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Fountain Elms

This 1850s mansion reveals how rich Americans lived in the Victorian era.

Utica, New York

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Fountain Elms.   KrisBellino
A parlor within Fountain Elms is preserved in the 1850s style.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
An 1850s era dollhouse.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
Antique piano.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
A dining room features historic portraits.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
The front hall and staircase.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
A bedroom full of antique furniture.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
A historic fence.   vanpeltbrady / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Fountain Elms is an Italianate-style mansion in Utica, New York . The home dates back to 1852. Full of Victorian era-elegance, it was built by the architect William Woollett for a wealthy civic icon, Helen Munson Williams, and her husband, James Watson Williams.

The mansion features a highly unique cubic design. An antique fountain can also be found in the yard of the home. Fountain Elms has been remodeled and expanded many times, but today it stands restored to how it was in the 1850s. Open to the public, the mansion hosts an impressive collection of historic art and furniture. This was the result of an extensive renovation process in the early 1960s.

Along with the art and furniture on display, the home also features a collection of pottery and jewelry. Changing art displays can also be found in a gallery on the second floor of the building.

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Self-guided tours of the mansion are free. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. The mansion is closed on Mondays.

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July 18, 2025

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