Dungeness Audio Tour Stop 7

The Grange was built in 1901 for William Page, tutor for the Carnegie sons and later estate manager.

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Living a life of such luxury required a large staff. As you walk east of Dungeness and the Recreation Building, you enter the service area of the estate, where many of the Carnegie’s 200-300 servants lived and worked. This house, called the Grange, was built in 1901 as a residence for William Page, tutor for the Carnegie sons and later estate manager. As manager, Mr. Page oversaw the day-to-day running of operations for the entire island. He was responsible to order supplies, hire and pay employees, and oversee the building of some of the other structures on the island. Page died in 1922, after which Carnegie daughter Florence used it as her residence until her passing in 1962. 

Florence’s death dissolved the trust Lucy Carnegie had created in her will which kept the island property intact until all children agreed to sell or until the last child passed away. Purchase of property by developers pushed family members to consider their options to protect the island from development. Plum Orchard and 12 acres surrounding it were donated by the Johnston families to the National Park Foundation who then conveyed it to the National Park Service. Other properties were sold to the National Park Service for the formation of Cumberland Island National Seashore. In exchange for the Plum Orchard property, these families were given the Grange under a 40 year retained rights agreement. During this time, this was considered private property. This agreement ended in 2010 and the property is now public land.