'Wheatly', the Edwin Denison Morgan III estate in Old Westbury as it looks today. The center and main portion of the house was demolished years ago, but the two flanking wings (which were a later addition by McKim, Mead & White) still survive as separate homes (above and below). 
Below was Morgan's chapel, which was converted into a private residence after the estate was broken up. Notice the cross and bell at the top.
The 'main court'. Most of the estate's outbuildings sat around this center portion, the house one one side and the chapel, water tower, ballroom, swimming pool and squash court on the other.
The main house was extensively terraced, as it sat atop a very high hill. To the rear were formal gardens, of which this wall formed one boundary. Down the cobblestone road seen below were the rest of Morgan's outbuildings, which included numerous stables, dog kennels and cottages.
Click the link below to see the remains of 'Wheatly' in a 1966 aerial shot.
12 comments:
very cool.
-c
Wonderful! E D Morgan was my great-grandfather. I didn't know these mementoes of the estate remained. My mother used to tell me about her summers spent at Wheatly (no "e", as it was known in the family).
Thanks for commenting Mary. I was curious if you had any old pictures of the place? There is unfortunately a lack of good info on the estate.
Zach, I don't have any photos. But there are several views of the estate in a book I have, Recollections for My Family, written by E D Morgan and published privately after his death, as well as remarks on its building and the family's life there. There are also photos and drawings of Wheatly in The Architecture of McKim, Mead & White in Photographs, Plans and Elevations, a Dover Publications reprint of an earlier book.
My Great Uncle Albert Tobie worked for E.D. Morgan about 1917 or so. He was a master plasterer. So I assume that the house must have had lots or ornamental details. Would love to know more about the history here. Where abouts was this estate?
what great memories - my step father, Frank Shields used to spend his weekend hitting golf balls through the bell hole on the church
From California, I'd love to revisit the property. I see photos of the place regularly in Santa Cruz, at the farmhouse owned by the family of T. Archer Morgan, son of E.D. Morgan. My wife's folks were married in the chapel pictured on this site, he the son of E.D. Morgan's personal secretary.
My mother, Katharine Archer Morgan Jay Bacon, spent her youth at Wheatley. When her Grandparents died, they were forced to sell such a large property. We have some photos from the "old days" which are fantastique....and show the way our family USED to live. My mother is in possession of those precious photos.
Katharine Bacon Perkins
I have several copies of "Recollections For My Family" (I am a great great grand child of ED Morgan III) and the paragraphs about building and living in Wheatly are fascinating.
I grew up in one of the two servant's quarters of this old estate in the 1970's. They were sizable old colonials. One of my best friends lived in the old chapel, another in the old gate house, and another in the old converted stables. We used to play in the spooky old tunnels that connected the buildings. Great memories!
My mother was Katharine Archer Morgan Jay Bacon (1928-2013)
Peter Doane/ Kate Bacon Perkins
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