A 216-acre park on Long Island is home to 4 mansions straight out of 'The Great Gatsby' — take a closer look

Gabbi ShawJul 5, 2024, 21:32 IST

Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Sands Point Preserve is a 216-acre park in New York.
The preserve sits on what used to be the Guggenheim Estate on Long Island's North Shore.

There are many mansions scattered across the North Shore of Long Island, New York, that date back to the Roaring '20s.

In Sands Point, a village at the tip of Cow Neck Peninsula, there lies a 216-acre park and conservancy that dates even further back to 1900, when the land was purchased by Howard Gould, the son of the railroad tycoon Jay Gould.

Over 100 years later, the four separate homes built on this property — Castle Gould, Hempstead House, Falaise, and Mille Fleurs — are still in pristine condition. Three have been converted to museums, and much of the land has been cut through with hiking trails.

I visited in June 2024 to take an informative self-guided tour of two of the homes, and I felt like I was traveling back in time to the era of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby's neighborhood, West Egg.

Here's what it's like to visit the Sands Point Preserve today.

On a June afternoon, I made the drive to Sands Point, a village on Long Island. It costs $15 per car or $4 per person to walk into Sands Point Preserve.

The entryway of Sands Point.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Here's where Sands Point lies on the map. The other circled locations are other mansions from the same era across Long Island.

Sands Point Preserve.Google Maps

After I parked, I was greeted with a map of the preserve, including the locations of its four mansions and multiple hiking trails.

A map of Sands Point Preserve.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The first structure I saw was the oldest on the property: Castle Gould, completed in 1904.

Castle Gould is huge, especially compared to me.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Castle Gould, which spans 100,000 square feet, is based on the medieval Irish castle Kilkenny, which was built starting in 1192.

The full exterior of Castle Gould.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Financier Howard Gould commissioned it to please his wife, the actor Katherine Clemmons, according to the preserve.

An entrance to Castle Gould.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The medieval vibes continue inside. This room serves as a lobby — in Gould's time, the entire castle served as a stable and carriage house.

The foyer of Castle Gould.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Much of Castle Gould isn't available to tour, but the Great Hall, seen here, can be used for private events.

The Great Hall inside of Castle Gould.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

You might wonder why Castle Gould was just used as a carriage house. That's because Gould's wife, Katherine, didn't like the finished product.

The back of Castle Gould.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

So, the family constructed another mansion just across the lawn in 1912.

The Great Lawn.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

That home is called Hempstead House. It's smaller but still measures an incredible 50,000 square feet. It has 40 rooms.

Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Gould and Clemmons never actually lived here together. They divorced in 1909, with Gould accusing his wife of having an affair with Buffalo Bill Cody.

The side and landscaping of Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Gould finished the estate but sold it in 1917 so he could move abroad.

The red-carpeted entrance of Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

He sold it to Daniel and Florence Guggenheim — yes, those Guggenheims. His brother, Benjamin, died on the Titanic. Another brother, Solomon, founded the NYC museum of the same name.

Daniel Guggenheim circa 1913.HUM Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

He sold it to Daniel and Florence Guggenheim — yes, those Guggenheims. His brother, Benjamin, died on the Titanic. Another brother, Solomon, founded the NYC museum of the same name.

Hempstead House is only available for tours on Wednesdays in July and August. I'll be coming back to get a better look at the interior.

A side view of Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I was able to see one room through the door and was already impressed by the design.

A room inside of Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

But the Rose Garden behind Hempstead House is open to any visitors.

The Rose Garden.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Now, instead of roses, there are dozens of native flowers to help facilitate pollination.

Some of the plants at the Rose Garden.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The home also has a view of the Long Island Sound, seen here in the distance.

The Long Island Sound from Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The third mansion at Sands Point is Falaise, which was built on 90 acres of land Daniel gave to his son, Harry, upon his wedding to Caroline Morton in 1923.

The Long Island Sound from the cliffs outside Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Harry had a fascinating life. He was an avid aviator and friends with legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh. Harry also founded the Long Island newspaper Newsday with his wife in 1940.

Harry Guggenheim and Charles Lindbergh.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images

Harry had a fascinating life. He was an avid aviator and friends with legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh. Harry also founded the Long Island newspaper Newsday with his wife in 1940.

His home, Falaise, is available to see via private tours offered on weekends from May through October.

One of the many well-manicured lawns at Sands Point.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

"Falaise" means cliffside in French, an apt name for the cliffside mansion.

A pond at Sands Point.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Daniel and Florence Guggenheim lived in Hempstead House until he died in 1930.

Hempstead House.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Upon his death, Florence moved to the fourth and smallest mansion on the property, Mille Fleurs, French for "1,000 flowers." It's private to this day.

Some of the woods.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

In 1940, during World War II, Florence reopened Hempstead House for refugee children.

