This house at Lake House that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writings has been resurrected to its old world charm
If you are familiar with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary work you must know the image that the American author’s work conjures. Fitzgerald’s notable work The Great Gatsby is a close representation of the 20s Jazz Age romps through the French Riviera, Long Island’s Gold Coast, or Roaring ’20s Manhattan. Most of Fitzgerald’s work was inspired by his lived experiences and one of the muses of the author was the Lake Forest, Illinois. According to Town & Country, Kingdom Come Farm, the sprawling mansion built in 1906 by Howard Van Doren Shaw, served as the heart of the Fitzgerald’s life. After years in obscurity, the mansion has been resurrected to its old world charm.
The property originally belonged to stockbroker Charles Garfield King, whose daughter Ginevra King had a brief affair with Fitzgerald, according to Towns & Country. Today, the property is owned by Jeanette Hodgkinson and her husband Danny. The living room of the house features a Greek pattern etched into the cornice that runs to the elliptical bay in the center of the room. The grand staircase that leads up from the entryway has a breathtaking vintage aura.
Towns & Country reports that the Hodgkinsons chose restoration over renovation to maintain this essence of the house. The report added that during the restoration, walls covered with lead-based paint were encapsulated to make them safe to touch. The onyx fireplace in the master bedroom required work since the expert described it as “a very high number” due to its rare green color. Towns & Country reports that it was with the help of a historian, the Hodgkinsons saved the home, and even helped earn it landmark status.
It is reported that the Hodgkinsons bought Kingdom Come Farm and 1.4 acres, including an English garden, back in 2018 for less than $700,000 (Rs 5,23,22,970) which was a significantly lower price than years earlier, when the house and five acres of land were listed for more than $6 million (Rs44,84,82,600).
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