The Chronicle

A Publication of WINTER 2002

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

Bronxville, New York

One man demonstrates his passion for historical homes by giving them new life; others keep their passions alive through the printed word. The Bronxville Historical Conservancy captures both at two very special events planned for the spring. Come to these programs for some major inspiration. The words and ideas will move you.
Just where the Treasury's marble front Looks over Wall Street's mingled nations; Where Jews and Gentiles most are wont To throng for trade and last quotations; Where, hour by hour, the rates of gold Outrival, in the ears of people, The quarter-chimes, serenely tolled From Trinity's undaunted steeple, -- (from Pan in Wall Street, E.C. Stedman)

Power to inspire.

The timeless words of Edmund Clarence Stedman, the poet of Wall Street who moved to Bronxville in 1895, the reflections of marble quarry owner Alexander Masterton, who was one of the villages earliest settlers, the delightful stories of Kate Douglas Wiggin, author of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm who long ago lived in Lawrence Park and excerpts from the works of other renowned writers who once called Bronxville home will be center-stage as Bronxvilles Historical Conservancy and library join together to present an afternoon of prose and poetry delivered by local luminaries. So much attention has been drawn to Bronxvilles artist colony that one can sometimes forget the small but discriminating literary group that added much to the villages cultural life around the turn of the last century. Youll enjoy listening to the words of some of Bronxvilles finest prose writers, poets and playwrights. Join us on Sunday, April 7th, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Bronxville Librarys Yeager Community Room.

Richard Hampton Jenrette, known to some as the last gentleman on Wall Street, is downright bullish to those who are interested in the preservation of historic homes. His affinity for endangered historic sites has led to the restoration of 14 homes, most dating back to the 19th century, and an antebellum hotel -- all of which he writes about in his book, Adventures With Old Houses, and will share with those who come to the 4th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture on May 10th at 8:00 p.m. in Sarah Lawrences Reisinger Auditorium. There is no charge to attend and everyone is invited. Mr. Jenrettes impressive commitment to preserving the best of Americas architectural heritage will be an evening to remember. Make plans to be there and be inspired.

Richard H. Jenrette, speaker 4th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture

A Mighty Fortress
BY NANCY VITTORINI

Behind 18 thick walls draped in ivy lies an exquisite home whose recent renovation preserved its historical integrity while restoring the grandeur of its golden age. Members of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy strolled through its chambers in awe.

It was surprising to hear just how many Conservancy members had visited Oakledge Manor at some point in its colorful history. Many said they remembered wrapping bandages when the mansion served as the Red Cross House during World War II. Some remember tagging along with their mothers to help with the effort. Others had fond memories of squealing with glee as they slid down its long and graceful snow-covered slopes on their Flexie Flyers. Although the reminiscing was delightful, it was clear that the real joy for the more than 200 members who attended the Conservancys third annual House Tour was seeing the meticulous and grand restoration of a very special home -- one that has played a significant role in our villages history. Some of the wows came from members as they noted the fabulous frieze above the original stone fireplace, the painstakingly hand-stenciled beams in the formal living room, the gracious comfort of the family room that was created by enclosing the 1920s dancing terrace, the stately marble mantlepiece that lends a certain magnificence to the dining room, the splendid leaded and stained glass windows through which light dances into the parlor room...and particularly, the window which bears the "family crest" -- three cradles and the birth date of the Klimley triplets. The childrens rooms and master bedroom suite brought many more expressions of admiration. Following the house tour, members gathered at the Field Club for a lovely and lively reception and the Conservancys annual membership meeting. Co-chairs Bob Riggs and Marilynn Wood Hill expressed their appreciation to all who have joined the organization and are committed to historic preservation in Bronxville.
Oakledge House Tour hosts, Brooks and Laura Klimley.

Jane Frank

Peter and Rada Petrovich with Bob Riggs

Danesi Wilson and Anne Fredericks

Bob Dohrenwend

Making a Difference.
anuary 2002 marks the beginning of the fourth year that The Bronxville Historical Conservancy has been in existence. During this time its membership has enthusiastically supported an annual lecture series featuring stimulating presentations by Paul Goldberger, George Plimpton, and Robert Kennedy, Jr. The Conservancys annual house tour has given us the opportunity to visit three homes that have been prominent in the village's history. A recent spring event introduced us to works of past village artists, and the Conservancy's fall meeting provided a gracious setting for all of our members to convene. For many of us, these events have become a part of an annual schedule that has enhanced our appreciation of a sense of community that has always existed in Bronxville.

With a generous endowment, the Conservancy can now make positive and lasting contributions to our community which visibly demonstrate our strong commitment to historical preservation.
BY DR. ROBERT WEIN

Corwin Frost and Eloise Morgan are obtaining cost estimates, with the help of landscape architect Renee Byers, for re-creating and re-installing these lighting fixtures in the near future.

