Rising above the prairie in Ponca City, Oklahoma, is a fine “castello” constructed in the Tuscan style. Modeled after the Davanzati Palace in Florence, Italy, the E.W. Marland Mansion showcases the work of many artisans and craftsmen from around the world. The Mediterranean Revival-style castle is very true to the distinct architecture of Tuscany, the region of Italy where Florence is located. And its builder might be classified as a Renaissance man.
Ernest Whitworth Marland became a wildcatter in Pennsylvania, where he made (and lost) his first fortune. Undaunted, he explored for oil in Oklahoma and made his second fortune. At the height of America’s oil boom, Marland controlled one tenth of the world’s oil, and he wanted a home to reflect his wealth and status.
