The Preserver by YO90

PRESERVE The

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3: FALL, 2002

Quarterly Newsletter Highlighting New Rochelle’s Rich Past

Wildcliff: A Brief History

n the crest of a hill with commanding views of Long Island Sound sits a picturesque Gothic Revival-style villa known as Wildcliff. Designed in 1852 by Alexander Jackson Davis, one of the preeminent American architects of the nineteenth century, the house was sited to take full advantage of the dramatic views of the water. Davis’ original plan envisioned the family sitting on the villa’s front porch and looking out over the spectacular scenery. The beauty of the house and its site were accented by the progression of the entry drive. The visitor originally entered the property from the north along a private road (now Hudson Park Road). The curving drive ascended toward the house, proceeding toward Echo Bay and curving around to the front door. The family who first commissioned the design was one Cyrus Lawton, a close friend of Mr. Davis. Mrs. Lawton was a member of the prominent Davenport family, for whom the entire area is named, and the house is said to have been a wedding gift to the couple. Wildcliff was erected in the early1850s, during a period when New Rochelle was beginning its transformation from a rural farming community into a residential suburb. Improvements in transportation permitted affluent families to built homes in New Rochelle and commute to work in nearby New York City. The land along the scenic north shore of Long Island Sound was especially sought after and many large and small cottages and villas were erected here. The construction of these houses heralded the changes that would occur in New Rochelle later in the century with the development of large suburban projects such as Rochelle Park and Rochelle Heights. The design of Wildcliff is closely related to the philosophy of domestic architecture that was devised by Davis and codified by the landscape designer Andrew Jackson Downing. Downing felt that the design of domestic buildings, especially rural dwellings, was a crucial issue in the determination of the national character of Americans. Good architecture, Downing believed, was the highest reflection of the character of its owner. Downing’s books were widely read by the American middle class and were extremely influential in establishing architectural taste in America. Wildcliff is an example of what Downing described as “the country house of a person of competence or wealth sufficient to build and maintain it with some taste and elegance”; and a place where “we should look for the happiest social and moral development of our people.” All of these characteristics are evident on the original elevation of Wildcliff that Davis sketched in his diary. Alexander Jackson Davis was one of the most prominent and influential architects working in the United States in the decades before the Civil War. Davis was known for “…relating houses to their landscape settings and opening up the traditional boxlike shape with irregularities, bold contrasts, and a variety in textures and details.” These design princi-

City of New Rochelle

HISTORICAL & LANDMARKS REVIEW BOARD Melvin Beacher, R.A. Chairman Larry Buster Michael Handler John Heller Anthony Marciano Donald Richards Samuel Spady, Jr. Special thanks to Barbara Davis, Acting City Historian Funding New York State Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Program. Please send comments and suggestions to: Historical and Landmarks Review Board c/o Ms. Sheila Beacher Department of Development City Hall 515 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801 (914) 654-2186

Wildcliff’s east façade, showing the original stone structure built in 1855.

ples are evident in Davis’ plans for Wildcliff, found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wildcliff is a 2½-story house faced primarily in rubblestone of various colors. These stones give the picturesque design a natural quality, as if the building were rising out of the landscape. For a house in the Northeast, Downing prescribed a design with high roofs, thick walls, warm rooms, and chimneys. The original front façade of the building was on the southern portion of the present house facing Long Island Sound, now partially obscured by the out-of-character onestory addition used as a theater. This facade originally had a 2½-story central gable with a pair of windows on the first story looking out over the water. This section was extensively altered c. 1919 by the addition of a Neo-Tudor style portecochère (a covered entranceway for carriages). This entrance is now enclosed, serving as the vestibule for the theater. In the 1860s Davis added a gable on the east elevation (now the main entrance) and a two-story wing in the rear. The original plan of the house can still be read on the interior. To the south is the original library and entrance hall, now combined into one space. On the upper floors are bedrooms with steeply sloping walls reflecting their locations within the gables. The attic retains some original floorboards and four paneled doors with original knobs. The interior retains much of its historic plan and some historic fittings, but much of the interior detail has been lost. The internal finishes were

The view from Wildcliff looking east toward Hudson Park and Echo Bay.

