Discalced Carmelite Fathers
Who owned E. W. Marland Mansion from 1941 to 1948?
E . W . Marland Mansion The E.W . Marland Mansion is a Mediterranean Revival-style mansion located in Ponca City , Oklahoma , United States . Built by oil baron and philanthropist Ernest Whitworth ( E.W. ) Marland , as a display of wealth at the peak of the 1920s oil boom , the house is one of the largest residences in the southwestern United States , and is known as the Palace on the Prairie . It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 , and is now a museum open to the public . Architecture . The Marland Mansion was built on the side of a small hill , higher on the west side than on the east , in an abandoned stone quarry that determined the placement for the mansion , as the excavations for the quarry was used for the construction of the swimming pool . Designed by prominent Tulsa architect John Duncan Forsyth , the mansion was constructed between 1925 and 1928 , and influenced by the Palazzo Davanzati in Florence , Italy that Marland had visited while traveling in Europe . Crafted from light-colored , rusticated limestone blocks , quarried on-site , and set in concrete on a steel frame , the roughly u-shaped layout is 78 feet wide and 184 feet long . The main entrance is found on the west front and features an arched and buttressed porte-cochère with gabled , clay tiled roof , that shelters the arched , 11-panel , double wood entrance doors custom-made in New York . Under each of the four inside corners of the porte-cochère are sculptures of Marlands four hunting dogs , carved by Italian sculptor , Ernest G . Pellegrini . The windows with black painted metal surrounds , to contrast with the light colored stone , are asymmetrically arranged . The first level windows feature wrought iron grill work , while those on the second level are smaller , or have wrought iron balconies . Large raised terraces are found on the north , south and east fronts , however they do not interconnect . The south fronts notable features include triple arched windows giving an arcaded effect and accented with stone balconies with flower carved corbels that flank the facade on the upper level . The drainage system is also exposed and displays the Marland monogram and the date 1927 . The water from the system drains through a sculptured carving of Pan into a water feature located in a niche in the side of the terrace wall . Giving access to the terrace is a semicircular arched glass and wrought iron double doorway . The fanlight features a sunburst pattern with the tracery continuing down into the sidelights and doors with vertical bars . The arched doorway is replicated on the north facade in a set of three , continuing the arcaded effect . This arcade is highlighted by a stone cantilevered staircase to the left , with ornately carved corbels of mythological creatures leading to a second floor balcony adjacent to E.W . Marlands quarters . The east front is the only one that features a symmetrical facade , and where all three stories are evident due to the house being built on a hill . The first level has a set of three arched doorways that enclose a lounge directly below a terrace found on the second level , centered by a single arched entryway . On the third level are flanking rectangular windows with wrought iron balconies , mirroring those on the west front , centered by three small square shaped fenestrations . The overhanging hipped roof , with stone corbeling along the roof line , features red clay tiles pierced by five large stone chimneys topped with Mediterranean style chimney caps . There was a sixth chimney situated on the north side of the house towards the rear that was destroyed in a storm and never rebuilt . Interior . First floor . The mansion is spread out over three floors featuring a total of 55 rooms , including 10 bedrooms , 12 bathrooms , 7 fireplaces , and 3 kitchens illuminated by 861 light bulbs . The layout of the house is generally a central hall plan , and as a result of being built on the side of a hill , the entrance hall is located on the second floor . Defining the space is a large stone arch flanked by two lower rectangular openings , through which a short flight of stairs lead to a landing behind the arch featuring a balustrade . Overhead are gilded domed ceilings , and the space is embellished with two stone carved night owls , peering out of the stairway niches through glowing red eyes . Below the arch , a grand stairway leads down to the first level , and to the Hall of Merriment . The hall is named due to the four whimsical carvings of men representing Eat , drink and be merry , with the fourth figure taking a pinch of snuff . The hall today is the site of the Carl and Carolyn Renfro Gallery that feature replicas of the twelve statues entered in a competition to depict the Pioneer Woman . To the left of the hall is the service area of the house including the main kitchen where a majority of the cooking was done , the staff dining room and pantry . On the right was originally a handball court for the amusement of family and friends , but has been re-purposed as the administrative offices for the Estate and the National Petroleum Hall of Fame . At the far eastern side of the house are two lounges , the inner lounge known as the Winter Room , and the outer lounge known as the Summer Room . The Winter Room has a large fireplace with a hearth that hides a small entry to a panic room that could have been used by the family during any dangerous situations . Above the concrete beams of the ceiling are decorated with artwork tracing the history of Oklahoma from the days of the pre-Columbian Native Americans through the discovery of oil by Marland Oil Company . The third kitchen is also located in this room and is known as the Hunt Kitchen as this is where guest assembled for breakfast before the fox hunts . Adjacent to the Hunt Kitchen is the secret Poker Room that concealed a hidden Whiskey Room and door to the 550 foot tunnel leading to the Boat House and Artist Studio . The ceilings in the Summer Lounge were designed and painted by Vincent Maragliotti free of charge and pay homage to the spirit of the 1920s . Second floor . The principal rooms of the house are located on the second floor . To the left of the entrance hall is the Elizabethan formal dining room featuring wall panels of hand-cut pollard oak cut from an English royal forest , as well as a suspended cast plaster barrel ceiling that was molded at bench level , and then hoisted and wired into position to the structural beams . Adjacent to the dining room is a small octagonal-shaped breakfast room with plaster work representing the Tree of Life on the walls , and a service kitchen that featured once state-of-the-art appliances and