One year after Longwood Gardens purchased the breathtaking 505-acre Granogue estate, which was owned by the late Irénée du Pont Jr., lovers of nature and history are wondering: When will this gorgeous Delaware property open to the public?
Longwood spokesperson Jourdan Cole recently told Delaware Online/The News Journal that they have “no updates on Granogue at this time.”
While a date when Granogue might open to the public remains a mystery, here’s a look at what Longwood previously told The News Journal about this prestigious estate located near Centreville, including how it will be utilized, why the property was purchased, and more.
How much is Granogue worth?
The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit that’s worked in all 50 states to protect 8.5 million acres of land, helped to facilitate the deal for Granogue, a transaction finalized in January 2024, according to county documents.
Longwood officials declined to say how much they agreed to pay for the estate, which is eight miles from the gardens near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
Real estate experts have estimated Granogue, widely considered the symbol of Delaware’s Chateau Country, is worth at least $50 million, likely more.
Why did Longwood Gardens purchase Granogue?
Paul Redman, president and CEO of Longwood Gardens, said in 2023 that Longwood’s goal of acquiring Granogue is in keeping with the spirit of why Longwood was founded.
“Here we are in 2023, we’re invoking that same legacy and spirit of conservation to save this important piece of land that is connected to so many other parts of the Brandywine Valley that are already conserved,” Redman said.
This agreement is “a natural marriage” that brings two properties with a familial connection even closer together, he added.
How will Longwood Gardens utilize Granogue?
While detailed plans for how the world-famous Longwood will use the property are not yet available, officials said their primary goal is to conserve the land.
Redman said one of the best ways to preserve the mansion and land is to ensure a level of visitation that maintains the character of the historic landscape.
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Longwood’s vision for Granogue is to preserve the property and conserve it in a manner so that the “beautiful bucolic” green space can be shared with visitors, Redman said.
There are no details yet for how the mansion will be used.
Redman said Longwood and Granogue share a legacy of being gracious and welcoming to others, and they’re committed to continuing that spirit of hospitality. How they’ll achieve that is still to be determined.
Longwood Gardens has a long history with du Pont family
The du Pont family has long had a connection to Longwood. Irénée du Pont Jr.’s uncle was Longwood Gardens founder Pierre S. du Pont, who in 1906 purchased Longwood’s original 202 acres to save a public arboretum the community adored.
The Longwood Foundation was established in 1937 to ensure the property, now a 1,100-acre botanical garden, would forever be open to the public.
In June 2000, the 200th anniversary of the du Pont’s arrival on American soil in 1800 was celebrated at Longwood Gardens. More than 1,900 family members were expected to attend.
Irénée died on Jan. 16, 2023, one year before Longwood purchased Granogue. He was 103 years old.
Granogue is lavish with a mansion
The stately Granogue estate, which sits on a hillside near Centreville off Smith Bridge Road and offers spectacular, panoramic views, is one of the largest privately owned open spaces left in northern New Castle County.
The mansion, with its milelong driveway, was built in 1923 and is a vestige of a bygone era. It has 11 bedrooms for family members and six for live-in employees. An oak-paneled music room is home to an Aeolian pipe organ that’s similar to one at Longwood Gardens. Granogue sits on 505 acres.
Du Ponts used to open up Granogue to the public
Du Pont and Barbara, his wife of 77 years who died in 2021, were known for opening the grounds of their estate to local organizations for fundraisers, trail runs and mountain biking, as well as summer camps hosted by the Delaware Nature Society.
“I want people to enjoy this beauty,” he said in a 2009 News Journal interview as he drove his 1918 Cadillac around the estate.
Giving the public a peek at Granogue was a tradition started by his father, Irénée Sr., who with two brothers Pierre S. and Lammot du Pont served as president of the Wilmington-based DuPont Co.
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In the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, du Pont’s father Irénée Sr. hosted spectacular fireworks displays held on the grounds of Granogue. Spectators lined fences and fields along Smith Bridge and Thompson’s Bridge roads to watch the display. Autos often were parked for more than two miles around the property. As early as 1979, du Pont Jr. began to worry about maintaining the sprawling site.
“We’re hanging on by our fingernails,” he told The News Journal. “Right now, we’re trying to keep this pile of rocks standing.”
In the past century, some of the grand du Pont mansions and properties, such as Carousel Farm in Pike Creek, have been donated to New Castle County, turned into museums such as Nemours in Rockland and Eleutherian Mills in Wilmington, or quietly razed.
Inflation, taxes and family fortunes spread among several generations have made maintenance difficult.
While area developers would have liked to get their hands on the prime real estate, representatives for du Pont began talks with Longwood in 2016 about preserving Granogue’s rich natural heritage.
Granogue is a gem in Brandywine Valley
In 2023, Blaine Phillips, senior vice president of the Conservation Fund, called Granogue “the most important, unprotected big piece of property left in the Brandywine Valley.”
He added, “What we have in the Brandywine Valley compares to or exceeds anything else around the country … because of the scenic elements, the recreation elements, the historic elements and really the cultural landscape that defines this area,” Phillips said.
Then-New Castle County executive Matt Meyer, who was sworn in as governor on Tuesday, Jan. 21, said in 2023 that Longwood’s plan to own Granogue was a major win for Delaware.
“As a staunch supporter of green and open spaces, I join New Castle County residents as we celebrate the protection of such a vital piece of land that will now stand for generations as a part of Delaware’s history and heritage,” Meyer said in a statement.
He continued, “I want to extend our gratitude to the du Pont family who, in spite of increasing commercial pressure, chose to preserve this land for future generations.”
Irénée du Pont ‘supports this plan’ for Longwood Gardens
Grace Engbring, daughter of Irénée “Brip” Jr. and Barbara “Barbie” du Pont, said in 2023 that her family never considered selling her parents’ home to a developer. She added that she’s pleased his lavish estate will be in good hands with Longwood.
“Dad supports this plan wholeheartedly. He did. He knew every step of the way. He wasn’t involved in the actual meetings or anything, but I was the mole. I kept him up to date,” she said.
Talks to buy Granogue started in 2016
Although Longwood Gardens owns Granogue, the Mt. Cuba Center and the Longwood Foundation provided generous support to help fund the acquisition, Longwood officials explained.
Additionally, du Pont family members contributed funds to establish a permanent endowment for future operations and advancement of the vision for Granogue, they said.
Granogue Reserve Ltd. LLC (or GRLLC) is the limited liability company that Longwood purchased the Granogue property from. GRLLC began discussions in 2016 with Longwood and the Conservation Fund about the 1923 estate’s future.
A preliminary study assessing current site conditions and encompassing site master planning was developed in 2018-2019, “with a commitment for Granogue to remain a pastoral cultural landscape,” Longwood said in a statement.
Contact Patricia Talorico at ptalorico@delawareonline.com and follow her on Twitter @pattytalorico.
Andre Lamar is a features/lifestyle reporter. If you have an interesting story idea, email Andre Lamar atalamar@gannett.com.
