Good home, Goodyear: Stan Hywet Tudor Revival historic mansion in Akron, Ohio

Stan Hywet Tudor Revival home of the Seiberling Family

My first dumb question:  "Who is Stan Hywet?" 

My second question, still ill-informed, but making headway: "Who are the Seiberlings and what is their story in U.S. History?"   

Last week, in Akron Ohio, I found the answers to these questions and, yes(!), so much more.- including a common link to the Seiberling's palatial residence and another Tudor-revival mansion so close to my home and my heart, Meadow Brook Hall.

F.A. and Gertrude Seiberling

First, the answer to my initial questions. Stan Hywet is not a person, but the name of the grand family home of F.A. Seiberling,  his wife, Gertrude and their six children.  The name "Stan Hywet" (pronounced Stan HEE-wit) is derived from Old English and loosely translates to "stone quarry", a nod to the large quarry that was on property when the Sieberlings purchased the 1,500 acres of land in Akron.

F. A. Sieberling's wealth came from Goodyear Tire and Rubber, the company he cofounded with his brother, C.W. in 1898.

Stan Hywet was built in 1915 in the Tudor Revival style, which was very popular in America during the 1910's and 1920's. Tudor Revival is based on architecture and furnishings from England between 1485 and 1603. (This was the time of the Tudor reign from King Henry VII to Queen Elizabeth I, and, during this trip to Ohio, keeping with the theme, we also took in the Tudor exhibit at the Cleveland Art Museum.)

Portraits of Tudors at Cleveland Art Museum:  Henry VIII

Queen Elizabeth I

For design ideas, the Seiberlings traveled to England in 1912 with their architect, deriving much of their inspiration from three manor homes:  Ockwells Manor, Compton Wynyates and Haddon Hall. 

Similarly, Meadow Brook Hall - in our own "backyard" and where BTS has presented many Downton Abbey teas - was built in the 1920's in the Tudor Revival style by Matilda Dodge Wilson and her second husband, Alfred Wilson. They, too, were inspired by English manor homes they toured on their honeymoon in England.

Meadow Brook Hall, also Tudor Revival, where BTS presents Downton Abbey Teas

According to the book, ̈̈Stan Hywet Hall, The Manor Housë̈, it's estimated that 30-40% of all homes built in the U.S in the early 20th century were in the Tudor Revival style. 

The Music Room at Stan Hyet is 2,700 square feet

Although Meadow Brook Hall has more square footage than Stan Hywet - almost 24,000 more, in fact -  the Seiberling's Akron home would never be considered "modest". It has 64,500 square feet (equivalent of one football field) with its "Music Room" alone consisting of 2,700 square feet.  There are 23 fireplaces, 3 elevators, 18 bedrooms and 23 bathrooms. It also boasts many modern conveniences of the time, including electricity, indoor plumbing, telephones and even a KitchenAid. (Stan Hywet already had me at the 2-plus bathrooms, but a KitchenAid as well??  If we could stream Top Chef, I'd never leave).

Stan Hyet had many modern conveniences for its time, including a KitchenAid. 

While working on the interior of Stan Hywet, Gertrude's original vision was to fill it with Tudor-period antiques. However, her husband wasn't as keen on all that "old stuff".  He said he wasn't going to "sacrifice comfort for the sake of being true to the period". Fortunately, their interior decorator came up with a solution which seemed to please both parties, mixing mostly comfortable furnishings with a few antique pieces such as tables and chests scattered throughout.

The dining room has comfortable furniture to keep Mr. Seiberling happy

Great attention was also given to the grounds which contained four different types of gardens, tennis courts and a birch tree alley path which leads to two "tea house" structures with pond and valley vista views. (I would love to sip a cup of Earl Grey there).  

A cupboard with an old look - the original resides in the Victoria and Albert Musuem in London.

The Seiberling family lived at Stan Hywet for forty years. It became a museum in 1957 and was opened to the public. In a somewhat similar timeline, the Dodge-Wilson family donated Meadow Brook Hall to Oakland University (BTS blogger is a proud alum) in 1957, but the home wasn't open to the public until 1971.

The grounds include four gardens, tennis courts and an alley of birch trees

So, after an afternoon in Akron, I learned that Stan Hywet was a "what" and not a "who", and also about the family that lived there.  In addition, I came away with a better understanding of the Tudor Revival style that influenced not only this home in Ohio, but a special residence close to my home.

Tea houses, at the end of the tree alley, overlook ponds and hills. Perfect place to sip Earl Grey

Stan Hywet:   a good home, a Goodyear and a great place to visit in Akron Ohio.