White Eagle / Templeton / De Seversky Center, Old Westbury NY

This beautiful house was designed in the Neo Federal style by the architects Carrere and Hastings in 1916 for Alfred I . du Pont. At that time it was known as “White Eagle.” In 1923 the Frederick Guest family bought it and called it “Templeton.” It now serves as the De Seversky Conference Center for the New York Institute of Technology.

East Facade Templeton

The east facade is the view of the house you see from the approaching driveway. Here is what the front or south facade looks like.

South Facade with Main Entrance

North Facade

This building has extraordinary architectural details on it. Here are a few of my favorites:

Detail North Facade

I wonder if these niches ever housed sculptures?

Arches over Windows

Detail near roof

Of course my favorite details are on the east facade:

Detail East Facade

East Facade Colonnade

The colonnade is wonderful!

The landscape plan and the architecture of this house blend together perfectly. I love the Linden Tree allees on the south side of the house.

Linden Tree Allee

Here is one of my favorite photos:

Garden Wall Detail

Here is another:

Garden Fountain

For more photos of Templeton, including some interior shots, please visit my Flickr site.

Last year I visited and blogged about another one of Alfred I. du Pont’s Residences.

Old Westbury Gardens, Old Westbury, NY

On June 22, 2008 I also visited the Main House at Old Westbury Gardens.

The front entrance (North Side) to Westbury House.

The back of the house (South Side), facing the gardens.

A sphinx (one of a pair) on the South Terrace.

The South Terrace – just beautiful!

The West side of the house.

Looking Down the South Allee…….

The Silver garden.

The Boxwood Garden.

The Thatched Cottage, a playhouse for the Phipps children.

The Rose Garden path.

The entrance gate to the walled garden.

The next few pictures are from inside the Walled Garden – one of my favorite places to visit.

Looking down the East Allee from the Walled Garden.

On the grounds of Old Westbury Gardens is another estate: Orchard Hill.

Orchard Hill, Old Westbury, NY

On June 22, 2008 I attended the Orchard Hill Designer Show House at Old Westbury Gardens.

Front entrance to Orchard Hill.

This house was built in 1860 for John and Caroline Hicks as an “A.J. Downing style country home.” Sometime between 1907 and 1930, John Phipps bought the land and house from the estate of John Hicks and had the house moved to its present location. John Phipps gave the house to his daughter, Peggie Phipps Boegner in 1930, for her wedding present. Peggie lived there for 76 years. She passed away at the age of 99 in 2006.

Another view of the main entrance.

A view of the back of the house and conservatory.

The view out the back door of Orchard Hill – down the allee.

The garden path to the guest cottage.

The guest cottage – view from the patio. The interior design was charming!

The patio for the guest cottage.

Flowers in the garden.

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Information on this page is from the “The Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse at Old Westbury Gardens” booklet, provided with admission to the show. P. 14, 17, 18.