An Inside Look at William K. Vanderbilt Jr.‘s Alva Base on Fisher Island in Florida
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit the exclusive Fisher Island in Florida and was given a special tour of Willie K's winter home Alva Base. Here is an inside look of Willie's mansion and several vintage photos hanging on its walls.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Alva Base Mansion
The pool remains basically unchanged (see below).
Willie K' Seaplane Hangar
Images on the Walls of Alva Base
On September 5, 1927, Willie K. married Rosamund Lancaster Warburton, whose previous husband was related to merchant tycoon John Wanamaker.
Following his marriage, William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. traded one of his yachts to Carl Fisher in exchange for seven acres on Fisher Island near Miami Beach.
Carl Fisher on his island before selling it to Willie K.
Willie K. and Rosamund traveled around the world in their new luxurious 265-foot Alva yacht, named for his mother.
In 1934, the Vanderbilts purchased a Sikorsky S-43 amphibian airplane that they to fly back and forth to Alva Base. By 1940, the Alva Base included the mansion, a seaplane hangar, a mooring dock for the Alva and an 11-hole golf course,
Comments
Incredible!
Imagine having a setup like that. It appears we’re looking at the Douglas Amphibian in the first plane photo, and the Pathe Gazette features the Sikorsky S-43. Nice to be able to upgrade your luxury aircraft and yachts every few years.
Neat - thanks for sharing!
A superb lifestyle….Nice…
That Dolphin shot shows all sorts of things! Do you think I ever noticed the winglet connecting the two engines before, or the subsidiary vertical fins? Also, I never before thought of how to dock a flying boat (or floatplane) with wing-mounted floats - TILT! I toured Vizcaya last year (sad); what a difference! Who maintains Alva Base? Sam, III
Looking at this and Eagle’s Nest, his tastes in architecture and decor are very clear. It must have been an exciting visit.
So, from what I see on the Fisher Island website it appears that these folks now hold title and have made it a sort if resort, “The Fisher Island Club Hotel & Resort has 15 hotel suites”
Having been to Vanderbilt’s Mansion a couple times, it is fascinating to see his amphibious aircraft in action. Never saw a video before. The motion is stimulating. JFP