Romantic Homes Throughout History

Have you ever wondered where Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway lived? or what ever became of Yoko and John's central park apartment in The Dakota? This blog explores homes owned by famous couples throughout different time periods in history. 

​William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway: 
​Hathaway's Cottage - The Hamlet of Shottery

​This 12 bedroom estate situated on 90 acres, is not necessarily a "cottage" by today's standards. The Hathaway cottage is Anne's birth home and family homestead. Although the couple never lived here while married, they spent quite a bit of time on the property while William Shakespeare was courting Anne. The cottage and the gardens are now a museum that are open to the public to tour.

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George and Edith Vanderbilt: 
​Biltmore Estate - Asheville, North Carolina

Nestled next to the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina, The Biltmore Estate was built in the late 1800's. At the time it was the largest privately owned home in the U.S at 178,926 square feet. It was built by George Vanderbilt II. Although he wasn't married when the property was built, a few years later he married a Parisian woman named Edith. Edith redecorated the interior of the property. Their only child, Cornelia, was born and raised on the property. The Biltmore estate is now one of the most popular tourist attraction in Asheville and is still owned by a Vanderbilt descendant. 

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​President William and Ida McKinley: 
Saxton-McKinley House - Canton, Ohio

​Located in Canton, the McKinley's lived at the Saxton house, except for his time in office while they lived at the White House. Mark Hanna, republican senator and McKinley's friend said, "President McKinley has made it pretty hard for the rest of us husbands here in Washington." William's unwavering devotion to Ida through their marriage is a testament to true love. After losing their two young daughters, Ida became very ill and relied on William's care. William insisted at political functions that Ida be seated next to him, instead of across from him which was customary. He then could hold and support her when she had seizures. After William's assassination Ida visited his grave everyday until her death six years later. 

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​F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald:
Fitzgerald House - Montgomery, Alabama​

​F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were the wild "it" couple of the roaring twenties. Regarded as one of the best writers of the Jazz Age and the 20th Century, F. Scott Fitzgerald fell for Zelda while serving in the Army. Zelda was F. Scott's muse and many of the female characters in his novels were inspired by her. Zelda's battle with mental illness caused their romance to be very tumultuous, with her in and out of mental institutions. The Fitzgerald house is one of the last remaining homes the two lived in together. This transient couple, never owned a home, they leased this house during the winter and spring of '31-'32. They were productive while living there, writing a few novels and short stories. The novel, Tender is the Night was written while they lived here. Zelda wrote about Montgomery in her letters: "The weather here is a continual circus day -- smoky with the sun like a red balloon and soft and romantic and sensual." 

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Jackie and Rachel Robinson:
​112-40 177th St. - Addleighs Park, Queens, NY

​Baseball player, Jackie Robinson purchased this home in Queens in 1950 for $100. Although it is not a nationally registered historic property, it's regarded as an important home for African-American history. The Robinson's moved in soon after a covenant was lifted that banned African-American's from living in the neighborhood. Unlike Jackie and Rachel's loving and peaceful marriage, they were harassed daily at their new home. At one point Rachel said, "When Jack started getting hate mail, we worried about the children and their playing outside." The Robinson's rose above the hatred and continued to live in the house until moving to Massachusetts years later. 

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​John Lennon and Yoko Ono:
The Dakota - Central Park West, NYC

​Throughout the years the Dakota Apartments in NYC have been home to many celebrities. Most notably, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. They lived at the Dakota for 7 years before his assassination in 1980.  They enjoyed the anonymity they received living at the Dakota. “This building is chockablock full of famous people, most artists like myself tend to keep to themselves.” Said Roberta Flack, John and Yoko's neighbor. John purchased five different apartments in the Dakota. They resided in their 7th story apartment. Yoko and John used one unit as a studio and the other units for storage. Yoko Ono still resides at The Dakota and John Lennon's Strawberry Fields memorial is across the street.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/nyregion/07appraisal.html?_r=0
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit-the-houses/anne-hathaways-cottage-amp-gardens.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Hathaway%27s_Cottage
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/jackie-robinson-house-not-safe-article-1.280057
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltmore_Estate
http://www.southernliterarytrail.org/montgomery.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Saxton_McKinley