Echo Lawn Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Echo Lawn Estate
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | River Road at Stone Gate Drive, Balmville, New York |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Built | c. 1848 |
| Architect | George C. Elliott |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000157 |
| Added to NRHP | March 23, 2009 |
The Echo Lawn Estate, also known as Stonegate, is a very old and important property in Balmville, New York. It was built around 1848. The main house is a two-story brick building. It is designed in the Second Empire style. This style is known for its special curved roofs called mansard roofs.
The estate also has other old buildings from the mid-1800s. There is a beautiful formal garden from the early 1900s. You can also see cool stone gateposts and walls. These were made in the Arts and Crafts style. Echo Lawn Estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it is a special place worth protecting.
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What is the History of Echo Lawn Estate?
The Echo Lawn Estate shows us how estates were designed in the mid-1800s. It reflects the popular ideas of the time. People loved "Picturesque" designs. These designs made buildings and landscapes look like beautiful paintings. The main house is a great example of the Second Empire style. It was likely built around 1848. Its graceful mansard roof has many windows and chimneys.
How Did the Second Empire Style Become Popular?
The Echo Lawn house shows how the Second Empire style grew in America. One of the first houses in this style was the Culbert House. It was in nearby Newburgh. A famous architect named Calvert Vaux designed it. He worked with A. J. Downing. Vaux even included the Culbert House in his 1857 book, Villas & Cottages. This book helped make the Second Empire style very popular. It became a favorite after the American Civil War.
What Does Echo Lawn Estate Look Like?
Besides the main house, the estate has many other old buildings. These buildings were made of wood. They also show the "Picturesque" style. This style was made popular by A. J. Downing and other architects.
What are the Other Buildings?
- Carriage Barn: This building has special wooden siding. It has a pointed roof with fancy trim. There is also a small tower on top.
- Gatehouse: This is a small, one-and-a-half-story building. It has horizontal siding.
- Stable: This building also has special wooden siding. Its roof has fancy trim.
- Ice-House: This building has a sloped roof. You can see the wooden beams under the roof. This is a common "Picturesque" detail.
There is also an old greenhouse that was fixed up in 1999. An original road connects all these buildings. It also connects to the main house. This road and the old gardens are part of the original design.
What About the Gardens and Gates?
The estate also has beautiful gates from the early 1900s. These gates are made of stone and brick. They are in the Arts & Crafts style. They lead from the main road to the gatehouse. Stone walls also run along this part of the estate.
The north side of the estate has a Japanese pond and garden. There is also an Italian-style flower garden. This garden is very formal and symmetrical. It is currently being restored.
Who Lived at Echo Lawn?
The Johues and Knowlton families owned Echo Lawn in the 1800s. The Knowlton family added the flower garden in the early 1900s. Natalie Knowlton Blair grew up on this estate. She was born in 1887. Natalie became an important collector of American art. She gave many pieces to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The American painter Gifford Beal painted the main house and garden. His family owned land next door. His uncle bought Echo Lawn in 1908. Both Gifford Beal and his brother Reynolds Beal were famous painters. They painted views of the Hudson River from the estate. They even had a studio in the carriage barn.
Echo Lawn is one of the last old estates left in the Balmville area. It is near other historic estates like Morningside and Willellyn.
