'
Box Hill', the
Stanford White estate designed by himself (with the help of
McKim &
Mead) between 1884-1906 in
St. James. White had married
Bessie Smith of
Smithtown in 1884 and purchased a small house in neighboring
St. James. White apparently later regretted not tearing the house down to begin with and starting fresh but would go on build numerous additions over twenty years. One of his plans called for the use of two-story tall Corinthian columns White had bought in Connecticut that he was going to float across the Sound but his wife rejected the idea. The columns were used as a driveway entrance instead. The house is extant and still owned by the White family. Click
HERE to see '
Box Hill' on google earth and
HERE on bing.
'Box Hill', the Stanford White estate designed by himself (with the help of McKim & Mead) between 1884-1906 in St. James. White had married Bessie Smith of Smithtown in 1884 and purchased a small house in neighboring St. James. White apparently later regretted not tearing the house down to begin with and starting fresh but would go on build numerous additions over twenty years. One of his plans called for the use of two-story tall Corinthian columns White had bought in Connecticut that he was going to float across the Sound but his wife rejected the idea. The columns were used as a driveway entrance instead. The house is extant and still owned by the White family. Click HERE to see 'Box Hill' on google earth and HERE on bing.
Click below to see 'Box Hill' in a 1954 aerial shot. Pictures from House & Garden, 1903.
9 comments:
Foe those of you interested in Stanford White or Box Hill, I highly recommend the book "Architect of Desire" by White's great-grandaughter, Sazannah Lessard who was raised on the property. Beautifully written and a great read.
And Stanford White, Architect by another great grandchild, Sam White:
http://www.amazon.com/Stanford-White-Architect-Samuel-G/dp/0847830799/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273494125&sr=8-1
Loved the Lessard book, and photos are great in White's book
And the pictures here are just wonderful---architect's own homes are always the most interesting. Wonderful as it is that the property remains in the family, and relatively not broken up, condition is not great...
I would love to see the interiors of this house, now and then. It has fascinated me for so very long.
Well hopefully that will become a possibility sooner than later.
In the Samuel White book "The Houses of McKim, Mead & White; Box Hill is given almost eleven pages with great color pictures of The Whites' splendid home and one B&W of the original farmhouse. You can see how 'weathered' it's become (as of 1998) but still a gem. The famous White 'Pebbledash' is still there after all these years. That's one tour I hope to catch someday.
what a rambler. as much as i like it, he may have been right about tearing it down and starting fresh. and re dilletantes comment about condition - it's too bad that the gardens on most of these houses go to pot. this garden and many others are a wreck. what a shame as the gardens are the thing that made the houses what they were. let one link go and the rest of the chain doesn't look as good anymore. use some of the millions you spent on the house to hire a gardener for pete's sake.
security word def - "apherstu" - soup made famous by sam gamgee's grandfather
I love ramblers that are added to over the years to accommodate new plans and ideas. I guess the ultimate rambler would be Hearst Castle in California; constructed started in 1919 and building stopped in 1947 with plans drawn for one or two more guest cottages, a grand hall and various terraces.
I love a "Rambler" that evolves as new plans or needs are developed. The ultimate "rambler" could be the Hearst Castle in California. Construction started in 1919 and continued on and off till 1947 when Hearst's health forced him to move to Los Angeles. There were plans for one or two more guest cottages, a grand pavilion ballroom and gallery as well as completing the work on the indoor pool gym and suites in the main house. Stanford White had an indirect impact on San Simeon as it was his use of antique choir stalls as wainscott where Hearst and Morgan got the idea; and the Great Barney Mantle in the assembly hall was from a White designed building.
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