New book about Doris Duke will be launched Sunday
SOMERVILLE - Though her Hillsborough mansion has been demolished, the spirit of Doris Duke can never be destroyed.
That's the theme of Rikki Lyn Hauss's new book, "The Duchess of South Somerville," which will be launched at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5, at the Dragonfly Cafe, 114 E. Main St.
"The essence of her spirit will live on," Hauss said.
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The 22-year-old North Brunswick resident was inspired to write the book when she learned about plans by the Duke Farm Foundation to tear down the mansion on the 2,700-acre estate once occupied by the world's wealthiest woman because it could cost as much as $20 million to renovate, and it no longer fit Duke Farms' mission as an ecological preserve and environmental learning center.
But the grassroots group DORIS (Demolition of Residence is Senseless) fought the foundation in court, arguing that the home, which was built by tobacco and electricity magnate James Buchanan Duke, and later expanded by his daughter throughout her lifetime after she inherited Duke's fortune as a teenager, has historical value and significance to the community.
Between 1893 and 1925, James Buchanan Duke transformed more than 2,000 acres of farmland and woodlots into an extraordinary estate. He excavated nine lakes, constructed 45 buildings, and built nearly 2½ miles of stone walls and more than 18 miles of roadway. He also installed approximately 35 fountains and populated his property with countless pieces of sculpture.
Doris Duke lived on the estate until her death in 1993.
Hauss became the youngest member of DORIS and started writing the book in February 2016, in the middle of the legal battle over the mansion, to show the other DORIS members that she could relate to the "spirit" of Doris Duke.
"Younger people are impacted by history," Hauss said.
Hauss' dedication to honoring and preserving the past can be seen in the blog she authors with a friend, The Retro Revival, Classic and Timeless Tales of Yesteryears.
Hauss brought that same caring attitude to "The Duchess of South Somerville," which she said may be the only work that pays homage to Doris Duke as more than just a billionaire.
"She was an icon of culture," Hauss said.
Contributing to the book, which also contains many color photographs, are memoirs by Bill Titus and Lisa Payne that give an account of what life was like on the estate. Titus' grandfather worked on the estate and Payne used to ride horses on the estate, Hauss said.
The book concentrates on the Hillsborough estate where Duke spent most of her time, not the estates in Hawaii or Newport, Rhode Island.
The book is available at https://sites.google.com/site/theduchessbookstore/home.
Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; [email protected]
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