Vanderbilt Lane Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Vanderbilt Lane Historic District is a small area along the street of the same name, just east of US 9 in Hyde Park
, New York, United States. It was used for the farm functions of the nearby estate
of Walter Langdon and, later, Frederick Vanderbilt. Most of its buildings date to the turn of the 19th century, with one remaining from the 1830s.
Many of its buildings and infrastructure remain intact. It is one of only two estate farm complexes on the east side of the Hudson that has not been razed and redeveloped. In 1993 it was recognized as a historic district
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
on the north corner of the Route 9 junction, and some to the southeast of those, across the street. It is a 10-acre (4 ha) area with ten total contributing properties
: five buildings, one structure (a well) and three objects (a gated stone wall and two fire hydrant
s).
All the lots are developed. The area nevertheless retains a pastoral quality, since the houses and buildings are small-scale frame
, stone and brick constructions in the Federal or Shingle architectural style
s. There is plenty of room for the large shade trees, lawns and landscaping. Vanderbilt Lane, which begins at Route 9 just opposite one of the lesser gates to the Vanderbilt estate, is also narrow, more like a driveway than a through street.
There are two properties on the north side of the lane: the superintendent's house, a clapboard
-sided
one-story five-bay
building on the west near Route 9, and a barn complex, partially destroyed by a past fire. On the south are a Federal-style frame herdsman's house, a shingle-sided coach house and a creamery
.
was in disrepair. The herdsman's house, an 1830 one-and-half-story five-bay rectangular frame building with gable
d asphalt-shingle
d roof, was built when Robert Langdon owned the property. It is the oldest building in the district and the only one whose location there precedes Vanderbilt's ownership of the land.
Vanderbilt had the buildings on the north side constructed on the site of older counterparts. The architect is not known but it is likely that he hired McKim, Mead & White, which had designed not only his mansion but a nearby house
for his secretary, for the job. They were completed in 1901.
The buildings the firm responded with are distinctive for their mix of exterior texture. The barn complex employs many aspects of the Shingle style, not only the wood shingle siding but the conical towers, rusticated
stone ends, and cross-gabled roofs. The superintendent's house likewise uses much exposed wood. The creamery, across the street, is the most distinctive property in the district, a stone building with a hipped roof
covered in wood shingles and pierced by a brick chimney.
In 1905, Vanderbilt had the coach house, originally part of the neighboring Sexton estate that stood just south of the superintendent's house, moved to the east in two sections. He used it to house his Belgian thoroughbred
horses.
After Vanderbilt's death in 1938, his niece was persuaded to donate the mansion to the federal government for eventual use as a historic site. The Vanderbilt Lane properties were separated and subdivided at that time, all eventually being converted for residential use. They have been minimally altered since then.
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
, New York, United States. It was used for the farm functions of the nearby estate
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, located in Hyde Park, New York, is one of America's premier examples of the country palaces built by wealthy industrialists during the Gilded Age....
of Walter Langdon and, later, Frederick Vanderbilt. Most of its buildings date to the turn of the 19th century, with one remaining from the 1830s.
Many of its buildings and infrastructure remain intact. It is one of only two estate farm complexes on the east side of the Hudson that has not been razed and redeveloped. In 1993 it was recognized as a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Geography
The district is composed of some larger lotsLot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
on the north corner of the Route 9 junction, and some to the southeast of those, across the street. It is a 10-acre (4 ha) area with ten total contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
: five buildings, one structure (a well) and three objects (a gated stone wall and two fire hydrant
Fire hydrant
A fire hydrant , is an active fire protection measure, and a source of water provided in most urban, suburban and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the municipal water...
s).
All the lots are developed. The area nevertheless retains a pastoral quality, since the houses and buildings are small-scale frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
, stone and brick constructions in the Federal or Shingle architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
s. There is plenty of room for the large shade trees, lawns and landscaping. Vanderbilt Lane, which begins at Route 9 just opposite one of the lesser gates to the Vanderbilt estate, is also narrow, more like a driveway than a through street.
There are two properties on the north side of the lane: the superintendent's house, a clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
-sided
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
one-story five-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
building on the west near Route 9, and a barn complex, partially destroyed by a past fire. On the south are a Federal-style frame herdsman's house, a shingle-sided coach house and a creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
.
History
When Vanderbilt bought the estate in 1895, the farm complex across what was then just the Albany Post RoadAlbany Post Road
The Albany Post Road was a post road - a road used for mail delivery - in the U.S. state of New York. It connected the cities of New York and Albany along the east side of the Hudson River, a service now performed by US 9.The rough route was as follows:...
was in disrepair. The herdsman's house, an 1830 one-and-half-story five-bay rectangular frame building with gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d asphalt-shingle
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
d roof, was built when Robert Langdon owned the property. It is the oldest building in the district and the only one whose location there precedes Vanderbilt's ownership of the land.
Vanderbilt had the buildings on the north side constructed on the site of older counterparts. The architect is not known but it is likely that he hired McKim, Mead & White, which had designed not only his mansion but a nearby house
Wales House (Hyde Park, New York)
The Wales House is located on West Market Street near the center of Hyde Park, New York, United States. It is a large brick house dating to the end of the 19th century, an early application of the Colonial Revival architectural style by architect Charles Follen McKim of the New York City firm of...
for his secretary, for the job. They were completed in 1901.
The buildings the firm responded with are distinctive for their mix of exterior texture. The barn complex employs many aspects of the Shingle style, not only the wood shingle siding but the conical towers, rusticated
Rustication (architecture)
thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
stone ends, and cross-gabled roofs. The superintendent's house likewise uses much exposed wood. The creamery, across the street, is the most distinctive property in the district, a stone building with a hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
covered in wood shingles and pierced by a brick chimney.
In 1905, Vanderbilt had the coach house, originally part of the neighboring Sexton estate that stood just south of the superintendent's house, moved to the east in two sections. He used it to house his Belgian thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horses.
After Vanderbilt's death in 1938, his niece was persuaded to donate the mansion to the federal government for eventual use as a historic site. The Vanderbilt Lane properties were separated and subdivided at that time, all eventually being converted for residential use. They have been minimally altered since then.