Wednesday, September 12, 2012

'Harbor Hill'

 'Harbor Hill', the Clarence Mackay estate designed by McKim, Mead & White between 1899-1905 in Roslyn.  Click HERE and HERE for more on 'Harbor Hill'.  Click HERE to see where 'Harbor Hill' stood on google earth.




Photos from The House Dignified, 1908.

9 comments:

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

The House Dignified - never new about this - random search with discovery?

magnus said...

I guess it served its purpose as an eye boggler for the Mackay's friends and neighbors, but as beautiful as it is, the scale appears anything but residential. I guess such considerations were far from the point.

The Down East Dilettante said...

Magnus, have you read Richard Guy Wilson's book about Harbor Hill? Fascinating stuff. The then very young Mrs. Mackey had some very definite ideas about what she wanted, accounting for much of the very odd floor plan, and the gargantuan over-scale.

archibuff said...

Majestic perfection. House, grounds and site, not to mention the stables are some of the best from Long Island's heyday.

No need to feel homey and cozy. It surely served it's purpose as a showplace for his collections and a hotel to summer in and throw epic parties for visiting royalty. A major loss for L.I. architectural fans.

Parnassus said...

Interesting to see the quite exceptional home of Clarence Mackay. His second wife, singer Anna Case, was a favorite recording star of the 1920's, and her ubiquitous records are still admired by collectors. Mackay's daughter Ellin was Irving Berlin's wife of 63 years.
--Road to Parnassus

magnus said...

DED_ I'll have to get the book- I just received his most recent work on Edith Wharton's The Mount.

And Archibuff- You're so right about summer hotel- all that interior stonework and the gargantuan scale does make the Stone Room (what a name) and Hall look like the reception areas of a very grand, deluxe hotel

Anonymous said...

My all time favorite Long Island mansion. Exceptional, grand, deluxe dont do the place justice.

Anonymous said...

My favorite also. Grew up wishing I could have seen this phenomenal estate in person. It is without equal. Palatial and imposing for sure but done so well with unparalled allee views both south and west. The later superb parterre gardens, terraces, fountains and lattice structures befit the magnificent setting. A hearbreaker knowing this was demolished. NYarch

Mar gar et said...

Katherine MacKay had quite a strong personality, and was more "respected" than loved. Her husband, however, was somewhat of a softie, even paying for a servant's marriage, and a car. She had a hand in the design of Trinity's Parish House. Her children were the models for the Lewis Comfort Tiffany (they were friends) window in Parish Hall which depicts Jesus with 3 children. (Katherine, Ellin and John). I was able to find a photo of the window, but couldn't get the link to post, unfortunately.