counters made of Monel . Accessed by a curved double staircase in the entrance hall , a multiple arched loggia with vaulted ceilings , featuring hand painted chinoiserie canvases , and a terrazzo floor with each tile individually poured between brass dividers , runs through the center of the house to the ballroom . Flanking the loggia are the sun room and living room where Marland displayed his collection of tapestries , paintings and works of art . The spacious ballroom features an ornate coffered ceiling that was gilded in $80,000 of gold leaf , and lit from imported Waterford crystal chandeliers with wrought iron bases that originally cost $15,000 each . To replace the ceiling and chandeliers today would cost an estimated $2 million . On the north wall are family portraits surrounding a large fireplace . Third floor . The third floor , where the familys private quarters are found , is accessed by a spacious stone staircase with wrought iron railings , or by the original Otis elevator lined with buffalo leather ; one of the first to be installed in the state of Oklahoma . E.W . Marlands wood paneled bedroom was done in the English Tudor-style , and features a carved wood mantel with two of Marlands favorite polo mounts . The room is filled with many original pieces of furniture that have been returned to the house over the years . The connecting bathroom includes an electric sauna , believed to be one of the first in the United States . The library was Marlands private study and was the headquarters for his campaign when running for the office of Governor of Oklahoma . Noteworthy in this room are the bookshelves that are topped with giant seashell designs , replicas of those found in the Oval Office of the White House . The Louis XV-style bedroom of his wife , Lydie Marland , is lined with imported lime-wood hand-carved panels with rounded corners , and a fireplace carved from Italian pink marble . There are a number of guest suites and bedrooms on this floor as well , including one named after Will Rogers where it is believed he stayed during his visits to the mansion . Grounds . The grounds of the Marland Mansion are currently composed of of gardens , lakes and ancillary buildings spread throughout the estate . The original buildings were designed to complement the main house with rough-hewn stone facades and red clay tile roofs . Lydies Cottage was originally the chauffeurs quarters with garage space attached for the Marlands carriages and cars . Several architectural elements used in the mansion can be found in the cottage including a wood beam ceiling and a fish-scale stone floor in the entry . The house was remodeled by Forsyth with the addition of a bedroom and bathroom in the former carriage area , and the Marlands moved-in upon the sale of the mansion in 1941 . E.W . Marland died here six months later of a heart condition , while Lydie Marland continued to live in the house , off and on , until her death in 1987 . The cottage today contains the Marland Family Exhibit , that includes photos and artifacts from the familys presence in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma . South of the cottage , is the Artist Studio featuring a two-story peaked roof structure on the south and north , with two one-story galleries and an arched walkway in between . Built for Jo Davidson , sculptor of the Marland family statues , the beams of the studio were recycled from one of Marlands first oil derricks . The south wing houses the Bryant Baker Gallery featuring 44 bronze and plaster maquettes and busts of Bryant Bakers work . Bryant Baker was the sculptor of the Pioneer Woman Statue , which was commissioned by Marland and is located in Ponca City . Also , a room in the gallery displays information and drawings of the architect , John Duncan Forsyth , who designed the estate , as well as many other homes in Ponca City and Tulsa . The Oil Museum is located in the north wing of the Artist Studio and showcases the history of the Marland Oil Company in the early 20th-century . The studio is connected to the mansion by a tunnel via the Boat House . The Boat House is the location of a large underground wine cellar that is accessed by a safe door . It also functioned as a storage area for the boats that were used for the enjoyment of guest and family . Once on the edge of one of five lakes on the estate , this body of water along with three other lakes , and the T-shaped Olympic-sized pool , were filled in by a successive owner . Lake Whitemarsh is the only remaining lake , and named after Marlands yacht , which in turn was named for a lake in Marlands hometown of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . History . At the height of the 1920s oil boom , E.W . Marland who controlled one tenth of the worlds oil , set about building a home that was befitting of his new station in life . The mansion was built on a estate on the edge of town , and named The Refuge by Marland . Construction of the house began in 1925 , employing dozens of European craftsmen , and was completed in 1928 at a cost of $5.5 million . Artwork and antique furnishings were purchased from around the world to fill the large mansion and gardens including French limestone sculptures of the family . E.W . Marland opened his estate on June 2 , 1928 to invited friends and family , who enjoyed a luncheon and an afternoon of equestrian events such as polo and fox hunting which he had introduced to Oklahoma . Due to a hostile takeover of his company in 1928 by J . P . Morgan Jr. , the Marlands only enjoyed living in the mansion until 1931 , as the operation of the large dwelling depleted their much reduced finances . Moving into the Artist Studio on the estate , the mansion was only opened for special occasions , such as the Inaugural Ball to celebrate Marland becoming Oklahomas 10th governor in 1935 . Just six months prior to his death , Marland sold the estate to the Discalced Carmelite Fathers in 1941 for just $66,000 . Marland kept the former chauffeur cottage and surrounding land , leaving them to Lydie in his will . In 1948 , the Fathers sold the estate to the Sisters of St . Felix who operated a private high school on the grounds . During their tenure , they built a number of structures on the grounds , though all have been removed except for Angela Hall , built in 1958 , and still operating as a school . The Felician Sisters moved to New Mexico in 1975 , and sold the estate to the City of Ponca City and Continental Oil Company , which transferred their partial ownership to the city , for $1.5 million . The mansion was opened to the public the following year , and since then has undergone continued renovation to restore the estate to its former grandeur . It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 .