American Renaissance and Second Empire Beaux-Arts design, the building is a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A new documentary, airing on PBS this Sunday night, brings to light the history of the 98-room Carolands Chateau, which was built as on 554 acres of land purchased in April 1912 by Harriett ...
The drama unfolds through generations of owners of Carolands as they fall into failure and near-ruin, starting with one of the richest women in the world, Harriett Pullman Carolan heiress to the Pullman Railway Car fortune, who first built the house in the 1910's. Lucklily, there is a happy ending: the complete restoration of the Chateau by ...
Completed in 1916, for Harriett Pullman (1869-1956) and her first husband Francis J. Carolan (1861-1923).Located twenty miles south of San Francisco, Carolands is one of just two American chateaux designed by one of France's most revered architects of its Belle Époque, Ernest-Paul Sanson.For many years, the 98-room chateau was the largest private home west of the Mississippi and its 75-foot ...
Carolands Chateau, built 1914, aerial vista gazing southward. The parterre garden to the left of the house conceals a high-capacity garage below. ... The brainchild of Harriett Pullman Carolan with construction around World War I. Prior to the Chateau, the Carolans' first Hillsborough estate, Crossways, circa 1890s, was at today's Sharon/Willow ...
The opening of the Carolands Chateau, located on Remillard Drive in Hillsborough, occurred 100 years ago. The massive structure's centennial has passed without much fanfare. Comprising 98 rooms ...
Geoffrey Nelson Markets and Sells Hillsborough's Most Unique Estates. Agent No. 01313666. Contact. 650.455.3735 [email protected] 1427 Chapin Avenue , Burlingame , CA 94010. Carolands is a sprawling and scenic area of upper Hillsborough with a broad housing diversity. The lands were originally the 554 acre hilltop kingdom of Harriet ...
A coffee-table book, "Carolands," and a documentary, "Three Women and a Chateau," also celebrate her efforts and the history of Carolands. Carolands is a California Historic Landmark, and it's on ...
Considering the size of the house — 98 rooms in a 67,066 square foot mansion — and its degraded condition, courage again comes readily to mind when Charles and Dr. Ann Johnson bought Carolands in 1998. A meticulous, multi-year restoration was undertaken and in 2012 the Johnsons donated le château des trois dames to the Carolands Foundation.
The Gate House was originally constructed at the entrance of the Carolands subdivision, along the roadway leading to the Carolands Chateau. Lang Realty built the massive gates on Ralston in 1926 that guarded the entry to the Carolands subdivision, and in 1929 it built the picturesque French-style 1,000-square-foot lodge and garage.
I clicked over to the program and was treated to a fantastic documentary about Carolands, this huge, 98-room Beaux-Arts style chateau built in — wait for it — Hillsborough. Hillsborough is a tiny little town just south of San Francisco. In 7 years of living in SF, I had never even heard of Carolands, let alone the stories behind it!
Painstakingly restored, the authentic French Chateau "Carolands" is now held in a Foundation and proudly hosts occasional events and private tours. The 65,000 sq. ft. Chateau currently holds 5.37 acres with gates visible on both Remillard and Craig Road. The Carolands neighborhood offers a bit of everything: from 1950s classic ranchers on half ...
The Carolands Estate Predator. Episode sources: "Murder and intrigue at California's last great Gilded Age mansion" by Katie Dowd (SF Gate) "Carolands mansion murder: Survivor Laurie McKenna speaks, 20 years later" by Howard Mintz (Mercury News) "Yesterday's Crimes: The Hillsborough Mansion Murder" by Nuala Sawyer Bishari (SF ...
Concert and event schedules can be obtained by calling Chateau Ste. Michelles Visitor Information Line at (425) 488-1133 or visiting them online at www.ste-michelle.com Venue Seat Map Other Artists You May Like
Carolands Foundation Mavie Mendelson, Executive Director 565 Remillard Drive Hillsborough, CA 94010 (650) 343-0613 [email protected]