A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
Yes, the house at 475 Glen Cove Avenue was the location for the gate house, cottage, stable and kennel for the John Mackay III Estate with the primary residence on Melby Lane.
A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
Also, can you please show me where the gate house was in relation to the main house? It's hard to tell from any of the aerials. Also, as a kid, we were members of the Country Estate Pool club and I've been in love with the gates ever since. So much history and I'm sad that the pool club is dilapidated and the gates weren't kept up. Do you know of plans to restore them?
Wonderful, thank you for this! There is one more house which I believe was part of the original estate, and that's the house at 475 Glen Cove Road. Was that part of Harbor Hill, or was it part of one of the others like Garvin or Spring Hill? I believe it's Harbor Hill, as it's close to the house on Melby.
Yes, the house at 475 Glen Cove Avenue was the location for the gate house, cottage, stable and kennel for the John Mackay III Estate with the primary residence on Melby Lane.
A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
I agree, the house should be preserved and not disturbed. Far too many historical structures are destroyed for purposes of economic development and enrichment. Good job saving these, Howard
In the Old World tradition of artists signing their work, ‘Invenit’, Romolo Caparelli invented the planking style concrete roof and walls for the Roslyn Grist Mill. When he wrote his message in a bottle: "This is a gift that I am giving you. Romolo Caparrelli invented the planking-style concrete roof and walls installed in 1916 and ’17. So remember us.", he was working as a mason at one of the most exciting moments in architectural history as concrete construction techniques were being invented and patented. Mr. Caparelli’s Roslyn Heights home ca. 1921 and the 1908 home designed by Frederick J. Sterner, ‘17 The Intervale’ (profiled in this week’s Roslyn Landmark Society Newsletter), are examples of concrete construction on LI as improved roads and the auto brought Roslyn within a 35 min. ride of NYC. In Suffolk, Smithtown was a one hour and 35 minute-drive via the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, according to the Parkway’s lead planner, A.R. Pardington when he moved to Smithtown. A.R.’s colleague Fred Wagner, famous Vanderbilt Cup Race starter, also moved to Smithtown, and commissioned Gustav Stickley to be architect of his concrete home, built in 1912. Wagner introduced Stickley -- the American Arts and Crafts leader who had been promoting concrete construction for years -- to his former New Rochelle neighbor Will H. Van Guilder, who first applied for a patent for his hollow wall concrete construction method a few months after Fred’s house was built using it. The Frederick and Annie Wagner Residence (National Register, 2019: see https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s ) is the only documented example in the United States of a Stickley design using the Van Guilder process of hollow concrete wall construction, which created an envelope of insulating space like a ‘thermos-bottle’. First used as early as 1908 with molding machines, patented in 1911, to pour the concrete on site; the Van Guilder process was patented in 1916 at about the time Romolo Caparelli wrote his note encased in a concrete slab and placed his initials in the stucco at the Roslyn Grist Mill, putting his name to his enduring work of art.
Caparelli was the master craftsman behind the concrete sheathing of the mill, but the concept almost certainly came from Harold Godwin, who bankrolled the project. After fire almost destroyed Cedarmere (which Godwin owned) in 1902, Godwin rebuilt it using concrete and started utilizing concrete on multiple projects.
Comments
OUTSTANDING! what a pleasure to read this. History recognized and saved - couldn't be better!
From News: Roslyn Times December 22, 2020: East Hills Planning Board strikes down Mackay House demolition
A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Can you help me figure out where it is on the aerial view, please? :)
Heidi, I have added captions to the 1936 aerial.
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Heidi, you can see the gate lodge in the 1936 aerial. The building is now owned by the Village of East Hills, which plans to restore it.
Can you help me figure out where it is on the aerial view, please? :)
Heidi, I have added captions to the 1936 aerial.
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Yes, the house at 475 Glen Cove Avenue was the location for the gate house, cottage, stable and kennel for the John Mackay III Estate with the primary residence on Melby Lane.
A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Also, can you please show me where the gate house was in relation to the main house? It's hard to tell from any of the aerials. Also, as a kid, we were members of the Country Estate Pool club and I've been in love with the gates ever since. So much history and I'm sad that the pool club is dilapidated and the gates weren't kept up. Do you know of plans to restore them?