probably “simple and chaste,” as Downing had recommended. Following Cyrus Lawton’s death in 1902 at age 90, his son, Newberry Davenport Lawton may have inherited the house. Then in 1913, Wildcliff was sold to Julius and Clara B. Rich Prince. The Prince family moved into Wildcliff the next year, and commissioned the second major expansion of the house. In 1940, Clara B. Rich Prince donated the Wildcliff property to the City of New Rochelle. Her obituary notes that she was a “philanthropist who had given generously to educational projects” and that she was especially known for the donation of Wildcliff to New Rochelle. Mrs. Prince hoped that the site would be used as a natural science museum, and in 1963 the house was converted into the Wildcliff Youth Museum. The museum finally opened in 1971 and operated for ten years. Since 1986, Wildcliff has been used intermittently as a small performing arts theater with productions several times each year. In 2002 the City received a State grant to prepare the building’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, and to prepare a Conditions Report to determine priorities for restoration. Once

the City determines an appropriate future use for the City-owned building, funding can be secured for its restoration. Whatever its final outcome, Wildcliff will remain as a testament to New Rochelle’s age of architectural elegance that will be enjoyed by the public for years to come.

Drawings of Wildcliff’s south elevation and floor plan from A.J. Davis’ Diary, 1852.

Chairman’s Message

elcome to the Fall, 2002 issue of the Preserver. Let me take a moment to tell you what the HLRB has accomplished for our City during the past year. The Historic Board has reviewed many applications and plans for the renovation of homes in the Rochelle Park-Rochelle Heights Local Historic District. There has been a notable increase in restoration activities in this district during the past year. A tribute to those pioneers who began these efforts back in 1985, and to the new residents who recognize the quality and livability of the neighborhood by carrying on this work.

During the past year the Board has applied for and received a number of grants from the State of New York to continue our work in the historic district and in other parts of the City. With State funds, historic markers have been manufactured and will be placed throughout the historic district in the Fall of 2002. A brochure has been printed that clearly explains the review process for local district properties. In addition, this newsletter and previous issues have been funded by the State. We’ve begun preparing the necessary documentation for the landmarking of the railroad station. And, again with funding from the

State, we were able to hire a restoration architect and architectural historian to do a thorough study and analysis of Wildcliff. We are excited to confirm that A.J. Davis is, indeed, the building’s architect. All the necessary information has been submitted to the State in anticipation of its being designated as a national historic landmark. 2002 has been a significant and rewarding year. Let me take this opportunity to thank the Board members and the Mayor and City Council for their dedication to the preservation and enhancement of our City’s heritage.

Alexander Davis Jackson in New Rochelle—A Premier Suburb By Barbara Davis

he Romantic Age swept across America in the mid1850s and into the landscape of the farming community of New Rochelle. As prominent writers and artists of the mid-1800s illuminated romanticism in prose, poetry and paintings, Alexander Jackson Davis was innovating a similarly inspired movement in architecture. Revolutionizing the traditional single-house form that dominated colonial and early 19th-century domestic architecture, Davis fashioned the country’s finest villas and cottages in an entirely new, purely American style. A number of his exquisitely crafted, picturesque homes were built to harmonize with Westchester’s pastoral scenery - including the magnificent Hudson River villa now known as “Lyndhurst”. On the Sound side of the county, Davis designed many other residences for new suburbanites seeking countryside havens within an easy journey to New York City. Many graced the community of New Rochelle, thanks to Colonel Richards Lathers. “I have purchased a country residence in New Rochelle, a very handsome farm about seventeen miles from New York City, and as my house is only a few rods from the railway I can reach New York in forty-five minutes,” wrote Richard Lathers to a friend in early 1848. “All my fields, eighty acres, have stone walls. The dwelling is a new two story house having sliding doors, porticos, etc. I am busy getting the crops into my barns.” The book, Reminiscences of Richard Lathers, continues with the following account by Lathers: “After a few years I replaced the plain frame buildings, which were utterly without architectural pretensions, by a Tuscan villa. This villa was erected under the supervision of Alexander J. Davis, a leading architect of his time. Mr. Davis gave me lessons in drawing and architecture, and was for many years one of my most intimate friends.” This friendship had a significant impact on the developing community of New Rochelle, as indicated in an April 1909 article in the Architectural Record written by critic Montgomery Schuyler. Although the piece is largely a scathing critique of the city’s new construction, Schuyler (who published the article anonymously), includes high praise for several houses A.J. Davis completed for Colonel Lathers. In his Reminiscences, Lathers includes a

