<P> The 19th century saw the continuation of the building of mansions in the United States and Europe . Built by self - made men, these were often smaller than those built by the old European aristocracy . These new builders of mansions did not confine themselves to just the then - fashionable Gothic tastes in architecture, but also experimented with 19th - century versions of older Renaissance and Tudoresque styles; The Breakers in Rhode Island is a fine example of American Renaissance revivalism . </P> <P> During the 19th century, like the major thoroughfares of all important cites, Fifth Avenue in New York City, was lined with mansions . Many of these were designed by the leading architects of the day, often in European gothic styles, and were built by families who were making their fortunes, and thus achieving their social aspirations . However, nearly all of these have now been demolished, thus depriving New York of a boulevard to rival, in the architectural sense, those in Paris, London or Rome--where the many large mansions and palazzi built or remodeled during this era still survive . Mansions built in the countryside were not spared either . One of the most spectacular estates of the U.S., Whitemarsh Hall, was demolished in 1980, along with its extensive gardens, to make way for suburban developments . </P> <P> Grand Federal Style mansions designed by Samuel McIntire inhabit an area that, in 2012, is the largest collection of 17th & 18th century structures in the United States of America . This district in Salem, Massachusetts is called the McIntire Historic District with the center being Chestnut Street . </P> <P> Little is known about McIntire's personal life . He was born in Salem in 1757 and grew up in a family of housewrights . Samuel married Sally Fields in 1778, and the couple had one son . He built a simple home and workshop on Summer Street in 1786 . His favorite hobby was playing and teaching music . </P>

When is a house classed as a mansion