An aerial shot of J.P. Morgan Jr.'s 'Matinecock Point', designed by Christopher Grant LaFarge on East Island in Glen Cove c. 1913. The house was demolished in 1980. Click HERE to see where 'Matinecock Point' stood on google earth. The picture is from a 1924 issue of American Homes of Today.Click below to see 'Matinecock Point' intact but slowly being consumed by the incoming development in a 1966 aerial shot.
6 comments:
I was fortunate enough to grow up on Morgan's Island (as we called J.P. Morgan's East Island Estate)from 1976 until the late '90's. As a child, the mansion was occupied by an order of Catholic nuns, and I had the rare priviledge of playing in the mansion after school and on weekends. I can still see the Angels at the bottom of the grand staircase, holding their lanterns to light the massive stairway. I found the original blue prints of when the mansion was being built, deep in the attic. (I still have them) It was a travesty when the wreckers ball destroyed that beautiful home. But, growing up there, created a love of the Gold Coast and their magnificent homes which enthralls me still.
To "Anonymous" poster:
Any chance you might want to sell me those blue prints? I"m in southern Fairfield County, CT. I would love to see them if at all possible.
Do any photos exist of Morgan's pier, which was on the west side of the Island, and used to dock the Corsair?
Seeing as you grew up on the Morgan Estate, I am hoping you can help me out. My Great Grandfather, Charles Edgar Valentine, (1855-1904), supposedly was the Head Care-Taker at the Morgan Estate in the late 1800's-early 1900's. His wife Ellen gave birth to 7 children, from 1880-1895, all living at the Morgan Estate. My grandfather Silas was born in 1893. Ellen died sometime between 1895 & 1904. Family rumor has it that Charles died on Feb.6,1904, in a Morgan Estate barn accident, leaving all 7 children parentless. This rumor has never been confirmed, and has thwarted family geneology ever since. There's no longer any surviving family members that know anything about it. Having the ability to recover the original Morgan mansion blue-prints, I'm wondering if you may have also had access to any type of records, documentation, journals, obituaries that may confirm or enlighten me on this little amount of family history that exists??? If not, could you help point me in right direction??? THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
Jeff V.
I too used to visit the nuns at the mansion (early 1960's). We would bike right up to the main entrance, ring the door bell, which in those days sounded very fancy in itself, and we would ask to visit with Mother Superior. The novices would bring us cookies and milk, as we sat there in our shorts and keds, and Mother Superior would sit with us. I cannot imagine what in the world we talked about! What a wonderful memory and really crime when that mansion was demolished. CS
To Anonymous: I live on the island and would love to see the blueprints...any chance you can show them to me? call Michael & Monika 516-656-3900
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