New-York tribune., 1902-09-07

DR. WEBB'S BIG ESTATE
sHELBURNE FARMS, A PARK OF FIVE
THOUSAND ACRES, ON LAKE CHAM
PLAIN-ITS HUGE BARNS.

one Of the smaller States, 1t has WITHIN us Dor
ders one of the largest private estates east OF
the Mississippi River-the country home OF Dr'
W. Seward Webb, comprising about five thou
sand acres The estate is known as Shelburne
Farms. and was created by the consolidation Of
TWENTY-FIVE farms 1t is about seven miles
south of burlington, and borders Lake Cham
plain for twelve or fifteen miles, the extended
coast being secured by the purchase OF Smell
burne Point which separates Shelpurne bay
from the lake. President Roosevelt visited the
estate last week.
DR. Webb first came to Burlington IN 1861
and spent the season in the city He was so
pleased with the surroundings that III loo4 ne
bought a tract of land one mile south of the
citv on the lake shore, and built handsome
house. This place he called Oak Lodge. lie
lived there until 1887 when, desiring larger
nIace he bought what is now known as Shell
hrrne Farms in the town of Shelburne. An
army of men was set at work constructing d
country house and immense barns and staples'
and in building roads planting trees ana tlaiS-
forming this typical Vermont farming region
into a great park. Nature had done much lof
SheIburne Farms in providing a hne lociitiol-
1t would not be easy to find more beautilui
out1ook. Lake Champlain, with its Adirondack
mountain wall as a background, hes TO the
west and the Green Mountains the backbone OF
Y IL,
which for scenic beauty is most attractive IL
ts an interesting coincidence that many years
ogo mart of this estate granted to General
Samuel B. Webb, grandfather Of the present
owner who was a Revolutionary olfcer ana an
sjde-de-canp OF General Washington.
cba1hurne Farms has over two thousand acres
of cleared land, with extensive orchards ana
fine tracts of woodland. The surface IS rolllhs'
the average elevation above Lake Champlillh
being l5O feet. The lake in itself Is -l' leet
above sea level The lake frontage of the estate
includes many kinds of shore. sandy beaches
and rocky bluffs 100 feet high, bays and PENN
suas Nearly twenty miles of excellent stone
roadway has been constructed. These drives
were laid out by a landscape gardener, and
winding through the meadow and forest, afford
delightful gimpses of the lake and mountains
Entrance TO the estate is through handsome
stone gateways with porters lodge at each
gate The road from the railroad station leads
through an avenue of noble pines and is bor-
dered by beautiful Towering shrubs.
Shelburne House, DR.. Webbs residence de
signed by r. II. Robertson. overlooks the lake
and commands beautiful view. 1t is ram
bling structure, in the Queen Anne style, con
tanning more than sixty rooms. The rooms are
finished in mahogany. oak and other handsome
woods Dr. Webb has in his private office, or
workroom telegraph and telephone wires
enabling him to keep in touch with his business
affairs in New-York and other places. \
special railroad service brings him three mail
bags every night, made up at his New-I"rk
Offices. This enables him to spend the greater
part of his time at Shelburne House and still
attend to the details of his business interests at
the metropolis. He goes down to NeW-iOrk
nearly every week to attend to such affairs
require his personal supervision.
a large wing, three stories in height was re-
white oak quartered oak and mahogany and is
lighted by four hundred incandescent electric
lights This addition contains a spacious dining
room, which, together with the halls leading to
IT is finished entirely of Vermont marble The
house is surrounded by a large expanse of
closely shaven. variety of color is given by
Shrubs and beds of flowers. North of the house
a wall has been erected.
Shelburne House is famous for the hospitality
which Dr. and Mrs. Webb dispense. Large par
ties of friends from New-York and other places
are entertained there both summer and winter
and two houses the estate aside from Shell
burne House, kept furnished for the use of
guests
Scattered about the farms are sixteen gray
cottages occupied by men employed on the
estate. The great farm barn is built on three
81 es Of square, making a farmyard 400 by
2Gi feet in size. The main building is 4lG feet