Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Bogheid in Winter

'Bogheid', the Helen Porter Priybil estate in Glen Cove in Winter.  


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

That shell topped entrance surround is amazing! Almost outrageous
in its effect for such a sober house- does the house date from the
1930s ? Can you tell us anything about the first owner and what architectural firm is doing the renovation?

Zach L. said...

Built in 1938. H.P.P. was the daughter of a partner at J.P. Morgan. She built her house where her father's house had stood. The above house has an indoor tennis court and numerous other amenities. It is not undergoing a renovation (those are abandoned cars in front), it is actually sitting in a semi vacant state slowly falling apart.

Anonymous said...

Thats wild! Its hard to imagine that any big house so close to NYC could still be left abandoned after the last couple of decades of such heightened prosperity! I grew up in similar community in the 70s and there were many abandoned estates (so fun to play in) that had been left empty since after World War ll. Long Island is such and interesting place! Even the variety of cars and trucks are strange....a Mercedes?
I imagine you are a native of Long Island and you too did a lot of adventuring on abandoned estates before everything was gobbled up.
Thank you for the information about the owner and the date it was built.

Zach L. said...

It is owned by the same individual who owns Winfield Hall. What exactly is going on with both places is a big mystery to everyone who cares. The variety of cars is very strange. There are a bunch of boats off to one side (not pictured). It almost seems like the house is being used as a dump or junkyard.

An Aesthete's Lament said...

It was built by Delano & Aldrich for Helen and Paul PRYBIL in 1938; a New York Times article states they took up residence in the house in the late spring of that year. It had 57 rooms and 14 baths. Helen, who died in 1969, was a daughter of William H Porter, a partner in JP Morgan. She had been previously married to Richard L Davisson, a lawyer, whom she divorced in 1928. They had three children, Joan Davisson, William Porter Davisson, and Richard L Davisson Jr.

Anonymous said...

I was able to walk the grounds two years ago and it does seem that the house and its property are being used as a dumping ground, especially the indoor tennis courts. At first, I thought Glen Cove owned the property and was using it for that purpose. It is very unfrortunate that the house is being neglected in such a way. Are you sure that it's still privately owned or is it abandoned?

The Down East Dilettante said...

I just looked this place up on maps.live.com (the bird's eye view feature has google earth completely beat for viewing quality). It is a very weird sight indeed...in a neighborhood of handsome houses well maintained, and completely surrounded by a manicured golf course, and there is it, decaying, its grounds looking like something out of a trailer park, junk everywhere. Pity, the house indeed has some wonderful features.

Anonymous said...

Glen Coves version of Grey Gardens-- the Careys being the resident Beales. Such a sin to have such a magnificent house falling to ruin.....

Anonymous said...

and its not abandoned. They Careys live there most of the year with some time spent in another neglected house in Newport

Unknown said...

My grandparents were caretakers for the estate in the 40s, 50s and 60s. They lived in the cottage on the estate. We had great memories many decades before the golf course evolved. We had fun bowling in a basement, great times.