January 2002 also marks the beginning of an era in which the Conservancy, through its newly established endowment fund, will be able to expand the scope of its services to the community by financially supporting projects related to village history. The Conservancy is indebted to the Riggs family for its generosity in establishing this endowment, and a Grants Committee has been formed whose objective is "to identify and support projects designed to foster an awareness of the village's architectural, artistic and cultural heritage." The committee is asking the Conservancy membership and the public to help with ideas and suggestions for projects. Members of the Grants Committee are: Patricia Dohrenwend, Donald Gray, Carolyn Martin, Eloise Morgan, Nancy Vittorini, Jayne Warman, and Robert Wein. The initial Grants Committee meeting took place in December, and it was the consensus of this committee that the Conservancy Board should treat the assets of the foundation as an endowment with the expectation of spending the equivalent of approximately 5% of the principal each year. It was also suggested that the Board initiate this policy promptly on a project that will give an increased awareness of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy and its goals. Several endeavors were discussed, but emphasis was placed on the following possibilities: Avon Road Wrought Iron Lighting Fixture Restorations The original fixtures, with their lantern design, were erected in 1910 and spanned the space between pillars at either end of Avon Road where it intersects with Sagamore Road and Midland Ave. These fixtures have deteriorated over the decades and their last remnants were removed during the 1980s and stored in Village Hall.

History of Private Residences The Conservancy could prepare a brochure outlining village resources from which residents could research the history of individual homes. This might be especially attractive to new residents as they move into the village, and it would expose them to our organization. The brochure could be made available through realtors and the Bronxville School orientation programs for new parents.

Art Acquisitions The objective would be to establish a method through which the art market would be monitored, especially on the Internet, in order to identify possible items for purchase. Members concurred that these art objects should be works of Bronxville artists, and first priority would be given to paintings portraying a Bronxville scene. The Conservancy also might identify residents who are interested in collecting Bronxville-related art with the hope that some might eventually bequeath their art to the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

Local History Room at the Library The Conservancy is obligated to its initial supporters to purchase books appropriate for inclusion in the Local History Room. Books to be acquired will be identified by Eloise Morgan, and a contributor plate will be designed and attached to each text. Donald Gray and Marilynn Hill will compile the donor list. In the near future financial support also might be given to the Local History Room newspaper microfilming project. There was a brief discussion of the possibility of creating a permanent photographic display of Bronxville history. This display would publicize the Conservancy to a large number of residents, but it would be a time-consuming project to initiate and periodically update. It probably would also require professional help, but the increased awareness created could justify this type of activity . Your Grants Committee is looking forward to assisting the Conservancy as it expands the scope of its services and we encourage you to identify projects for consideration. Together we can make a difference by providing future generations with an enhanced historical and cultural awareness of this very special village.

s a result of an article written for the Bronxville Historical Conservancy's Journal, thirteen descendants of 19th-century artist Francis Edmonds traveled to Bronxville in November from Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York City to visit several area sites that had been part of their family's history. Four generations removed from their Bronxville forebear, these first cousins, spouses and inlaws trace their family line from their great-great-grandfather Edmonds through his oldest daughter Nora, who married Louis Leonce Coudert, one of three founding siblings of the Coudert Brothers law firm. Some of the cousins had not seen each other since they were children, and the day of events quickly turned into a lively family reunion as well as a lesson in Bronxville history. Marilynn Hill, author of an article on Edmonds in the first volume of The Bronxville Journal, located four of the descendants a year ago while doing research for her study. The initial phone contacts resulted in dozens of emails over the following months as Hill and the Edmonds-Couderts exchanged information and tracked down new leads on Edmonds. The family was unaware that Crow's Nest, the estate built by Edmonds in 1850, still existed. As a token of her appreciation for their assistance, and eager to share Bronxville's rich history, Hill organized an "Edmonds Day" for her four new Internet acquaintances and any siblings or spouses who might be interested. Thirteen came. Gathering at the library -- that sits on land that was part of Edmonds' estate -- Hill gave the group packets of material, a brief orientation and an explanation of the day's activities. The present owners of Crow's Nest, Wake Smith and Mary Ann Citrino, graciously opened their home to the Edmonds descendants. Smith and his oldest son, Dillon, led the family through the 19th-century gothic-style mansion, noting its special features and allowing the group to ascend to the "crow's nest" on the roof of the house where they enjoyed panoramic views that extend, when not impeded by tree foliage, from Long Island Sound to New York City and the Palisades. After visiting Crow's Nest, the group had lunch at Siwanoy and then drove to several sites that were a part of Edmonds' history but had never been seen by family members. The first stop was St. Paul's Church in Mount Vernon (originally a part of Eastchester) where Francis Edmonds served as vestryman and which was once the home of the largest canvas ever painted by the artist. The group then drove to Pelham to visit Pelham Dale, an 18th-century estate owned by the Coudert family when Louis Leonce was courting Nora Edmonds, and where the newlyweds lived for a couple of years. Pelham Dale, like Crow's Nest, is a private residence that was generously shared by current owners with the Edmonds-Coudert descendants. The final stop on the day's tour was Beechwood Cemetery in New Rochelle where Edmonds, his second wife and several of their children are buried. Located on top of a hill, the family plot offered a perfect vantage point for viewing a lovely sunset, the culmination of a full day of reliving 19th-century family history. (continued on back page)

