Hidden Tunnels & Secret Compartments in Glensheen’s Most Exclusive Tour

Ellie Gerst
Aug 28, 2017 · 4 min read

This is the tour for people who think they already know Glensheen.

You know when people say it’s all in the details? Well people are right. Glensheen might be all about the Big and the Beautiful for some, but behind the extravagant exteriors, there are some nooks and crannies worth exploring.

From the crumbling interior of the boathouse to the many carriages and sleighs stored at the top of the carriage house- there are parts of Glensheen on this tour that no one else sees.

I was eager to hear the stories behind some of the less visible parts of the estate, and my expectations were certainly met as we were led behind the ropes- figuratively and literally.

The tour started in the carriage house, where we were led up to the second floor. Apparently, sleighs and carriages were a common gift in the Congdons’ day and class. So naturally, they had several.

It’s slightly incredible to stand inches from an object plucked straight from history and imagine the people that used it, the things they used it for and the thoughts they had while using it.

It might be our history, but it was their norm and there’s something to be appreciated about that.

After touring the carriage house, we strolled down to the boat house and were given a glimpse into the endoskeleton that used to be home to the Hesperia. It was fascinating in its eerie gloom, but how amazing would it be to have it transformed back to its old granduer and see a faux Hesperia floating inside?

Excitingly enough, Glensheen is currently working to raise money to restore the boathouse and the pier.

After the boat house, our group was led up to the mansion and into the basement. The structure of this tour feels unconventional and almost backwards compared to the Classic and Full Mansion tours, and I really enjoyed that. It gave us the feeling that we were being given an entirely new perspective on the mansion- which we were.

I’m still wrestling with what my favorite part of the tour was . . .

Maybe slithering back behind the boiler with a flashlight to see the entrance to a hidden tunnel that runs beneath the mansion (no one knows what it was used for, which makes it that much better)

Or finding the hidden compartments in Marjorie and Helen’s desks and contemplating what they were used for . . .

Or the incredible view we got stepping out onto Clara’s balcony, which is perhaps the best vantage point of all of Glensheen grounds.

I can only imagine her standing up there with a view of her children playing croquet on the back lawn or Chester meeting a colleague on the Stone Arch Bridge.

Favorites aside, I think this tour should be described as “the best little secrets of Glensheen” and my only complaint is that we didn’t get down into the boiler room tunnel to see where it ended. ;)

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at Glensheen’s hidden rooms and cupboards, be sure to hop on a Nooks & Crannies Tour this fall.

Find out more about the tour here. Donate to Glensheen to help restore the boathouse and pier here.

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