A Visit to Lyndhurst
If you're ever in or near Westchester County, New York, please take some time to visit Lyndhurst, a magnificent Gothic Revival country estate located on 67 sweeping acres along the banks of the Hudson River in Tarrytown.
Lyndhurst was owned and shaped by three prominent area families - The Pauldings, The Merritts, and lastly, by railroad tycoon and financier, Jay Gould. Purchased in 1880, Jay occupied the home until his death in 1892. In 1961, his daughter Anna Gould donated it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The estate features 16 elaborately decorated rooms - many lovingly restored and including original furniture left in the home. The surrounding park is an outstanding example of 19th-century landscape design with expansive lawns, specimen tree groves, and curved carriage roads. The property also includes a Bowling Alley, a Laundry Building, a Pool House, and the exterior of what was once considered the largest private greenhouse complex in the country.
Enjoy these photos. This week, Lyndhurst is hosting the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I'll share lots of photos of that event in my next blog.
-
- The mansion was designed in 1838 by architect Alexander Jackson Davis in a romantic Gothic Revival style. The original structure was doubled in size between 1864-1867 to what is seen today.
-
- Lyndhurst is situated beside the Hudson River about a half mile south of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, formerly known as the Tappan Zee Bridge. On a clear day, one can see New York City.
-
- The property boasts some beautiful mature trees – some planted in stands and some singly.
-
- This is the apple orchard – planted so the family could enjoy home grown fruits in the dead of winter.
-
- The main house has a soaring two-floor Art Gallery, which was once also used as a library and billiards room. Today, the room is filled with 19th century academic paintings along with Tiffany glass windows and other period furnishings designed by Davis.
-
- The walls of the gallery are filled with gilt-framed paintings.
-
- This bed chamber is called the East Bedroom and was the master bedroom of the home. It includes the Gothic Revival oak bed.
-
- In this photo, one can see how the rooms were preserved – looking much as they did in the 1800s.
-
- The Dining Room at Lyndhurst still contains the original Gothic Revival dining table and chairs designed by Alexander Jackson Davis for the Merrit Family in 1865,
-
- This green parlor and sitting room includes something very special. Take a look at the back left corner…
-
- …this antique terrarium is a recent purchase for Lyndhurst. It was bought from my own Great American Tag Sale and added to the room’s decor.
-
- Not far from the Dining Room was the Butler’s Pantry, where the fine china, crystal, and silver were all stored.
-
- This beautiful spiral wood back staircase takes visitors up to the fifth floor tower where one can see panoramic views of the Hudson River and New York City as well as all the way down to the basement kitchen.
-
- This is the cellar, where the family was able to store root vegetables. It is large and cool because of its location underground.
-
- Just outside is where pickling and preserving was done.
-
- And in this ice box – servants of Lyndhurst stored the milk and eggs.
-
- Here is the main kitchen – still decorated with many of the 19th century cooking elements, tools and supplies. This room had great light and ample space – it was a dream to work in a kitchen like this one in its time.
-
- Across from the kitchen, one could also see this building – designated as the Laundry Building.
-
- Inside – large tables for folding, multiple large, deep sinks for washing, and more light and windows.
-
- There were also two large mangles, or wringers – mechanical laundry aids consisting of two rollers in a sturdy frame, connected by cogs and powered by a hand crank or by electricity. I love mangles and have them in every home for ironing sheets and other linens.
-
- The servants’ rooms were also rather spacious. This one was likely occupied by the head of staff – it includes a bed, a small sitting area and a private bathroom.
-
- This outdoor area was once used as the vegetable garden.
-
- And not far from the main house is the Bowling Alley, one of the earliest bowling lanes in the United States. Anna Gould used the bowling alley for visiting soldiers during World War II. Although the structure fell into disrepair in the 1950s, it was restored and opened for public tours. The building was also used as a school where local women could learn sewing and other skills.
-
- This parlor is just off the bowling lanes and was used for enjoying refreshments and socialization. This room leads to a 7000-square foot veranda with views of the river.
-
- And just down the carriage road from the mansion is the Lyndhurst Perennial Rose Garden, now in bloom with more than 500 red and pink rose bushes. The garden was planted in 1911 in concentric circles around a central gazebo. The entire Lyndhurst estate is a wonderful and picturesque escape from the busy city – still as beautiful now as it was in the 1800s. Please visit the next time you are in the area. You can learn more about Lyndhurst on their web site at lyndhurst.org.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
