3. A fire in 2015 issued immense damage in Winfield Hall

Exterior decorations of Winfield Hall.
Marble decorations stand outside the mansion. Photo courtesy of Max Spann Real Estate & Auction Company.

Despite Woolworth’s efforts to immortalize his mansion by using marble, a fire still destroyed portions of the home in 2015. After flames erupted at 10:30 a.m. on January 28, more than 100 firefighters arrived. Hailing from eight towns, these firefighters fought to put out a fire that stretched from the first floor to the attic.

Just like the fire that burnt down the original estate on the property in 1916, no one knows how the fire began. The home that once was a center for lavish parties has since been restored for the most part. The home has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. Whoever purchases the mansion will still need to spend millions on renovations, as the second and third floors have been altered for other prior uses and the Clock Tower building is basically abandoned.