Winyah was built for Colonel Richard Lathers in 1848 on a large tract of land that stretched along both sides of Lincoln Avenue. Unfortunately, this “Tuscan Tudor” is no longer standing. The area became known as “Lathers Hill” and contained a number of houses designed by A.J. Davis and his students.

letter that Mr. Davis wrote to him 30 years after the construction of the Winyah Park house. The 1883 letter explains “revisions” that Davis made to Winyah, “since I have retired from the active exercise of my profession and found time to restudy my thousand plans, and devote myself to the self-fancied correction of abuses … with an unsparing pencil, and without regard to anybody’s feelings, selfish interests and aggrandizements.” After detailing the hypothetical changes he made to Lathers’ home, Davis adds, “I have also reformed the old time studies for Huguenot Park, the Davenport structures, the Lawton “Over Cliff” with a new library - the Iselin mansion, and further on the ‘Parke Whitby’.” One of the Davenport structures Davis was referring to is now known as Sans Souci, or the Davenport-Frantz House, at 157 Davenport Avenue and “The Lawton Over Cliff’” is Wildcliff. “Parke Whitby” is now the main house of the Rye Golf Club. The “Huguenot Park” Davis cites may very well be the residential neighborhood Lathers created around Winyah - which included the “speculation houses” Davis and his students designed. One of those residences became the home of the nationally renowned artist Frederick Remington

and another became the residence of the acclaimed playwright Augustus Thomas. Davis’ referral to the “Iselin mansion” remains a mystery. Did he have a hand in designing one of the five or six Iselin mansions once located in New Rochelle and Town of Mamaroneck? Only two former estates of the philanthropic family still stand—the former home of William Iselin is now the Davenport Club; “All Views”, the estate of yachtsman C. Oliver Iselin still commands the vista of Echo Bay and the Sound from the tip of Premium Point. Most likely, the Iselin house that Davis may have had a hand in designing met the same fate as Winyah, Endion, and The Rambler.

Built by Colonel Lathers in 1858 as a “speculation house”, “The Rambler” was a 25-room residence when purchased by Playwright Augustus Thomas in the late 1890s. This well-known author of 70 plays was a close friend of Frederick Remington and an ardent local proponent of Prohibition.

Built by Colonel Lathers in 1858 as a “speculation house”, this gothic cottage later became the residence and studio of artist Frederick Remington. Unfortunately this Webster Avenue studio, called Endion, was razed in the 1930s.

WHAT IS THE HLRB? Introducing the Historical and Landmarks Review Board (HLRB)

The HLRB is a seven member City Board, first appointed by City Council in 1985 to preserve New Rochelle’s past and raise awareness of the City’s rich history. The members are all local residents, volunteers, and knowledgeable in local history. The HLRB recommends the designation of districts and landmarks to the City Council, and reviews all exterior renovations and new construction in the local historic district. The Board receives grants annually for various historic preservation projects. The HLRB is committed to identifying, maintaining, and perpetuating the

New Rochelle During the Civil War

s in many other cities, towns, hamlets and farms, New Rochelleans answered President Lincoln’s call to arms in 1861. Despite a population in New Rochelle of little more than 3,000, the first group of volunteers was formed into the New Rochelle Cadets, led by Lt. Henry Clark, that later became part of Company G, 17th Regiment, New York National Guard. This unit served as garrison defense at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore, and all returned safely to New Rochelle in 1863 for a grand reception at Pelor’s Tavern (formerly located at Main and Centre Streets). The City played an even more important strategic role in supporting the Union cause. It was believed that the old Burtis Mill, formerly located at the juncture of Mill Road and North

This Civil War Memorial is located at the junction of Huguenot and West Main Streets at the entrance to downtown.