Daniel and Florence Guggenheim playing golf in 1922.Bettmann/Getty Images

By 1946, 162 acres of the land had been gifted to the US Navy, which operated the Naval Training Device Center there through 1967.

Nassau County Executive Eugene Nickerson, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Bill Moyers, Harry F. Guggenheim, and Senator Jacob Javits in 1967.Stan Wolfson/Newsday RM/Getty Images

In 1971, Harry Guggenheim died, leaving his personal 90 acres to Nassau County. That same year, the county acquired the unused Naval land. Together, this reformed the estate.

Harry Guggenheim at the Guggenheim Museum in 1959.Bettmann/Getty Images

In 1971, Harry Guggenheim died, leaving his personal 90 acres to Nassau County. That same year, the county acquired the unused Naval land. Together, this reformed the estate.

Now, you can tour two of the four mansions, hike, and even go to the beach.

The beach.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

To the west, you can see Westchester County in the distance.

Westchester.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

To the east: the Long Island town of Glen Cove.

Glen Cove.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Even without the mansions, Sands Point Preserve would be a beautiful park. But with them, you can feel like you're stepping back into the time of Gatsby and the Roaring '20s.

It's also a great place to take photos.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Even without the mansions, Sands Point Preserve would be a beautiful park. But with them, you can feel like you're stepping back into the time of Gatsby and the Roaring '20s.

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A 216-acre park on Long Island is home to 4 mansions straight out of 'The Great Gatsby' &mdash; take a closer look

On a June afternoon, I made the drive to Sands Point, a village on Long Island. It costs $15 per car or $4 per person to walk into Sands Point Preserve.

Here's where Sands Point lies on the map. The other circled locations are other mansions from the same era across Long Island.

After I parked, I was greeted with a map of the preserve, including the locations of its four mansions and multiple hiking trails.

The first structure I saw was the oldest on the property: Castle Gould, completed in 1904.

Castle Gould, which spans 100,000 square feet, is based on the medieval Irish castle Kilkenny, which was built starting in 1192.

Financier Howard Gould commissioned it to please his wife, the actor Katherine Clemmons, according to the preserve.

The medieval vibes continue inside. This room serves as a lobby — in Gould's time, the entire castle served as a stable and carriage house.

Much of Castle Gould isn't available to tour, but the Great Hall, seen here, can be used for private events.

You might wonder why Castle Gould was just used as a carriage house. That's because Gould's wife, Katherine, didn't like the finished product.

So, the family constructed another mansion just across the lawn in 1912.

That home is called Hempstead House. It's smaller but still measures an incredible 50,000 square feet. It has 40 rooms.

Gould and Clemmons never actually lived here together. They divorced in 1909, with Gould accusing his wife of having an affair with Buffalo Bill Cody.

Gould finished the estate but sold it in 1917 so he could move abroad.

He sold it to Daniel and Florence Guggenheim — yes, those Guggenheims. His brother, Benjamin, died on the Titanic. Another brother, Solomon, founded the NYC museum of the same name.

Hempstead House is only available for tours on Wednesdays in July and August. I'll be coming back to get a better look at the interior.

I was able to see one room through the door and was already impressed by the design.

But the Rose Garden behind Hempstead House is open to any visitors.

Now, instead of roses, there are dozens of native flowers to help facilitate pollination.

The home also has a view of the Long Island Sound, seen here in the distance.

The third mansion at Sands Point is Falaise, which was built on 90 acres of land Daniel gave to his son, Harry, upon his wedding to Caroline Morton in 1923.

Harry had a fascinating life. He was an avid aviator and friends with legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh. Harry also founded the Long Island newspaper Newsday with his wife in 1940.

His home, Falaise, is available to see via private tours offered on weekends from May through October.

"Falaise" means cliffside in French, an apt name for the cliffside mansion.

Daniel and Florence Guggenheim lived in Hempstead House until he died in 1930.

Upon his death, Florence moved to the fourth and smallest mansion on the property, Mille Fleurs, French for "1,000 flowers." It's private to this day.

In 1940, during World War II, Florence reopened Hempstead House for refugee children.

By 1946, 162 acres of the land had been gifted to the US Navy, which operated the Naval Training Device Center there through 1967.

In 1971, Harry Guggenheim died, leaving his personal 90 acres to Nassau County. That same year, the county acquired the unused Naval land. Together, this reformed the estate.

Now, you can tour two of the four mansions, hike, and even go to the beach.

To the west, you can see Westchester County in the distance.

To the east: the Long Island town of Glen Cove.

Even without the mansions, Sands Point Preserve would be a beautiful park. But with them, you can feel like you're stepping back into the time of Gatsby and the Roaring '20s.

A 216-acre park on Long Island is home to 4 mansions straight out of 'The Great Gatsby' — take a closer look