Springside (Poughkeepsie, New York) facts for kids
|
Springside
|
|
Surviving gateposts at cottage entrance, 2007
|
|
| Location | Poughkeepsie, NY |
|---|---|
| Area | 26.5 acres (11 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architect | Andrew Jackson Downing |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000141 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | August 11, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | August 11, 1969 |
Springside was the large country home of Matthew Vassar. It is located in Poughkeepsie, New York, near US 9. Famous landscape designer Andrew Jackson Downing created detailed plans for its gardens and farm buildings.
Downing's landscape design is still mostly intact today. It is his only surviving work. However, most of the buildings he planned were never built. The few that were built have been lost to fire or damage. A cottage where Vassar lived, Downing's only known surviving building, was taken apart in the 1970s. Its front wall is now on display at the New York State Museum.
The landscape at Springside is in the English Landscape Garden style. It has survived many attempts to build on the land. Local groups worked hard to protect it. Springside was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also named a National Historic Landmark in 1969. For many years, the estate was not fully protected. Finally, a lawsuit led to the land being given to Springside Landscape Restoration. This group now owns and cares for the property.
Contents
History of Springside Estate
The creation of Springside took up the last two years of Andrew Jackson Downing's life. It also took up many years of Matthew Vassar's life. After Vassar, other families owned and cared for the estate for about 100 years. Later, their descendants wanted to sell the land for new buildings. This led to efforts to protect and restore Springside.
How Springside Was Planned and Built
Springside was first known as the "Allen farm." It was a farm of about 45 acres (18 ha). This is twice its size today. The name "Springside" comes from a spring on the property. In 1848, the village of Poughkeepsie thought about using it for a cemetery.
Vassar, who founded Vassar College, bought the farm for $8,000. He planned to sell plots for the cemetery to local investors. This was a common idea at the time. But few people wanted to buy plots. Vassar had also planned to make it his own summer home if the cemetery idea failed. So, he hired Downing to design the landscape. Downing lived nearby in Newburgh.
By 1851, Downing, with his partner Calvert Vaux and Vassar, had detailed plans ready. In 1852, Poughkeepsie chose a different place for the cemetery. This ended that plan for Springside. Downing died in a steamboat accident the next year. But Vassar and Vaux kept working on the estate based on Downing's ideas.
At least two buildings Downing planned were built: a barn and a gardener's cottage. Vassar spent $100,000 developing the site. The main house, a Gothic Revival villa, was never built. Vassar preferred to live in the smaller cottage.
As Springside grew, Vassar often opened the land to the public. He moved there full-time in 1867, a year before he died. Springside became a popular place to visit. It even inspired poems and songs. One visitor, Russell Comstock, wrote about its beauty. He said it had "every variety of park-like pictorial landscape." He described meadows, woodlands, water, and hills.
Springside After Matthew Vassar
After Vassar died, the land was split among several local families. They continued to care for the landscape. Judge Homer Augustus Nelson, New York's Secretary of State, bought the southern part. He called it Hudson Knolls. A boardinghouse operated there.
The northern part was bought by John Whitehouse, a shoe maker. He combined it with his own land and kept the name Springside. His son-in-law, Eugene Howell, took over after Whitehouse died. Howell kept the landscape in good shape. At one point, he even used it as a golf course.
In 1901, William Nelson bought both halves of the property. He was the founder of the Red Ball Line shipping company. He lived in the former boardinghouse with his family. He left the property to his wife, and she passed it to their children.
His two daughters and son kept the property in the family. They lived in different buildings on the estate. Gerald Nelson lived in the Hudson Knolls mansion. This mansion was rebuilt in 1911 after the old boardinghouse burned down. Gertrude Nelson Fitzpatrick lived in the cottage. Her sister Geraldine Acker built a new house, Spring Gable, in 1929. This was on the spot where Downing had planned the main house.
Protecting Springside in the Late 1900s
For about 100 years, private ownership helped preserve Downing and Vassar's original design. But after World War II, Poughkeepsie grew quickly. This led to new building plans for Springside.
In 1952, the Poughkeepsie City School District thought about building a new high school there. In the 1960s, people started working to protect historic places. Because of this, Springside was named a National Historic Landmark (NHL) in 1969.
However, the NHL title could not fully protect the estate. The barn complex was completely destroyed by arson (a fire started on purpose) later that month. Other buildings also suffered from decay and neglect. A developer named Robert Ackerman wanted to build luxury apartments. He got the city to change the zoning rules for the property. He promised to protect the gatehouse and cottage. But his plans would have greatly changed Downing's landscape design.
In 1976, the cottage facade was moved to a warehouse by state order to save it. About 25 years later, it was put on display at the New York State Museum. Only the foundation of the cottage remains at Springside today.
In 1982, a plan for a nearby condominium complex was approved. This would have cleared most of Downing's remaining landscape. A lawsuit was filed two years later. It claimed the environmental review was not good enough. The lawsuit was settled in 1986. Part of the property was developed, but the remaining landscape was given to a new non-profit organization. This group, Springside Landscape Preservation, now cares for the property. They officially took ownership in 1990.
Today, only the Carpenter Gothic gatehouse remains. This building was not on Downing's original plans. It has been restored to its first colors. It is still used as a private home.
The Beauty of Springside's Design
Andrew Jackson Downing was a very popular writer. He wrote about how to combine the beauty of nature and art. The buildings at Springside, both planned and built, used a simple, rustic style. They had board-and-batten siding. This was highlighted by the many trees Downing had moved from nearby forests.
On the ground, the paths curve and follow the natural shape of the land. They lead to beautiful views. Sometimes, these views were created by planting evergreen trees around rocks.
Statues and decorations connect the buildings and the grounds. Downing used the property's natural water flow to create streams and fountains. Above the spring that gave the property its name, he placed a statue of a dog. This has since been replaced by a statue of a young maiden. Ponds were also created. Their natural, uneven shapes were made more interesting by islands with similar shapes. Many of these ideas that Downing started were later used by Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. They designed Central Park and other major parks in American cities.
Today, most of the original buildings are gone. But the landscape still looks much like Downing planned it. Some new plants have grown in. However, the pathways have been fixed, and many of the original trees are still there.
Images for kids
-
First design for the main house, planned and never built.
