Giralda Farms - Madison

Giralda Farms, the fabled estate of the late Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge, is located in Madison.  The mansion was built in 1893 by the architectural firm of Clinton and Russell for the Daniel Willis James family. The 240-acre estate, then called “Onunda” was in an area designated “Millionaires’ Row”. This five-mile stretch between Madison and Morristown was comprised of the magnificent country homes of some of the wealthiest families in the nation. In 1911, the estate was purchased by Marcellus Hartley Dodge, president of Remington Arms, and his wife, the former Ethel Geraldine Rockefeller. Under Mrs. Dodge’s supervision, Giralda Farms became a wildlife preserve with deer roaming freely and wild geese migrating to the Giralda pond. Mrs. Dodge originated the famed Morris & Essex Dog Show in 1927 and founded St. Hubert’s Giralda in 1939 as an animal shelter. She later had a special staircase constructed to let her numerous dogs out directly from her bedroom. The Dodge estate’s 304 acres were crisscrossed with over 15 acres of bridle paths. During its peak years a staff of 40 to 50 men maintained the formal gardens, seven acres of vegetable gardens and the many rare specimens of unusual trees and shrubs. Giralda was the site of the Mansion in May 1976. The mansion was razed in conjunction with the construction of Giralda Farms, a 175-acre planned office development and headquarters for several large international corporations.