Helen Huntington Hull was a prominent socialite, patron of the arts, heiress and political hostess. Daughter of Helen Gray (Dinsmore) Huntington (1868-1942) and Robert Palmer Huntington (1869-1949). First wife of Vincent Astor (divorce), later wife of Lytle Hull. Having grown up in Rhinebeck, New York, she played alongside Vincent Astor, who lived at 'Ferncliff' nearby. Divorcing Vincent because of his infidelity, she went on to marry Lytle Hull. A passionate supporter of music and the opera, she went on to help find the Metropolitan Opera Company, which held court at the Met. While many New York socialites owned or rented out a box on the grand tier of the Met on Broadway, famously called the 'Diamond Horseshoe', she owned two boxes, one for her and the other for guests, each box capable of holding nine persons. A large contributor to ballet, she served on the board of the New York City Ballet. She resided regally at her Hudson Valley mansion 'The Locusts', a neobaroque mansion named it's black locust trees by her grandfather William Dinsmore. It was the second mansion to occupy the spot, the first one being far too large and dated for her to maintain. It was here that she played on the lawn with her six dogs and gave gala fundraising dinners in the gardens. At 'Hopeland House', her Staatsburg, New York estate she frequently held fundraising political galas at which Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover attended. She served as alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from New York in 1924. She served as co-chairwoman of New York's Woman's Republican National Committee in 1926 and in 1927. She was a guest at the inaugural balls of Presidents Calvin Cooligde, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower and the first one of Richard Nixon. Good friends with Nelson Rockefeller, she often co-hosted with Happy Rockefeller at her apartment in New York City. She also considered Leonard Bernstein, Cole Porter, Elsa Maxwell and Cholly Knickerbocker good friends. A supreme lover of animals, she owned three large dogs and three small dogs, as well as five horses, six cows, four sheep, 5 chickens, 2 parrots and numerous others. In 1966, she, along with thousands of other patrons and opera lovers, attended the closing gala of the Metropolitan Opera House on Broadway Street, said to be the Met's finest night, after which the building was to be demolished and the company would move to it's new Lincoln Square building. At the new Met, she went on to find The Philharmonic Hall, attending the opening night on the arms of Leonard Bernstein. The night was one of the last times she was seen in public . Her health began to fail and she moved out to 'The Locusts'. In October of 1976 she returned to New York City to attend a campaign fundraising dinner for Gerald Ford. On November 6 she went to vote at St. Thomas Church. Later in December, 14 days short of Christmas, Helen died at the age of 83; buried in Rhinebeck Cemetery.

Bio by: Bobby Kelley