Photographs Courtesy of Stephanie M. Borits
The Spiral Staircase leading to The Cupola
The Spiral Staircase & Cupola
The spiral staircase leads to the cupola, more commonly known as a widow's walk. Contrary to popular belief, our cupola is not a lookout tower. It is used for ventilation, acting somewhat like a chimney. As the hot air naturally rose through the home, the cupola helped to draw the hot air to the third floor. Opening all the windows on the third floor, as well as the eight windows in the cupola, increased the air flow.
Doubling the impact, the two and a half story ice house located to the rear of The Mansion held 100/100 pound blocks of ice. The Mansion and the ice house were connected underground by ductwork. The ductwork, in turn, would then be loaded with block after block of ice. The cool air would aid in forcing the hot air through the home. Please keep in mind that this did not cool the entire home. It only affected the first floor which would remain 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the home, a welcome change considering one was wearing 20-30 pounds of clothing. The Mansion, in its own way, was air conditioned. Also, Mr. Packer hailed originally from Mystic, Connecticut, a well-known seaport. The cupola may have been something he wished to incorporate from home.
The cupola is also considered an integral part of the Italianate Villa design. Our architect, Samuel Sloan, was known for this particular style, also designing the Southern Mansion in Cape May, New Jersey and Longwood, the Dr. Haller Nutt home in Natchez, Mississippi in partnership with Addison Hutton.
