George F. Baker Jr. Houses

The George F. Baker Junior Houses form a sprawling residential complex that once served as an ultimate display of Gilded Age wealth. While the site is now recognized for its Neo-Federal architecture and status as a city landmark, it holds a secret regarding the industrial dominance of its namesake. George F. Baker Junior commissioned the architectural firm Delano and Aldrich to expand the estate, and rumor suggests he even had a private railroad line built into the basement to connect his home to the tracks running beneath Park Avenue. This connection allowed the financier to access his private rail car directly from his residence, a convenience befitting a man whose family fortune was deeply rooted in the American railroad industry.