East Egg Shattered
I recently encountered a dusty old box when reviewing my
exploration archives. I put my lantern down for a moment and blew the dust off
the top of the cardboard; I could see that it said something – “Land’s End” Eureka!
It was my old files from when my team and I had visited the Gatsby era estate
in Sands Point. This expedition
goes back to 2009, as the mansion has fallen victim to the wrecking ball in
more recent times.
Nestled on the tip of Cow’s Neck, the whimsical structure
was a landmark to sailors in the Long Island Sound for decades. Built in 1902, the colonial style
home was made famous by newspaper baron Herbert Bayard Swope, who hosted lavish
parties, often lasting for days. Guests to these parties included the likes of
Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, The Marx Brothers and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It has been said that Fitzgerald would stay for extended periods of time, drawing
from his experiences at these parties for his inspiration to write The Great
Gatsby. Sands Point was named
"East Egg" in the novel.
After being sold to various people over the last century and
sitting abandoned for some time, a developer acquired the property and drew up
plans to sub-divide the land into five separate plots - The Grand Mansion that
sparked a literary classic has been destroyed as of 2011.
Upon entering the home we were whisked away by it’s
grandeur, back to another time, back to the time of Gatsby. As I made my way
through the hallways I closed my eyes for a minute and tried to imagine the
grand parties that once took place. The sound of Jazz echoed through the
halls. Standing still for a
minute, I could almost hear champagne glasses clanking off in the
distance.
There were some pretty
extraordinary things in the home. An elevator that goes from the first floor
directly into the master bedroom, beautiful hand-painted Chinese style
wallpaper and jaw dropping views of the Long Island Sound from almost every
window
– extremely elegant.
This building, perhaps as much as any I have explored,
played a significant and lasting role in the literary history of this great
nation. Without estates like Land’s End, F. Scott Fitzgerald may never have
written the novel that went on to define a generation. We owe these places, and the
people who made them what they are, a debt of national gratitude.
We snapped these photos and took in the views. It is sad to
see that this historical and architectural gem has been lost to time. All that
remains are the ruins of the pool and the fantastic descriptions which will
live forever on the pages of one of the world’s most beloved stories.
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| A sad day. |
