Ever wondered what happens when immense wealth meets an equally immense desire for privacy, tradition, and perhaps, a touch of delightful oddity? Well, let me introduce you to the Wendel Family, a name that might not ring a bell today, but in 19th and early 20th-century New York, they were whispered about with a mix of awe, confusion, and a little bit of eyebrow-raising amusement.
Who Were the Wendels?
Imagine New York City, a bustling metropolis hurtling towards modernity, building skyscrapers, and embracing new technologies. Now, picture a family sitting right in the heart of it all, quietly amassing a staggering real estate fortune, yet refusing to participate in the very progress their city was championing. That, my friends, was the Wendel Family. They were an incredibly wealthy dynasty, owning vast tracts of land that would be worth billions today.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Despite their immense influence in the city’s financial landscape, they were notoriously reclusive. Forget lavish soirées and social climbing; the Wendels preferred their own company, thank you very much.
A Home Frozen in Time
Their eccentricity wasn’t just about being private. Oh no, it ran much deeper. While the world outside embraced electric lights, indoor plumbing, and telephones, the Wendels clung to a bygone era. They famously wore outdated Victorian clothing – picture corsets, bustles, and top hats long after they’d gone out of fashion. And modern utilities? Absolutely not. Their homes remained lit by gaslight and heated by fireplaces, even as the rest of New York modernized around them. It’s like they built their own personal time capsule right in the middle of a booming metropolis.
Ella and the Legion of Tobys
Perhaps the most charming (and slightly bewildering) detail about this peculiar family centers around Ella, the last surviving sibling. Ella Wendel wasn’t just known for her family’s wealth or their anachronistic lifestyle. She was renowned for her poodles. Not just a poodle, mind you, but many poodles. And here’s the kicker: every single one of them was named Toby. Can you imagine the sheer delightful chaos of calling out for ‘Toby’ and having a dozen fluffy white dogs come bounding towards you? It’s the kind of whimsical detail that makes you wish you could have met her.
So, what can we learn from the Wendel family? Maybe it’s a reminder that wealth doesn’t always buy conformity. Or perhaps it’s just a wonderfully weird footnote in the history of New York, proving that even in the most ambitious and forward-thinking cities, there’s always room for a little delightful, gaslit eccentricity and a whole lot of poodles named Toby. They certainly gave us a unique perspective on living life on your own terms, even if those terms were stuck in the 19th century.