- I took a tour of Lengthy Island’s Oheka Fort, an hour west of Manhattan.
- It is the second-largest non-public residence within the US and was in-built 1919.
- It is now a residence, resort, restaurant, and occasions venue.
In the event you’ve ever learn or seen “The Nice Gatsby,” you realize Nineteen Twenties New York was residence to extravagant mansions with homeowners who hosted lavish events.
A type of homeowners was financier Otto Hermann Kahn, who constructed Oheka Fort — named after its proprietor (Oh-He-Ka) — on Lengthy Island in 1919.
Kahn’s spouse used to name the house “Otto’s zoo,” and that gave the impression to be an correct description. A-listers of the time used to get together on the 109,000-square-foot residence, with Kahn as a Gatsby-like determine entertaining all his company.
However Oheka’s journey did not finish there. After Kahn’s demise in 1934, the property modified arms quite a few occasions till it was deserted within the ’80s. Fires, vandalism, and theft devastated it.
In accordance with Oheka Fort, land developer Gary Melius then bought the property and spent $40 million restoring it to its former glory.
Right now, it is the second-largest non-public residence within the US, behind solely Biltmore Home in North Carolina. It is a standard venue for weddings, a restaurant, and a resort, and has been featured in films, TV exhibits, and music movies. Taylor Swift even filmed the “Clean Area” video there.
You can too tour the grounds for $30.
I took the tour and was astonished by the fantastic thing about Oheka Fort. Here is what it was like to go to.
