Valhalla Highlands Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Valhalla Highlands Historic District
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly Highland Rd., Locust, Lookout & Mountainview Drs., near Cold Spring, New York |
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| Area | 873.28 acres (353.40 ha) |
| Built | c. 1928-1951 |
| Architect | Hakon (Hakorn) Jacobsen; Erik Kaeyer |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and early 20th century movements |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000915 |
| Added to NRHP | November 12, 2014 |
The Valhalla Highlands Historic District, also known as Lake Valhalla, is a special historical area located near Cold Spring, New York. It's in Putnam County, New York. This district is like a time capsule. It shows us what an early vacation community looked like.
This area was created mainly by people from Germany, Austria, and Norway. They came from New York City to build their second homes here. The community grew between the early 1930s and the mid-1940s.
Contents
Discovering Valhalla Highlands: A Unique Community
The Valhalla Highlands Historic District covers a large area. It includes 57 important buildings and many other features. There are also 11 historical sites and 10 structures. Plus, 7 objects and a huge 900-acre forest are part of it.
What Kinds of Buildings Are Here?
The homes in Valhalla Highlands are called lodges. They are usually one or two stories tall. Their foundations are made from strong fieldstone. Many lodges have walls built with stone or whole logs. Others have wood siding that looks like half-logs. They also feature stone chimneys and terraces.
Fun Places and Features in the District
Beyond the homes, the district has many shared spaces. There's a boat lodge with a ping-pong room. You can also find a swimming dock and a boat dock. Other fun spots include a tea pavilion and a recreation pavilion. There's even a lookout pavilion for great views. For sports, there are shuffleboard courts and a tennis court. A playing field and a picnic area are also part of the community. You can also explore rustic paths and see what's left of an old hunting cabin in the forest.
The Story of Valhalla Highlands: A Nordic Paradise
Valhalla Highlands began in the early 1930s. It was designed as a summer community with a special style. Each lodge was unique, but they all fit together. The community shared amenities like Lake Valhalla. There were also community buildings and a large 1,100-acre forest. This forest had trails and simple outdoor facilities. Valkyrie was the home of Ludwig Novoting. He was the person who created Valhalla Highlands.
How Was Valhalla Highlands Planned?
All the lodges were placed on a carefully planned layout. The roads were unpaved and lined with boulders. There were also planned views and natural landscape features. No two lodges were exactly alike. The whole community blended beautifully with its natural surroundings. This district was one of the first places where New Yorkers built seasonal getaways. This happened in the rural Hudson Valley during the early 1900s.
The Unique Style: Storybook and Rustic
The lodges, roads, and common areas had a rustic look. This style was like a "Storybook Style." This style was popular in America between World War I and World War II. It had a playful and whimsical feel. The Valhalla Highlands version was very charming and nostalgic.
What Makes the Buildings Look Like a Fairy Tale?
You can see this unique style in many details:
- Walls made of fieldstone and half-logs.
- Roofs with different colors and peaks.
- Chimneys made of prominent fieldstone.
- Entryways with special overhanging roofs.
- Arches made of peeled logs at entrances.
- Window awnings and flower boxes made of half-logs.
- Small-paned steel and wood windows.
- Paths and steps made of fieldstone.
- Borders of boulders and rock gardens with elf figurines.
- Interiors made of knotty pine wood.
All these features made the community feel like a playful fairy tale. It matched the idea of Valhalla Highlands as a "Nordic paradise."
Why Valhalla Highlands is Important
Eighty years after it was created, Valhalla Highlands is still much the same. On November 12, 2014, the United States Department of the Interior officially listed it. It became part of the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site.
