There is a wealth of history on the Upper East Side that fortunately is not lost in this modern age. Reminders of this history dot Fifth Avenue in particular, in the form of mansions that once belonged to the city’s pillars of society. Many of these grand homes still stand, albeit not inhabited by private citizens. Let us step into the Upper East Side of yore and visit a few.

A grand, elegantly detailed building graces the northeast corner of 75th and Fifth Avenue. Now home to The Commonwealth Fund, a philanthropic organization that focuses on health care, it is the former home of Edward S. Harkness and his wife, Mary. The house was built in 1908 and was a gift from Mr. Harkness’ mother, Anna to the couple for their wedding that same year. Harkness’ father, Steven V. Harkness, was an original partner of John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil and left his son a substantial inheritance. Edward Harkness would donate much of his fortune throughout his life to various philanthropic pursuits.

James Gamble Rogers (who attended Yale with Edward Harkness) designed the house; while certainly grand, the marble mansion has a spare elegance to it with limited exterior enhancements. A low, wrought iron fence surrounds the outside. An interesting piece of trivia: the former house that occupied the site had a Fifth Avenue address. However, Harkness had the address for his home changed to 1 East 75th as a “street” address held more prestige in that era than did a Fifth Avenue address.

The interior of the five-floor home is impressive. It boasts its original chandeliers and ornate moldings. The library’s large fireplace and ornamented wooden music room with its unique, black and white stained-glass windows and the sweeping, iron-ballustraded staircase in the home’s entryway all implore a visitor to imagine living in another, “grander” era. By contrast, the servants’ quarters with simple, wood doors and plain, tiled walls on one of the higher floors are stark, and much less elaborate than the décor in the main part of the house.

The Harkness family’s spirit is, in essence kept alive by The Commonwealth Fund, which was established by Anna Harkness in 1918. The Fund moved into the building in the 1950’s, and its general goal is to promote a healthy standard of living across all societal lines.

A triple delight exists on Fifth Avenue at the corner of 84th. The present home to Marymount School, (my alma mater, third and fourth grades), these former three separate homes, now collectively known as the Pratt Mansions, have an interesting history. They were built during 1901-1903 and were occupied by different owners. 1028 Fifth, the first one to be built, was home to leather merchant Jonathan Thorne, and then to Florence Vanderbilt Burden. C.P.H. Gilbert designed this building. Marymount bought this home in 1925. 1026 and 1027 Fifth were home to Benjamin Williams, banker George Crawford Clark and the former president of Standard Oil, Herbert Lee Pratt, who bought the property in 1919 and lived there with his wife, children and household staff. Marymount bought 1027 in 1936, as well as 1026 in 1950. Architects Van Vleck and Goldsmith designed these particular buildings.

The mansions boast a dramatic spiral staircase, ornate chandeliers and parquet floors. The marble walls in one of the buildings were deemed to be the finest example of their kind when erected. This opulent décor and prime location makes the mansions a popular rental site for special occasions. “These buildings achieved landmark status in 1977,” says Susana Acosta, Marymount’s archivist. Mrs. Acosta says that the buildings have been left “pretty much as they were, although we have made some additions, such as a gym in accordance with the building’s landmark status.” Mrs. Acosta also says that some of the original furnishings from the bygone era still exist, such as the chairs and a dining room cabinet in building 1027.

The mansions have also been featured in popular culture. The remake of the movie “The Producers” features a scene that was filmed in the lobby, showcasing the famous marble walls.

The northeast corner of 78th and Fifth showcases yet another impressive structure, formerly known as the James B. Duke mansion. The home, which is now houses NYU’s Institute of Fine arts, was finished in 1912. It was the residence of its namesake, a North Carolina native who established the American Tobacco Company. Duke had the home built on the site of the former Henry H. Cook house. The outside of the house is built from limestone, and was designed in the style of a French mansion.

The house’s 30 rooms included reception rooms, a library, a drawing room, dining room and a music room. The sweeping staircase led to the second floor, with eight bedrooms and baths. There were also rooms exclusively reserved for clothes and linens (really giving new meaning to the term “walk-in closet). The third floor was also replete with rooms; 12 servants’ rooms, a sewing room and a linen room. Not to be outdone, there still was a basement with yet another linen room. The home’s footman, valet and housekeeper all had their own quarters, and topping all this off was a wine cellar and elevator.

Duke’s daughter Doris inherited much of her father’s wealth at the tender age of 13. Her mother donated the mansion to NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts in 1957. The mansion has had some additions and restorations; however, the original structure and design has remained intact. The house also has the distinction of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places.