Estate History
The estate and mansion of The Woodlands at Woodbury belong to a glorious place and time in Long Island’s history known as “The Gold Coast.” This was a time when the rich and famous chose the North Shore of Long Island as the site for their country home, and the estate and mansion of The Woodlands at Woodbury is just such a place.
It’s storied history began in 1912 when Victor Morawetz, a well known corporate attorney, purchased these 120 acres in Woodbury to build his estate. The property, originally two farms, became the nucleus of what we refer to today as the Bruce estate, called “woodlands.”
Mr. Morawetz commissioned the renowned architectural firm of Delano and Aldrich to create this country estate for him. Upon completion in 1918, it became his home. Delano and Aldrich created a beautiful home which blended gracefully in to the surrounding landscape. Black and white marble flooring unites the entire first floor, while French doors are a major part of every ground level room. The winding marble staircase becomes a gallery of light to the second floor.
In 1928, the wealthy industrialist Andrew W. Mellon purchased the Morawetz estate as a wedding present for his daughter, Ailsa, who married David Bruce in 1926. Woodlands became the center of activity for Ailsa Mellon Bruce. While in Europe, Ailsa negotiated the entire redesign of the interior of the Woodbury Mansion. Fireplaces and building accessories were imported from all over the world.
When Audrey Bruce, the only child of Ailsa and David, tragically died in a plane accident in 1967 at the age of 24, the bulk of Ailsa’s estate was given to the Andrew T. Mellon Foundation. Her fabulous jewelry collection was distributed among her three grandchildren. Upon her death in 1969 at the age of 68, Ailsa was the only woman in the United States whose personal wealth soared over 500 million dollars.
Today the amenities of modern hospitality have been incorporated with the elegance and opulence of the Long Island Gold Coast era — which is yours to enjoy at The Woodlands at Woodbury.
