Old Long Island

Meudon Interiors

2009-07-13T07:56:00.003-04:00

Some interior shots of William D. Guthrie's 'Meudon' in Lattingtown. Click HERE for more on 'Meudon'.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-12T09:30:00.001-04:00

The beach and stone pier at the rear of Harold Pratt's 'Welwyn' in Glen Cove.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-11T10:10:00.002-04:00

The front of Harold Pratt's 'Welwyn' in Glen Cove with a large dead elm tree on the front lawn. Click HERE to see 'Welwyn' with its front lawn full of elms before they died from Dutch Elm Disease.

A Long Island Country Estate

2009-07-10T10:56:00.004-04:00

An article from the December 10th, 1904 issue of Town and Country on what would become 'Clayton', the Childs Frick estate in Roslyn. Click HERE for more on 'Clayton'.

The Onderdonk Mansion

2009-07-09T07:59:00.005-04:00

The residence of Horatio Gates Onderdonk and his wife Elizabeth, built c. 1836 in Manhasset. Onderdonk was a county judge for Kings County. When Levitt & Sons purchased a piece of the property to develop in 1933 into 'North Strathmore' the house was used as their office. Upon completion of the development and the formation of a resident's association, they handed over the home to the Strathmore Association to be used as a community facility. Click HERE for a complete history on the Onderdonks. Click HERE to see the Onderdonk mansion on google earth.

Sagamore Hill Revisited

2009-07-08T08:00:00.008-04:00

'Sagamore Hill', the residence of Theodore Roosevelt designed by Lamb & Rich c. 1884 in Cove Neck. Click HERE for more on 'Sagamore Hill'.

Harbor Hill: The Founding of an American Estate

2009-07-07T08:12:00.007-04:00

From the August 16th, 1902 issue of Town & Country, an article on 'Harbor Hill', the Clarence and Katherine Mackay estate in Roslyn. Click HERE for more on 'Harbor Hill'.

Meudon in B&W

2009-07-06T08:03:00.006-04:00

'Meudon', the William D. Guthrie residence in Lattingtown, designed by C.P.H. Gilbert c. 1900. The house was demolished in 1955 and little remains today, click HERE to see Meudon's ruins. Click HERE to see where 'Meudon' stood on google earth.

The greenhouses.

The bathing pavilion which still stands.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-05T09:26:00.001-04:00

An old postcard of Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury. Click HERE for more on the Roosevelt Raceway.

Fairleigh

2009-07-04T07:14:00.004-04:00

'Fairleigh', the George Brewster estate in Brookville, built by Trowbridge & Livingston c. 1914. Click HERE for more on 'Fairleigh'.

When H.C. Phipps and Gladys Mills Wed

2009-07-03T10:05:00.005-04:00

From the Dec 14, 1907 issue of Town & Country, an article on the wedding of Henry Carnegie Phipps and Gladys Mills at the Ogden Mills residence in Staatsburg. The two would go on to purchase 'Spring Hill' in Old Westbury as their Long Island residence.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-02T08:36:00.001-04:00

The rear of Howard Phipps' 'Erchless' in Old Westbury.

Chelsea's Garden Ruins

2009-07-01T10:03:00.006-04:00

Some kind of garden feature on the side of Benjamin Moore's 'Chelsea' in Muttontown. There is a half moon of trees around a derelict pergola looking structure and all along the outside are the wooden polls seen in the foreground.

Brookville Reformed Church

2009-06-30T08:08:00.004-04:00

The Brookville Reformed Church, the fourth church to be erected on this site built in 1924. From the Village of Brookville's website: "In 1732, the Dutch bought the property at the intersection of what we know as Wheatley Road and Brookville Road to establish a church. There were many springs and a brook on the property, and it is said that the wolves gathered there to drink. Thus, the Dutch called Wolver Hollow. The church, which was built at that time, was known as the Reformed Dutch Church of Oyster Bay. Four different structures have been built over the years and the present stately and beautiful building was dedicated in 1924. It was renamed the Brookville Reformed Church and still stands on the original site."

SPLIA & Long Island's Endangered Properties

2009-06-29T11:55:00.013-04:00

The Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (SPLIA) is the regional advocate for historic environments on Long Island. This year the Society is launching its first Endangered Properties List to increase the visibility of threatened historic resources and stimulate greater support for their preservation and reuse.

Please join in this effort to protect what matters. If you know of a threatened historic resource, nominate it today. A nomination form (in Microsoft Word format) can be accessed from SPLIA's website HERE, or you can enlarge and print the nomination form directly from the images below. The deadline for nominations is October 15th, 2009.

Bayville Bridge

2009-06-28T10:23:00.005-04:00

The Bayville Bridge, the fourth incarnation of the bridge built in 1938. Below is a good powerpoint history of the bridge I found on google. Click HERE to see the Bayville Bridge on google earth.

Bayville Bridge

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Sefton Manor

2009-06-27T07:44:00.010-04:00

'Sefton Manor', built for Lillian Sefton Thomas Dodge by Colonel James Hollis Wells of the firm Clinton & Russell, Wells, Holton & George in 1923 in Mill Neck. Dodge was the president of Harriet Hubbard Ayer Co., a cosmetics giant later purchased by Lever Brothers, Inc.. Today the house belongs to the Mill Neck Family of Organizations and had been used as the Mill Neck School for the Deaf, with the house taking on the new name of 'Mill Neck Manor'. Click HERE to see 'Sefton Manor' on google earth. The following pictures were taken with my cell phone immediately after a thunderstorm so the quality is not great but I hope to return soon to take better photos.

