In 1893, James Dooley and his wife, Sallie, moved into their elaborate 33-room mansion located on the banks of the James River. The 12,000 square foot mansion was dubbed "May Mont'' and the Dooleys owned the home until their deaths.
It was the gilded age, a time when there was no income tax and no anti-trust laws. Businessmen, such as railroad baron Dooley, were able to acquire massive fortunes and they lived lives that were over-the-top in terms on opulence.
Maymont House bears witness to that lavish lifestyle in every way. While there are many museum houses throughout the country, Maymont has the unique distinction of having been passed directly from the hands of the first owner to the city in which it resides.
As a result, the home and its many rooms sit exactly as they did when the Dooley's called the mansion home for nearly 35 years. During the time that the house is open to the public, 12 of the rooms may be explored. Visitors will learn that Maymont, completed in 1893, had many conveniences that were state of the art. These included electric lighting, central heat and even an elevator.
While some Americans were getting rich, others were working as servants. In grand homes such as Maymont, a staff of around ten domestic workers toiled to keep the home clean, cook all the meals and otherwise wait on the owners of the house.
A tour of Maymont House not only offers a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the Dooley's, but a renovation of service areas of the house, which was completed in 2005, also allows visitors to learn how the servants in such a house lived and worked. Visitors can see the wine cellar, kitchen, laundry and the maid's and butlers bedrooms.
The furnishings on the upper floors of Maymont are as extravagant as the house itself and include a swan bedroom set and an ivory and sterling silver dressing table and chair by Tiffany. The collection of items that were left to the city of Richmond along with the house is extensive and includes 1200 books from the Dooley's personal library, many pieces of artwork including paintings, sculptures and glass objects, a mechanical organ with 26 wooden pipes and a variety of textiles. There is also a collection of Dooley's letters and other documents.
The Dooleys had no children and when James died at age 81 in 1922, he left large amounts of money to several Richmond charities. He also said that Maymont House would be given to the city of Richmond upon the death of his wife.
Sallie Dooley passed away in 1925 at the age of 79 and, according to her husband's wishes, Maymont House was passed to the city of Richmond. Within six months of Sally Dooley's death, the house was opened to the public as a museum.
