Monthly Archives: January 2009

Old Orchard House, Oyster Bay Cove NY

Located on the grounds of Sagamore Hill is another home, Old Orchard House, built by Theodore Roosevelt Jr. in 1938. It is a Georgian Revival or Neo Georgian Style home, that now serves as a Museum to his father’s legacy.  I visited this house on July 26, 2008.

Old Orchard House

Old Orchard House

Old Orchard House - Plaque

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Villa Carola, Sands Point NY

I visited this estate on October 24, 2008. A professional meeting was being held there.

Side View - Villa Carola

Side View - Villa Carola

Villa Carola is now known as the “Village Club of Sands Point.” (Private, not open to the public.) It was designed by the architect  H. Van Buren Magonigle, the estate was built between 1916 – 1918 for Issac Guggenheim.

Detail - Window Brick and Trim

Detail - Window Brick and Trim

I was totally intrigued by the colors of the bricks and the Terra Cotta trim on this building.  The architect’s use of color is truly impressive in person, I don’t believe these pictures do them justice.

Arch Detail

Arch Detail

Detail Exterior Trim

Detail Exterior Trim

Exterior Peacock Detail

Exterior Peacock Detail

I thought this was exquisite! Then I found out the motif was continued into the interior as well.

Interior Peacock Detail

Interior Peacock Detail

Even though the mansion is Italian in style, it has several art deco accents in it.  This is a view of some heating grates in the sun rooms.

Art Deco Grill 1

Art Deco Grill 2

Art Deco Grill 1

Art Deco Grill 1

One of the more charming features of the house is an elevator that has been converted into a hallway.

Elevator Converted to a Hallway

Elevator Converted to a Hallway

Another charming feature of this mansion is the ironwork interior entrance gates.

Interior entrance gate

Interior entrance gate

Interior entrance gate - detail

Interior entrance gate - detail

Just beautiful!

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Jerusha Dewey Cottage, Roslyn NY

The Jerusha Dewey Cottage is on the grounds of Clayton, in Roslyn NY.  I visited it on October 8, 2008.  The cottage is not open to tour.   It was the guest house for William Cullen Bryant and it was built in 1862.

Dewey Cottage Plaque

Dewey Cottage Plaque

Side View of Dewey Cottage

Side View of Dewey Cottage

Dewey Cottage from Path to Cedermere

Dewey Cottage from Path to Cedermere

There are many paths to walk in the woods at Clayton.  The Jerusha Dewey Cottage is located off one of them.  Here is a view of the path near the cottage.

Path to Dewey Cottage

Path to Dewey Cottage

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Clayton, Roslyn NY

East Facade of Clayton

East Facade of Clayton

On October 8, 2007 I visited this estate.

Clayton was originally built in 1904 by the architect  Ogden Codman, Jr for Lloyd Bryce on land that was once owned by William Cullen Bryant.  In 1917 the estate was purchased by Henry Clay Frick for his son, Childs Frick and his new wife, Frances.  In 1919 the facade of the mansion was redesigned by architect Charles Carrick Allom in the Neo Georgian or Georgian Revival Style.  Clayton is now the home of the Nassau County Museum of Art.  It is one of my favorite mansions to visit on Long Island.

West Facade of Clayton

West Facade of Clayton

North Facade of Clayton (with sculptures visible)

North Facade of Clayton (with sculptures visible)

One of the reasons why I love to visit the grounds of this mansion is the roughly 45 contemporary sculptures that dot the landscape. Here is an example:

Contemporary Sculpture

Contemporary Sculpture

Sorry, I do not know the name or artist of the above sculpture.  Here is another example:

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Wood Duck Plaque

Wood Duck Plaque

Another reason why I love the grounds at this mansion is the restored formal garden.

Garden Plaque

Garden Plaque

Boxwood Garden

Boxwood Garden

The Boxwood Garden is one of the many rooms that comprise the formal garden.

In the garden is the most wonderful structure: the trellis.

Garden Trellis

Garden Trellis

Trellis Plaque

Trellis Plaque

Trellis Detail 1

Trellis Detail 1

Trellis Detail 3

Trellis Detail 3

Capitols continuing the trellis into the garden

Capitols continuing the trellis into the garden

On the grounds of Clayton is another structure: The Jerusha Dewey Cottage.

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Chelsea, East Norwich NY

On October 8, 2007 I visited this estate.  It was hosting a Designer Show House.  It is part of the Muttontown Preserve of the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Museums.  The house itself is an interesting blend of French and Chinese styles.  It was built in 1924 by the firm of Delano & Aldrich for Mr & Mrs Benjamin Moore.

Chelsea - Front Entrance

Chelsea - Front Entrance

Chelsea - Courtyard view

Chelsea - Courtyard view

A Wing Of Chelsea

A Wing Of Chelsea

Notice the moat in the above picture.  It is lined with cobble stones taken from the streets of NYC’s Chelsea section – which is how the mansion got its name.  It is said that the Moore children regularly played in the moats.

Chelsea Moat

Chelsea Moat

In the foreground of the above picture you can just make out the cobblestones.

Center Court Patio

Center Court Patio

The patio, shown above, is also said to be lined with stones taken from the streets of NYC’s Chelsea section.  Apparently the Moores’ first home was located in Chelsea.

Moat and Garden Gate

Moat and Garden Gate

The circular garden gate is asian in style.  The service wing of the house is on the other side of it.

Service Wing

Service Wing

Garden Gate

Garden Gate

The above photo is taken looking through the garden gate towards the court yard and moat.

Serpentine Garden Wall next to pond

Serpentine Garden Wall next to pond

Another architectural gem in the garden is this serpentine wall.

Abandoned Garden Fountain

Abandoned Garden Fountain

There are some over grown formal gardens.  While exploring them I literally stumbled into this large abandoned fountain.  It must have been something special when it was functioning.

Fountain Detail

Fountain Detail

The fountain was lined every few feet with these carvings.

Driveway to stables / garage

Driveway to stables / garage

It had been several years since my last visit.  I forgot how long the entrance driveway was.  This is just a small part of it.

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I’m Back…..

I am back after an illness that literally had me off my feet.  I’ve been catching up on comments and general site maintenance.  I visited 3 mansions this past fall, and in the coming days I will be adding them to this site.  I will visit more mansions in the spring (when it is warmer out).  When I do, I will post them here.

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