Did you identify this week's Mystery Foto?
Hints: This wall was built from 1900 to 1902 in today's East Hills. Two sections of this once continuous wall still exist today. One section appears to be over 300 feet long.
Answer to the Mystery Foto questions:
-Where are the two sections of the Great Wall located?
A 300-foot section of the Great Wall is located east of Mimosa Drive. Smaller sections are south of Redwood Drive.
-What was the purpose for the wall?
The retaining wall was part of the one-mile entrance drive from the Mackay Estate Gate Lodge to Clarence Mackay's Harbor Hill country home. The 16-foot road set above the retaining wall.
The drive and Harbor Hill's landscaping were designed by architect Guy Lowell from 1900 to 1902. As described by Richard Guy Wilson's book Harbor Hill Portrait of a House:
"The drive that Lowell designed must surely met the Stanford White's requirement of "fine and dignified." The approach from the south curved gracefully as it would up the hillside. A mile long and sixteen feet wide, it was lined with maple trees and imported lindens...When completed, the drive set the Mackays back roughly $150,000." Note: Equal to $5 million today.
Congrats to Barbara Berke and Greg O. for correctly identifying the location of The Great Wall of East Hills!
1926 Aerial and a Mapping over Current East Hills Roads (Courtesy of Frank Femenias)
1936 Aerial showing the relationship of the one-mile drive to the Harbor Hill country home.
1927 Aerial of the Mackay Estate Road and the Village of Roslyn
The Mackay Estate Road as seen north of the Mackay Estate Gate Lodge
The Main Avenue of Harbor Hill (1904)
The Layout of a Large Estate-Part I , The Architectural Record (1904)
The Layout of a Large Estate-Part II, The Architectural Record (1904)
As noted by Greg Oreiro, the retaining wall appears to be made of the same stone as the Harbor Hill Water Tower.
5 Comments
Howard, The stone used to construct the Harbor Hill Water tower was not local stone. They came from the demolition of the old reservoir that was located at Fifth Ave. and 42nd St. in the City, where the library is located today.
On Harbor Hill Rd. Near Strathmore, maybe by Entrance Rd
Remaining section of Harbor Hill estate driveway. Looks very similar to the stone construction of the Mackay water tower. A known section is behind houses at Redwood Dr.
Behind one of the houses on Redwood Drive (perhaps behind 120 Redwood?)
Located on the east side of Locust Lane just south of the Northern State underpass ?