Inspiration for the Avengers Mansion came from the Henry Clay Frick House
Situated between Fifth Avenue and 96th Street, the Upper East Side stands as one of New York City’s most affluent districts, where the valuation of apartments frequently extends into seven-digit figures.
In its early history, the region was occupied by several fishing encampments, primarily inhabited by the Lenape, the native people of the Eastern Woodlands.
As the 20th century dawned, prosperous business magnates began constructing opulent mansions along Park Avenue. Among these industrialists was Henry Clay Frick, whose estate eternally imprints its mark on the annals of New York’s past.
Originating from West Overton, Pennsylvania, Henry Frick was the progeny of John W Frick, a gentleman who weathered a series of unsuccessful business ventures. Contrasting his father’s fate, Henry ascended to the upper echelons of American high society.
At 21, having abandoned his college education, Frick partnered with a friend and two cousins to establish a small business. With an audacious vision, he pledged that this enterprise would transform him into a millionaire. His prophecy came true as this partnership catalyzed his trajectory to success.
In 1881, Frick crossed paths with Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-American industrialist and tycoon. Their camaraderie soon bore fruit, resulting in a collaborative endeavour. However, discord soured Carnegie’s sentiment towards Frick over time, eventually dismantling their partnership.
Consequently, Frick sought refuge in New York. In 1905, he leased one of the Vanderbilt Houses at 640 Fifth Avenue, where he and his family resided for nearly a decade. The locality was replete with private mansions, clubs, and hotels, forming a microcosm akin to a miniature kingdom. Carnegie himself, owned an estate in the vicinity.
During the summer of 1906, Frick acquired the struggling Lenox Library, which housed the personal collection of bibliophile James Lenox. Despite his efforts, the library had to relocate its group, which in 1912 became part of the New York Public Library.
The same year, Frick razed the Lenox Library, affording him a vacant plot for construction. Engaging the talents of Thomas Hastings, designer of the New York Public Library, a three-story Beaux-Arts mansion emerged, resplendent in limestone. This masterpiece featured a 100-foot picture gallery, a Fifth Avenue-facing garden, and an internal courtyard, as detailed on the Frick Collection website.
By November 1914, Frick, accompanied by his wife Adelaide Howard Childs and daughter Helen Clay Frick, occupied the mansion. Although he had a son, who had wed in 1913 and established his domicile, Frick’s dream home welcomed his family.
In 1916, the mansion was fully furnished, and Frick’s extensive art collection graced its halls. Yet, his time in this idyllic abode was brief, as he passed away in 1919. In his will, Frick stipulated that the house, complete with its contents—furniture, artwork, embellishments—be transformed into a museum. The family, however, resided there until Adelaide’s passing. The conversion to a museum transpired four years later.
Officially open to the public in 1935, the museum underwent subsequent modifications while retaining its function as a cultural institution. It has the designation of National Historic Landmark, a testament to its enduring significance.
Notably, the fictional Avengers Mansion at 890 Fifth Avenue, according to Stan Lee, the comic-book writer and co-creator of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, The Hulk, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, drew inspiration from Frick’s mansion.
Source: abandonedspaces
