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9. Servants Staircase
Transcript
Only specialized employees like the Butlers and Lady’s Maids had regular access to the first and second floors. Most servants were intended to be invisible until needed. Additionally, staff were instructed not to speak loudly on the servant’s staircase, in order to avoid being disruptive. Doors were usually kept shut and locked to prevent accidental interaction between guests and employees. It was the Head Housekeeper that had the keys. Her apartment is located at the top of these stairs, where she could oversee the female servant’s wing, in the evening. Her office is at the bottom, where she could manage the mansion’s operations, during the day.
Description
This staircase was used by the servants to travel between floors without guests seeing or hearing them. During the Gilded Age, staff and servants were typically separated from their wealthy employers and their guests until they were called upon. The Otis elevator on the right was installed in 1936. Frederick Vanderbilt, then in his 80s, could use this elevator to avoid using the main staircase.
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