Langdon Estate Gatehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Langdon Estate Gatehouse
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June 2016
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4419 Albany Post Road Hyde Park, New York |
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| Built | 1876 |
| Architectural style | French Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000865 |
| Added to NRHP | September 1993 |
The Langdon Estate Gatehouse is a special old house located in Hyde Park, New York. It was built in 1876 and looks like a beautiful, fancy home from a long time ago. Its design is inspired by the Renaissance Revival style, which means it has grand features like those found in old European palaces. Inside, it has elegant ceilings, shiny wooden floors, and tall rooms, showing how wealthy the original owners were.
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A Special Home's History
Built as a Wedding Gift
This historic house was first built as the gatehouse for the Langdon Estate. This large estate was the home of Walter Langdon and his wife, Dorothea Astor Langdon. Dorothea was the daughter of a very rich New York City businessman named John Jacob Astor.
Walter Langdon had the gatehouse built as a special wedding gift for his favorite niece, Emily Astor Kane.
New Owners and a Famous Family
Emily Astor Kane married Augustus Jay, who came from a very important family. Augustus was the great-grandson of John Jay, who was the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. After they got married, Emily and Augustus moved into the gatehouse. Augustus Jay also worked as a diplomat, serving as Secretary of the American embassy in Paris from 1885 to 1893.
The Vanderbilt Era
Later, when Walter Langdon, Jr. passed away, the entire Langdon Estate was bought by Frederick W. Vanderbilt. The New York Times newspaper wrote about this purchase in 1895. The reporter described the estate as "the finest place on the Hudson between New York and Albany."
As part of his plans to make the estate even grander, Vanderbilt decided to build a new stone gatehouse. He then ordered the original Langdon Estate Gatehouse to be moved. It was carefully shifted about 50 yards south to where it stands today, at 4419 Albany Post Road.
Becoming a National Historic Site
Over time, the Gatehouse and some land around the Vanderbilt Estate were sold to private owners. The remaining 211 acres of the Vanderbilt Estate were given by the Vanderbilt family to the U.S. government. This land is now protected by the National Park Service and is known as the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.
The Langdon Estate Gatehouse was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
Recent Restoration Work
The Gatehouse was carefully restored in late 2015 and early 2016. A company called Handcrafted Builders oversaw the project. They used a "built-by-hand" method, paying close attention to even the smallest details inside and outside the home to make it look like it did when it was first built.
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