Descendants of Francis W. Edmonds return to their ancestral home to renew ties with their past and present.
BY MARILYNN WOOD HILL

As the crow flies...

Marilynn Hill addresses the descendants of Francis Edmonds at Crows Nest, the Edmonds family home built in 1850.

Julie Cagliostro

Its uncommon to come across someone in your lifes journey who gives willingly, unselfishly, enthusiastically...who finds ways to do the seemingly impossible...whose initiative takes you further than youd ever hope you could go..whose skills and abilities become lifesavers for those who would be lost without them...and whose smile rules over stress and exhaustion. Julie Cagliostro, systems analyst for Village Hall, is that special someone. From the Conservancys early beginnings as a committee to celebrate Bronxvilles Centennial year until now, Julie has been a treasure to our organization in a myriad of ways: setting up computer databases, sorting through postal regulations, creating graphic designs, building the Conservancys website, guiding us through mazes of who to call, where to go, what to do and how to do it...if we ever have a question, Julie always has a cheerful answer. And for a volunteer whose own daily professional work load is more than enough for 2 or 3, we are especially grateful. The Board recently voted a resolution recognizing Julie for her many contributions to the Bronxville Historical Conservancy. Julie, for all that you do, we thank you!

A rare jewel.

Peg Breen, president of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, also sent a note of congratulations, writing that the Journal is "professional, informative and interesting." Robert Macdonald, director of the Museum of the City of New York, concurred and stated that the Journal is well done and comparable to the best of its type in the country. Columbia Professor Lowell Harriss added the Journal has, indeed, "set a very high standard." Concordia's Director of Advancement Kevin Cook wrote, "How proud you should be of such a scholarly, attractive, and engaging work...obviously a huge effort and commitment."

ronxville's recently-published Journal has been receiving high marks from the public as well as Conservancy members since it "hit the stands" in December. Professor Kenneth Jackson, president of the New-York Historical Society and "Dean" of the New York history community congratulated the Conservancy on its successful endeavor and noted that we are to be commended for such an ambitious publication, especially when almost all other New York historical society journals have gone out of existence.

THE BRONXVILLE JOURNAL

Adrienne Smith succinctly stated that the Journal is a "chef d'oeuvre!" Rory Millson used words such as "great," "best" and "excellence," and Olinda Simon pleased all who contributed to the effort by her "Kudos to a very talented staff for your production....What an academic piece of work! The whole volume is of a very high quality and professional. I loved each article, ...they were well-documented, beautifully illustrated examples of social history at its best." Thank you, readers, for being so appreciative! If you would like additional copies of The Bronxville Journal, they are available for purchase at Village Hall and Womraths Bookshop.

Rave Reviews for

Are you interested in writing an article for Volume II of The Bronxville Journal? Call Editor Marilynn Hill (961-6790) to discuss your topic and ideas and get information about editorial policies and procedures.

As a postscript to their Bronxville visit, the Edmonds family descendants have established a fund to restore the fence that surrounds the family plot at Beechwood -- a project very much in keeping with the goals and objectives of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

As the crow flies... (continued from inside)

Readings of Bronxvilles early authors. Sunday, April 7th, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Yeager Community Room, Bronxville Public Library Everyone is invited. No admission charge. Co-sponsored by The Bronxville Historical Conservancy and the Bronxville Public Library.

An Afternoon of Prose and Poetry

Save these dates!

RICHARD JENRETTE
The Edmonds-Coudert descendants visit the burial site of early Bronxville resident Francis Edmonds.

Preservationist & Author, Adventures with Old Houses Featured speaker of the

The Chronicle
Published by the Bronxville Historical Conservancy March 2002 Editor: NANCY VITTORINI Submissions welcome!

Friday, May 10, 2002 at 8:00 p.m. Reisinger Auditorium, Sarah Lawrence College Public is invited. No admission charge.

4th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

P O. Box 989 . Bronxville, NY 10708 established in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the Village of Bronxville, New York. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the special events that foster an awareness of the and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those legacies. The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was

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Bronxville, NY 10708 Permit #166

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presentation of programs, publications, lectures and villages architectural, artistic and cultural heritage