The residence of Thomas J. Regan, the financial administrator of the Whitney family, built c. 1908 in Old Westbury. Regan was the personal secretary of Harry Payne Whitney before his death and later became the secretary of the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Trust and treasurer of the William C. Whitney Foundation. I have always believed THIS was the house (with some alterations). Click HERE to see the Regan residence on google earth and HERE on bing. Photo from Trees for Long Island, 1908.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Thomas J. Regan Residence
The residence of Thomas J. Regan, the financial administrator of the Whitney family, built c. 1908 in Old Westbury. Regan was the personal secretary of Harry Payne Whitney before his death and later became the secretary of the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Trust and treasurer of the William C. Whitney Foundation. I have always believed THIS was the house (with some alterations). Click HERE to see the Regan residence on google earth and HERE on bing. Photo from Trees for Long Island, 1908.
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12 comments:
I think Zach is correct in identifying the Thomas J. Regan house – the 1908 & 2010 photos appear (to me) to be the same house. I like the 1908 version better – the exterior appears to have originally been shingles instead of the current painted white clapboard & that projection stuck on the roof directly over the front door needs to be removed.
In the 1908 picture the house appears to be shuttered, which is kind of interesting (to me) considering it was being photographed. It’s a shame the original driveway is gone; the current driveway is so formal & direct it makes you sort of hold your breath as you approach (& I bet they’re not even using heavy manure like the 1908 ad recommends – joke … & not a great joke, sorry).
They ruined the front with the alteration. The HistoricAerial link at wikimapia shows a curved drive to the north. This view is from the south, could there have been a double entry drive?
Does anyone have insight into the 1970's "castle" at the corner of Guys Lane and Wheatley Road?
http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/mynassauproperty/viewphoto.jsp?txtSection=19&txtBlock=D&txtLot=102&txtSuffix=A&txtBldg=&txtCondo=&txtYear=2013
Doug, before the cheap decorative plastic shutter virus and central air conditioning overtook suburban America, shutters were actually used to control light and air.
HPHS, I think you are correct that the original drive for the Regan house was a huge arc connecting to Wheatley Road (or whatever it was called) at either end. It appears part of this arc survives today as the first segment of the driveway for the house immediately to the east.
DED, point taken. When I see a shuttered house my first thought is "closed up" & I should know better.
I remember very well that "Castle" being built (1971-72 ? ) , along with Guys lane..I gagged as a child, at the sight..we used to think it was owned by a mobster..we were probably right.
HPHS...
I've had a tour of the "castle" on Guy's Lane back in the late 70's. It was built by a man named Pete Galasso.
The TJ Regan house was once part of a farm group just to the south, so it makes sense that there was a driveway on both sides, the southern end once connected to the farm group. There were two stables, one with an apartment above. There was also a two story cottage / gardener's house that I rented back in '88 or '89. These buildings plus the twin brick piers flanking the driveway entrance were painted yellow for many years. The address was 81 Wheatley Road. The Nassau County property card shows that it was once owned by Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney.
I had a high school friend whose family lived in the Regan house in the 70s and 80's. The interior was not in the best of shape but it retained many original details. I remember them filming a Hunt's Tomato Paste commercial with Tony Randall in their kitchen.
The current address of the Regan house is 87 Wheatley Road.
Anon 3:08...what was the inside of "the castle " like ?
Do the stables and cottage still stand?
Unfortunately the stables and cottage were demolished to make way for another heinous McMansion several years ago.
The interior of the "castle" was not much to speak of... it was designed to look like an Italian villa with a 70's vibe. Lots of marble and vaulted ceilings. They had a bocce ball court in the yard. It was kind of amusing at best.
The stables and other outbuildings that were accessed through the yellow gates were owned by well know local horseman Tom Quinn from the early 50's until his death. I rode from the stables in the 60's as a very young boy with my father. We used to ride up to what was then still the Clark Estate and onto what had been known as Clark Field.
This was my Great Gandfather's house. I guess it sure has changed since he lived there. Not 1 neighbor then, and now there are 2 acre lots all down Wheatley Road. I look at it every time I drive by and it is so nice to see it still standing at least, in whatever form.
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