The view off the rear terrace.

The gardens and landscaping were designed by Charles W. Leavitt.

Click below to see 'Sefton Manor' in a 1966 aerial shot.

Oak Knoll

2009-06-26T08:04:00.006-04:00

'Oak Knoll', the Bertram G. Work estate designed by Delano & Aldrich in Mill Neck in 1916. Work was the president of B.F. Goodrich Company and had Billy Delano design him this residence atop a hill with a view of Oyster Bay. The formal gardens were also designed by Delano. Click HERE to see 'Oak Knoll' on google earth.

The front entrance and courtyard with numerous statue niches and wrought iron.

Click below to see 'Oak Knoll' in a 1966 aerial shot.

An Italian Palace on Long Island

2009-06-25T07:56:00.011-04:00

Published in Town and Country magazine on June 25th, 1904, 105 years ago to the day, is an article on what would come to be known as 'Spring Hill', originally the William L. Stow residence and later the Henry C. Phipps estate designed by John Russell Pope in 1903 in Old Westbury (what was then Roslyn). Mrs. H. Du Puy, who wrote the article, describes the estate as follows, "Unmistakably a palace, and true to its period, with a frontage of one hundred and fifty by ninety feet, it is surely an imposing sight. Passing on to the south side of the house the regal magnificence of the mansion is fully realized. In stateliness this Renaissance villa rises from a long marble terrace, which is level with the windows of the great hall on the first floor. The terrace is supported by a massive retaining wall of marble, paneled and arched in its middle length, but having a gradual slope at both ends, where a flight of marble steps lead downward and are each flanked by two marble lions resting heavily on marble blocks. The southerly view from this terrace is one of unusual beauty, commanding fifteen miles of landscape, including the Meadow Brook Plains, with the ocean in the distance." The following pictures of the interior accompanied the article.

"A magnificent fifteenth century hall, occupying more than half the entire ground floor, serves for ballroom and music-room. It's four windows open directly upon the spacious marble terrace. At the farther end is a Florentine chimney-piece, its carved marble panels representing the four seasons. The serpentine columns at the sides were taken from an Italian church. The paneling is in black oak and the side walls of beautiful workmanship have open arches supported by columns richly carved. Above, the wall is covered with a Venetian red velvet brocade. The ceiling is an exact copy of one painted by the last of the great Italian painters of the Renaissance, Tiepolo."

"To the right of the chimney piece is the Gold Salon, bearing the stamp of the gorgeous Spanish Renaissance in its carved and heavily gilded woodwork. Not only does this carving extend to window frames and door frames, but the doors themselves are marvels of carved gilding. The walls are hung with a pale green brocade, while the gilded frames of the furniture show to advantage their Gobelin coverings. The mantel of amber Sienna marble carries this golden tone in its simpler lines, relieved by Russian malachite. A portrait of the Duchess of Parma is set into an elaborate monumental gold frame."

"At the opposite end of the hall one enters en suite - the dining room - which is large and imposing and entirely finished in marble. The floor is in Renaissance mosaic. The walls are covered with green velvet demasse of Genoese design. Sculptured marble sideboard tables on scroll pedestals keep up the true Italian marble treatment. The ceiling is squared off into green and gold panels, having a center painting, 'The Youth of Bacchus," by Domenichino. Enormous bronze torch standards, branching out into numerous electric lights, give to the room an unusual brilliancy when used."

"In the adjoining library a veritable Venetian gem in the way of a chimney-piece attracts the eye by its panel carvings of historic interest. The walls are in black oak carved panels, copied from the Cluny Museum. Low bookcases are carved to match. Every third case is filled with rare vases. Antique censors of gilded brass hang in each corner and are fitted for electric lighting."

Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens - Welwyn

2009-06-24T08:16:00.007-04:00

'Welwyn', the Harold I. Pratt estate in Glen Cove. All images are from the Garden Club of America Collection. (Click for info on the above photo). Click info for additional photos.

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Picture of the Day

2009-06-23T11:40:00.000-04:00

The Hempstead railroad station, 1909.

Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens - Burrwood

2009-06-22T07:36:00.016-04:00

'Burrwood', the Walter Jennings estate in Lloyd Harbor, designed by Carrere and Hastings c. 1898 with landscaping by the Olmsted Brothers (1916-1938). All images are from the Garden Club of America Collection. Click the photo info for additional photos. (Click for info on above photo)

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The object in the center is a sarcophagus turned into a garden fountain. (Info on above photo)

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Picture of the Day

2009-06-21T08:27:00.003-04:00

'Germelwyn', the Leonard Busby estate in Glen Cove.

Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens - Fairleigh

2009-06-20T09:38:00.009-04:00

More from the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens: 'Fairleigh', built by the firm of Trowbridge & Livingston for George S. Brewster c. 1914 in Brookville. James L. Greenleaf did the landscaping and Alfred Hopkins designed the estate's farm group. Click HERE to see 'Fairleigh' on google earth. (Info on above picture)

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Click below to see 'Fairleigh' in a 1966 aerial shot.

All images are from the Garden Club of America Collection.

Planting Fields Statuary

2009-06-19T09:39:00.003-04:00

One of the numerous statues that dot the property of William R. Coe's 'Planting Fields' in Oyster Bay.