Discover the latest additions to our exclusive online art archives, featuring rare paintings, sketches, and historical works connected to the Gilder, De Kay, and Cleveland families of the Gilded Age. Each piece offers a unique glimpse into America’s cultural and artistic heritage, from intimate portraits and garden scenes to masterful studies by renowned artists. Visit Four Brooks Farm’s digital collection to explore these newly preserved treasures and uncover the stories, artistry, and legacy that shaped an Era.
Follow the Journey Through Four-Brooks-Farm The Last Historical Gilder Palmer Estate
Listen To The Newest Four Brooks Recollections
Click The Link Below
Four Brooks Recollections, A New Digital Journal Series
The True Line of Stewardship at Four Brooks Farm
Reese Denny Alsop Gilder Palmer
For more than four decades, Reese has lived, worked, and sacrificed at Four Brooks Farm. He inherited the responsibility of daily labor, land management, caregiving, repairs, and the emotional weight of maintaining the ancestral home, which makes the preservation of this property even more essential to continuing the family’s legacy.
Reese remained on the land through every hardship—weather, isolation, illness, financial strain, and decades of caring for both parents. His life’s work has been the protection and survival of Four Brooks Farm.
Walter Walker Palmer
Walter left Four Brooks at 18 years old and never returned to live on the property. He established his life and career first in Boston, then in Wake Forest, North Carolina, raising his family away from the land his parents had intended for him.
George Gilder
George has never lived at Four Brooks Farm—not one day. He did not share in its labor, its maintenance, or the caretaking of the Gilder Palmer parents.
Comfort de Kay Gilder (later Gordenier)
Comfort spent her youth between Four Brooks Farm and her grandmother’s residence in Europe. She later married Camp Gordenier and did not live at or maintain Four Brooks.
What the Parents Promised Their Sons
Fairview → Promised to Walter Walker Palmer
Walter was told he would inherit the entire Fairview property, having the ability:
to build a home on the lot,
to earn rental income from the structures,
and to sell extra acreage if necessary for his family’s future.
Four Brooks Farm → Promised to Reese Denny Alsop Gilder Palmer
Reese was promised all of Four Brooks Farm in recognition of:
45+ years of farming,
land stewardship,
caring for both parents through illness and old age,
and the fact that he remained devoted to the property his entire life.
This inheritance was not merely symbolic—it was a direct acknowledgment of his lifelong labor and responsibility.
The Passing of the Parents
Gilder Palmer died in 2006
Anne Alsop Gilder Palmer died in 2020, fourteen years later
Both were lovingly and consistently cared for by Reese.
After 2020: Four Years of Turmoil and Erosion
Since 2020, Four Brooks Farm has been destabilized by:
inheritance conflicts,
financial strain,
legal pressure,
and outside interference in the estate.
What should have been a simple fulfillment of parental wishes became a prolonged battle for survival.
The Estate Erosion and Asset Removal
In the years following the deaths of Gilder and Anne Palmer, Cornelia Gilder, had long-standing access to the family’s networks and materials and has became deeply involved in estate handling.
Her actions, together with those of George Gilder, contributed to:
the redirection of assets,
the removal of documents and family materials,
the depletion of property holdings,
and the consolidation of nearly all remaining family assets into their control.
Four Brooks Farm must be preserved.
Explore Newly Added Gilded Age Art Archives at Four Brooks Farm
JOIN OUR INNER CIRCLE!
Join us to get notifications for
Upcoming-Events, & Exciting News.
May 22, 2024 - Celebrated contemporary realist painter Robert Seyffert proudly announces the completion of his oil portrait featuring Reese D. A. Gilder Palmer. This captivating portrait showcases Seyffert's signature blend of meticulous realism and vibrant artistry, capturing the essence of Palmer's character and presence.
Four Brooks Recollections Reese Gilder Palmer Reads “Builders of the State” by Richard Watson Gilder
Immerse yourself in a powerful auditory experience as Reese Gilder Palmer reads the inspiring poem “Builders of the State” by Richard Watson Gilder. This audio recording captures the essence of Gilder’s words, celebrating the vision, dedication, and hard work of those who have contributed to the foundation and growth of our nation.
Four Brooks Recollections Reese D A Gilder Palmer Reads “The Poet” by Richard Watson Gilder
Experience the lyrical beauty and profound insight of “The Poet” by Richard Watson Gilder, brought to life through the voice of Reese Gilder Palmer. This audio recording captures the essence of Gilder’s reflection on the role of the poet in society, celebrating the power of words and the creative spirit.
Reese Denny Alsop Gilder Palmer, Amassie Miller, Anita Miller, Walter Walker Palmer, Ayla Miller, Linda Gilder Palmer Hostess. | Four Brooks Farm 2025
Reese D. A. Gilder Palmer & loving Family at the clam bake off 2025
How to Raise Curious, Self-Motivated Kids (Without CrushingTheir Spark)
Simone McFarlane
September 9, 2025
Image via Pexels You don’t teach a child to be curious. You protect it. From the moment they ask “why,” they’re testing whether questions are welcome — or risky. Curiosity isn’t rare. What’s rare is an environment that lets it grow. You don’t need fancy tools. Just rhythm, trust, and the guts to let your kid lead sometimes. Make Curiosity Part of Daily Life The way you talk about the world becomes the way your child thinks about it. So if everything is a “task” or a “chore,” guess how they’ll frame schoolwork? Instead, try shifting the lens. What happens if dinner prep becomes a mini science lab? Or if a walk through the neighborhood turns into a “spot three patterns” game? You don’t need to invent new rituals — just reframe the ones already happening. A spark-everyday-curiosity approach flips your household from obligation mode to observation mode.
Read More »