Avenue, manufactured gun carriages for the Union army. Davids Island was also important to the war effort. The DeCamp General Hospital served thousands of wounded Union soldiers. New Rochelle residents knitted clothes and the city’s children provided sweets to those on the island. In July 1863, 2500 Confederate soldiers were incarcerated at Davids Island. The prisoners were allowed to fish and clam until several prisoners escaped, according to contemporary reports. The assassination of President Lincoln in April 1865 disheartened many New Rochelleans, despite the fact that a majority had not voted for him in 1860. Reverend John Fowler Jr. delivered an address at the Old Episcopal Church on April 20, 1865 at the request of New Rochelle residents, eulogizing the late President. Interestingly, John Dyott, who was the leading male actor in the pro-

duction of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre on the night of the assassination, was a New Rochelle resident. His property still stands at the corner of Church and Prospect Streets. The graying of the veterans in 1896 prompted the citizens of New Rochelle to raise $2500 to erect and dedicate a Civil War Memorial, situated at the junction of Huguenot and West Main Streets. Flanked by two rifled cannons (melted down during WWII) the dedication was attended by the flamboyant and notorious Union General Dan Sickles whose father lived in New Rochelle. Others in attendance included Marie Cushing, a former New Rochelle school teacher whose father was the famous Commander Cushing (USN) and Union General Daniel Butterfield. The last known New Rochelle survivor of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was Warren D. Secord, who died on May 3, 1938.

The Other Davenport House: Sans Souci By Barbara Davis

he impressive structure that is located at 157 Davenport Avenue was originally designed by Alexander Jackson Davis for Lawrence Montgomery Davenport, whose great-grandfather had purchased the extensive Sound shore neck that still bears the family name. At the time of its construction in 1858, only a smattering of dwellings were located on the promontory - Davenport’s close relatives owned at least two. With a commanding view of Titus Mill Pond as well as the Sound, waving salt meadows and groves of fruit trees, Lawrence’s property was ideally situated for Davis’ scenic sense. Built of blue-gray stone, the cottage included the architect’s telltale center gable, with a sharp pitch accentuated by elaborately carved bargeboards. The home was later dubbed “Sans Souci,” the French term for “without a care.” Like its fabulous design and lofty scale, the breezy name recalls an earlier era. In 1865, after just six years of ownership, Davenport sold the house to Anna B. Evans. She hired Davis to design a one-story wing on the south side of the house, adding a library, semi-circular bil-

liard room and conservatory. Four years later, in 1875, Frederick Coles was employed to mirror the Davis’ addition on the north side. Both wings received second stories in 1912 and the northern addition was extended. The servants’ quarters located in that wing redefined the home. As Andrew Jackson Downing once wrote of the houses he designed with Davis, “A villa is a country house or larger accommodation, requiring the care of at least three or more servants.” The villa remained in the Evans family until 1922. Its next owner was Leroy Frantz, a founder of the First Westchester National Bank and well-known yachtsman. Frantz transformed the first floor of the southern wing into a ballroom—with extraordinary parquet floors to complement those already embellishing other grand rooms. The obsolete carriage house was supplemented by a new garage. Frantz bequeathed the house to one of his favored charities, the New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center. The same year, 1977, the hospital sold it to Monte and Kent Pruzan. The sprawling backyard was sub-divided and four Tudor-style houses

constructed. Plans to raze the house for further development were halted by Theodore Greene, who purchased “Sans Souci” in 1978. The owner of Greene Gallery, community activist and New Rochelle Councilman, Greene began the mammoth task of restoring the house to its former charm and grace. Although he was responsible for its National Register designation and its extensive refurbishment, Greene never completed his goal. After his death in 1988, “Sans Souci” was largely neglected by a subsequent owner. Today, the “romantic Gothic cottage” is an 11,216 square foot “villa” with 39 rooms, 16 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and 8 marble fireplaces. Its current owners have largely and thoughtfully restored “Sans Souci”, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as the “Davenport-Frantz” House.

This 1858 gothic cottage/villa is still standing at 157 Davenport Avenue and is known as Sans Souci, or the “Davenport-Franz House”.

