ENTER THE GRANDEUR p MARLAND MANSION “The saga of the Marland family of Ponca City is perhaps the most intriguing story in the bold and exciting history of Oklahoma.”
The Marland Estate Mansion was built in the style of an Italian Renaissance villa. The 43,561 square feet home reflects all of the opulence of old Europe but incorporates the most contemporary American technology of the 1920’s and ‘30’s.
Bob Burke from his book, “The Palace on the Prairie, The Marland Family Story”
The sheer size of the home is imposing enough to inspire awe, but the details tell the tale of wealth and whimsy almost unimaginable today. There are gargoyles, jackals, owls, sundials, foliate masks and intricate ornamentation inside and out. The ceiling in the grand ballroom alone would require over $2,000,000 to recreate today.
The story that unfolds around the Marland Mansion is one of power and position, triumph and tragedy, drama and dreams, aristocracy and the untamed west. It demonstrates all of the opulence surrounding a baron and the innovation of the man and the era … E.W. Marland. “Ernest Whitworth Marland came to Ponca City in 1908 looking for oil. Within a dozen years, he had amassed a $100 million fortune, and controlled ten percent of the world’s oil reserves. A gracious and benevolent man, Marland provided his employees with extraordinary benefits and gave Ponca City everything from parks and a golf course to the Pioneer Woman Statue. Even after losing control of his oil company and marrying his former adopted daughter, Lydie, Marland was elected governor in 1934. Along the way he built the Marland Mansion, one of the most luxurious and magnificent homes in America…”
Innovations abound throughout the home. It’s hard to imagine automatic dishwashers and refrigeration in the 1920’s, or a master bath with showerheads spraying from all directions, given the time period. The restoration and decorating of the mansion has been meticulously accomplished to present an accurate portrayal of the lifestyle of this remarkable man. E.W. Marland was an oil baron, congressman and governor of Oklahoma who won and lost fortunes and left an immeasurable legacy to Ponca City, Oklahoma and the world.