Evergreen House

Description:

• What started as a relatively modest Italianate mansion in the mid-1800s became a 48-room marvel of the Gilded Age, with a 23-karat gold-plated bathroom, a theater painted by noted Ballet Russe designer Leon Bakst, and room after room of art, books, and objets. Bought in 1878 by the president of the B&O railroad, John W. Garrett, the home grew over the years and became ever more lavish and more famous. Its last owners, John and Alice Garrett, turned it into a glittering salon, where they entertained statesmen, authors, artists, and musicians.

  From the moment visitors arrive at the entrance, a porte-cochere topped by a Tiffany glass awning, they are treated to a multitude of beautiful rooms, fine arts, and decorative items that reflect the Garretts' travels and interests: a red Asian room displaying Japanese and Chinese items; paintings by Picasso, Modigliani, and Degas; glass by Tiffany; a 30,000-book library; and Dutch marquetry furniture. Tours, offered on the hour, last about an hour. The beautiful formal gardens should be visited as well.

• © Frommer's 2012