Heidi, you can see the gate lodge in the 1936 aerial. The building is now owned by the Village of East Hills, which plans to restore it.
Can you help me figure out where it is on the aerial view, please? :)
Heidi, I have added captions to the 1936 aerial.
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Wonderful, thank you for this! There is one more house which I believe was part of the original estate, and that's the house at 475 Glen Cove Road. Was that part of Harbor Hill, or was it part of one of the others like Garvin or Spring Hill? I believe it's Harbor Hill, as it's close to the house on Melby.
Yes, the house at 475 Glen Cove Avenue was the location for the gate house, cottage, stable and kennel for the John Mackay III Estate with the primary residence on Melby Lane.
A profile of the John Mackay III Estate cottage, garage, stable and kennel has been posted https://www.roslynlandmarks.org/projects/john-mackay-iii-estate-cottage-garage-stable-and-kennel
From Profiles: Harbor Hill Country Home (Estate of Clarence Mackay)
Chad O:
I agree, the house should be preserved and not disturbed. Far too many historical structures are destroyed for purposes of economic development and enrichment. Good job saving these, Howard
From News: Roslyn Times December 22, 2020: East Hills Planning Board strikes down Mackay House demolition
Yeyyyyy!
From News: Roslyn Students sell $4,054 of gourmet popcorn in support of the Roslyn Grist Mill Project
Jeff R:
The weekly RLS emails are great. Look for the update each week, and use the website for research, to stay up to date on events, etc. Excellent work.
From News: Discover what's new on Roslynlandmarks.org over the last month Updated 2/14/2023
In the Old World tradition of artists signing their work, ‘Invenit’, Romolo Caparelli invented the planking style concrete roof and walls for the Roslyn Grist Mill. When he wrote his message in a bottle: "This is a gift that I am giving you. Romolo Caparrelli invented the planking-style concrete roof and walls installed in 1916 and ’17. So remember us.", he was working as a mason at one of the most exciting moments in architectural history as concrete construction techniques were being invented and patented. Mr. Caparelli’s Roslyn Heights home ca. 1921 and the 1908 home designed by Frederick J. Sterner, ‘17 The Intervale’ (profiled in this week’s Roslyn Landmark Society Newsletter), are examples of concrete construction on LI as improved roads and the auto brought Roslyn within a 35 min. ride of NYC. In Suffolk, Smithtown was a one hour and 35 minute-drive via the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, according to the Parkway’s lead planner, A.R. Pardington when he moved to Smithtown. A.R.’s colleague Fred Wagner, famous Vanderbilt Cup Race starter, also moved to Smithtown, and commissioned Gustav Stickley to be architect of his concrete home, built in 1912. Wagner introduced Stickley -- the American Arts and Crafts leader who had been promoting concrete construction for years -- to his former New Rochelle neighbor Will H. Van Guilder, who first applied for a patent for his hollow wall concrete construction method a few months after Fred’s house was built using it. The Frederick and Annie Wagner Residence (National Register, 2019: see https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s ) is the only documented example in the United States of a Stickley design using the Van Guilder process of hollow concrete wall construction, which created an envelope of insulating space like a ‘thermos-bottle’. First used as early as 1908 with molding machines, patented in 1911, to pour the concrete on site; the Van Guilder process was patented in 1916 at about the time Romolo Caparelli wrote his note encased in a concrete slab and placed his initials in the stucco at the Roslyn Grist Mill, putting his name to his enduring work of art.
Caparelli was the master craftsman behind the concrete sheathing of the mill, but the concept almost certainly came from Harold Godwin, who bankrolled the project. After fire almost destroyed Cedarmere (which Godwin owned) in 1902, Godwin rebuilt it using concrete and started utilizing concrete on multiple projects.
From News: Newsday: At historic Roslyn Grist Mill, an unearthed bottle spills out links to the past
Warren K.
Congratulations on the incredible contributions you are making to the village of Roslyn !!!
From News: CBS 2 News: Crew Restoring Historic Roslyn Grist Mill Finds 100-Year-Old Time Capsule