Nemours Estate, Wilmington (must see)

The Nemours Estate in Wilmington is a grand 200-acre property that embodies early 20th-century American opulence inspired by French aristocratic elegance. Commissioned by industrialist and philanthropist Alfred I. du Pont between 1909 and 1910 as a gift for his second wife, Alicia, the estate takes its name from the French town of Nemours, connected to du Pont’s ancestral lineage. The 105-room mansion, designed by the renowned firm Carrère and Hastings in the Louis XVI style, stretches nearly 47,000 square feet and evokes the spirit of a French château. Today, the estate shares its grounds with Nemours Children’s Hospital and is operated by the Nemours Foundation.

The mansion is richly appointed with 18th-century French furnishings and a diverse array of art, spanning centuries and continents. Noteworthy highlights include a rare Louis XVI musical clock crafted by David Roentgen and Peter Kinzing, which plays dulcimer and pipe organ melodies, and a second timepiece originally made for Marie Antoinette. Other exceptional artifacts include a chair from King George VI’s 1937 coronation, a seat from Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, and original works by Frederic Remington and Sidney Lawrence, among others. Alfred I. du Pont’s portrait watches over the collection, preserving his legacy within the home.

Surrounding the mansion is the most elaborate French formal garden in North America, modeled on the gardens of Versailles’ Petit Trianon. The grounds feature a grand central axis stretching a third of a mile from the house, bordered by finely manicured plantings, ornate fountains, reflecting pools, and classical sculptures. Visitors encounter a harmonious blend of natural woodland and meticulous landscape architecture, with elegant pavilions and a striking carillon tower punctuating the estate’s romantic vistas.

Nemours is more than an opulent estate; it is a physical expression of European influence filtered through American ambition, designed not only for grandeur but also to delight and inspire. Its fusion of architecture, art, and landscape makes it a rare cultural treasure in the Mid-Atlantic, open to those eager to step into the gilded legacy of the du Pont family.