RECAP New Rochelle Receives its Share of Historic Grants

Knickerbocker!

ounds like New York. When author Washington Irving wrote “Knickerbocker’s History of New York” describing the Dutch colonial period in the City, he turned to friend George Palmer Putnam to publish it. The Knickerbocker Press was incorporated in 1889, and G. Putnam & Sons, publishers, opened their plant at 52 Webster Avenue in New Rochelle. Since that time, riders on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad have had a bird’s-eye view of the plant boldly bearing the name Knickerbocker Press on its slate roof. This red brick structure appears to take much of its influence from the late sixteenth century rennaissance architecture of the Netherlands, known as the Dutch Colonial Revival style. The building is actually a connected series of buildings with Flemish stepped gables. Much of its original form and detailing remain, including polychromatic decorative brickwork, and the stone retaining walls that extend to form the abutments of the Webster Avenue railroad bridge. It is a good example of mill type construction not uncommon for 19th century industrial architecture. With a foundation of rough Westchester granite, 12-inch columns milled from a single tree truck and solid wood beams, the original main building at 52 Webster Avenue is most impressive. Between 1913 and 1915 the complex grew. A brick stair tower was constructed in the Romanesque Revival style. A 4-story gable front warehouse (50 Webster Avenue) was constructed just to the south, connected to the main building by a copper-clad bridge at the third floor. In 1951 a steel-framed addition on the Webster Avenue front was built. With alternating bands of steel ribbon windows and brick panels, it is of the international style that was to become so popular during the next decade. Among the many workers that the Knickerbocker Press employed, dozens of area women filtered in and out of the plant each day. These employees were among the first in America to bind books using machine sewers. By 1904, G. P. Putnam was telling authors “they would get speedy sewing accomplished by the aid

Several historic reports and newsletters funded by The New York State Certified Local Government Program.

The Knickerbocker Press Complex, then (above) and now (below).

of a most ingeniously constructed sewing machine giving them books that would open easily.” By 1934, American White Cross— which was founded in Mount Vernon in 1912 – had moved into the original building at 52 Webster Avenue. Within a decade the surgical company was operating around the clock, manufacturing bandages and adhesive tape for the wounded soldiers of World War II. The factory was one of the first in New Rochelle to receive a defense contract from the U.S. government. White Cross outgrew the building and left New Rochelle in 1995. The venerable site holds a host of structural and design features found only in a handful of properties in Westchester.

Certainly, it is the only extant 19th century building that can boast a career in publishing and bandage making. Today, industry has left much of the once heavily industrialized Northeast. 52 Webster Avenue has a new life, having been recently redeveloped for use as residential loft rental apartments. Number 50 was purchased in 1983 and became New Rochelle’s first “artists’ building.” In June of 2000, the N.Y. State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation placed both the Knickerbocker Lofts (#52) and the Medialoft (#50) on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since 1996, New Rochelle has been applying for and receiving historic preservation grants through the NYS Certified Local Government Program. To date, approximately $75,000 of State money has funded eight significant projects. This newsletter is the sixth issue funded by the State, and it is hoped that future funding can be obtained to continue spreading the news on preservation. A series of twelve lectures and tours on various preservation topics was conducted in 1996 and 1997, and funding was provided to hire a consultant to advise the HLRB and administer the grants. In addition, several surveys were conducted, including a Reconnaissance Level Survey in 1997 that studied a wide cross section of historic buildings throughout the City. In 1999 an Intensive Level Survey focused on downtown architecture. In 2001-02, the City will be erecting Historic Markers in the Rochelle ParkRochelle Heights Local Historic District and producing a brochure for this area (See related article “On Tap”). This year a Conditions Report was prepared for City-owned Wildcliff Manor, with the goal of nominating the building to the National Register of Historic Places. Applications have been submitted for several other interesting projects for 2002-03, and the City is expecting notification shortly.

PRESERVE The

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3: FALL, 2002

City of New Rochelle

HISTORICAL & LANDMARKS REVIEW BOARD

Quarterly Newsletter Highlighting New Rochelle’s Rich Past

Ci t y of New Rochel l e • 515 Nor t h Avenue • New Rochel l e, NY 10801

NonProfit Organization U.S. Postage

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New Rochelle, NY Bulk Rate Permit No .17

HLRB

Creating a National Register Historic District

ON TAP

Historic Markers and Brochure to Highlight Rochelle ParkRochelle Heights

t the present time, New Rochelle has several designated National Register landmarks, but no National Register Historic Districts. The Rochelle Park-Rochelle Heights neighborhood has been designated as a Local Historic District, but this differs from a National Register District in several important ways. Only properties in the local historic district are subject to review by the City’s Historical and Landmarks Review Board. Characteristics of a National Register District are as follows: ● Owners of private property in a National Register Historic District are free to maintain, alter, demolish, or dispose of their property as they choose. There are no new restrictions imposed in this type of historic district, and the owner is under no obligation to open his property to the public. ● Property owners are eligible for the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program. This allows an owner of income-producing property to deduct (from federal income taxes) 10 - 20% of the cost to rehabilitation the building. (For detailed information on the tax incentives program, log on to www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/tax/). ● National Register designation is an effective tourism marketing tool and is useful in educating the community

about its history and development. No additional regulations are imposed upon government-funded projects and no additional costs are imposed upon local government. Publicly owned National Register structures are eligible for federal matching grants. ● A downtown National Register district helps strengthen the business climate in a commercial area. Tax incentives give property owners an added incentive to upgrade their buildings, and improved storefront appearance attracts more customers to the area. As more people visit, a demand is created for a wider range of goods and services. New businesses open, and local employment increases. Thus, a National Register district can be the impetus for economic revitalization in a commercial area. ● National Register properties receive priority consideration when federal and state agencies lease office space. ● A bronze plaque bearing the name of the landmark and attesting to its national significance can be purchased and erected by the property owner, adding prestige and historic value to the property. Owning property in a National Register Historic District is a win-win situation. The owner can choose to reduce the cost of renovating his building, or he can experience a rise in his property’s value

A Green World

built on lots large enough to avoid crowding. No two houses are alike. It is a place that preserves Barrett’s turn-of-the-century vision. The people who live here want to keep it this way. The place is Rochelle Park, and it is located in the heart of New Rochelle. Nathan F. Barrett himself chose to live in Rochelle Park on the half-acre of land due him under an agreement that included his services in laying out the Park. Another dwelling truly set off by its stone outcrop is that of Professor Hermon C. Bumpus, of the American Museum of Natural History. Still another is that of Jr. E. W. Kemble, the illustrator. The house of Mr. Benjamin E. Smith, on the Serpentine, is typical of the best class of Rochelle Park homes at the time (1907). These residences were exceptionally attractive in the early part of the 20th century and remain that way today. Stables and outbuildings were allowed in the park in the old days, but only one dwelling could be

here is a green world just minutes from the concrete of North Avenue and the rumble of the New England Thruway (I-95). It is a place filled with sounds of rustling leaves and squirrels racing over bare trees. There are elements of formality; from the main entrance one views the long straight line of the Boulevard with its tree lined borders and vast open space called the Lawn. The entrance is assertive without being pompous. The Boulevard continues to a smaller green circle half a mile away, commanding views of both the Boulevard and the Court. In 1885 the renowned landscape architect Nathan F. Barrett took a plot of land and gave it a character all its own. He made it a park, a community, a neighborhood with houses sited in the brand new idea of suburban elegance. Larger, graceful homes were

●

A typical streetscape that has been designated as a National Register Historic District.

as neighbors improve their properties. He can choose not to participate in the tax incentives program, yet still benefit by the added prestige that the Historic District designation brings. There are no added restrictions if he chooses not to take advantage of the tax break; only the opportunity to increase the value of his property. If you have questions about the National Register, please call the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation at 518-237-8643.

erected on each lot. Today only a few outbuildings remain standing, frozen in time, and still graceful. Outsiders find Rochelle Park to be a pleasant place to walk, jog and bicycle. Some of the buildings in Rochelle Park are “Folk Houses”, designed without a conscious attempt to mimic current fashion. Many were built by their occupants or by non-professional builders, and are relatively simple houses meant to provide basic shelter, with little concern for presenting a stylish face to the world. Most of the homes, however, are styled or built with some attempt at being fashionable. They show the influence of shapes, materials, detailing, or other features that make up an architectural style that was in vogue at the turn of the 20th century. Rochelle Park continues to embody an historic vision of graceful suburban living.

Thanks to a grant from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, New Rochelle will be erecting historic markers on each street sign in the Rochelle ParkRochelle Heights Local Historic District. These will simply state “Historic District” with the city seal and the name of the district in white on a dark green background. These markers will add prestige to a successful local historic district, and raise awareness to those passing through the area. The historic brochure will be distributed to all district residents and area-wide real estate brokers, and will include important information about the historic district. It is hoped that these public information tools will add to the commitment and community pride that residents have displayed over the 15-year history of

Typical examples of significant residences in Rochelle Park. One dates from the early 1900s and the other was recently constructed.