The Preserver

THE

PRESERVER

V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1: W INTER 2008

Newsletter Highlighting New Rochelle’s History

PRSRT-STD

City of New Rochelle

HISTORICAL & LANDMARKS REVIEW BOARD

City of New Rochelle • 515 North Avenue • New Rochelle, NY 10801

U.S. Postage

PAID New Rochelle, NY Permit No .17

HLRB

HLRB

HELPFUL RESOURCES

On the Internet the most protection to New Rochelle’s locally-designated properties, New Rochelle City Code Chapter 170: HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND LANDMARKS, was first adopted by the Council of the City of New Rochelle 7-16-1985 by Ordinance No. 196-1985. Find this document in its entirety, and subsequent amendments, by going to the “Municipal Code” section of the City’s website.

E SPECIALLY FOR W ESTCHESTER P ROPERTY-O WNERS

• The Westchester County Archives www.westchestergov.com/wcarchives/ The central repository for historic public records of Westchester County, NY, dating from 1680 to the present, the Archives’ collection is comprised of “materials that document the people who produced our county's laws, chronicle the growth of the county, and reveal many milestones in its individual citizens' lives”. The website provides information on the how to access the holdings, which are divided into three main groups: Paper Records; 60,000 prints, negatives, lantern slides and other images dating from 1909 to the present organized into eight Photographic Collections; and more than 75,000 maps and plans dating from 1766 to the present in the Maps and Plans Collection.

• Westchester County Historical Society www.westchesterhistory.com.

The Westchester County Historical Society (WCHS) has the most comprehensive collection of local history and genealogy in the county, with a library of over 100,000 books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, maps and atlases, and pictures. As a private collection, the WCHS library complements the public records held by the Westchester County Archives.

On-line resources include a Biography Index, Cemetery Listings, An Index to the Westchester Historian (WCHS’s quarterly publication), and more.

ADVOCACY AND NUTS & BOLTS: Help Maintaining, Renovating, Appreciating…Older Buildings

• Preservation League of New York State www.preservenys.org Find information on the Preservation League’s programs and services that provide the help and expertise essential to protect and enhance New York’s historic built and natural environments.

Website categories include: Financial Assistance (Preserve New York grant program); Legal and Technical Services; Advocacy and Public Policy; Annual

• New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) www.nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/

Hudson Park

Awards; Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation; Education and Training Conferences; Preservation Colleagues; Barn Coalition.

• National Trust for Historic Preservation www.nationaltrust.org “The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize our communities.”

Its web site provides a nation-wide perspective of issues related to preserving America’s heritage– including its print and on-line newsletters.

• Heritage Preservation Services of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior www.nps.gov/history/hps/ This federal division provides a broad range of products and services, financial assistance and incentives, educational guidance, and technical information. Its Technical Preservation Services helps home owners, preservation professionals, organizations, and government agencies preserve and protect the nation's heritage by providing readily available materials– guidance pamphlets and books, videos, and Internet resources–on preserving, restoring, and rehabilitating historic buildings.

Enormously helpful “Preservation Briefs” are easily accessed from this web site.

• Old House Journal On-line www.oldhousejournal.com From the publisher of the magazine, Old-House Journal Online says it is “strictly about renovating, restoring, decorating and maintaining homes”.

Go to the “Article Archive” for a range of articles on specific topics, or “Preservation How-To” (an easilyaccessible set of articles produced by the National Park Service’s Technical Preservation Services for Historic Buildings)

• Traditional Building Magazine On-Line www.traditional-building.com A website created by the editors of the bi-monthly magazine, the site is also touted as a ‘where-to-find-it’ publication for design and building professionals involved with public architecture: commercial, institutional, government and religious buildings, and other professionals who need to know where to locate hard-to-find historical products and services for commercial buildings and other public properties. Homeowners may also find some “where-tofind-it” help.

LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Historic Designation

• City of New Rochelle www.newrochelleny.com/ The Municipal Code that now provides

The SHPO administers programs authorized by both the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the New York State Historic Preservation Act of 1980. The site includes NYS government-related information in these categories: • State and National Register • Grants & Incentives • Preservation Planning • Investment Tax Credit • Certified Local Government • Archeology Project Review • Technical Assistance.

• National Register of Historic Places www.nps.gov/nr/ Information about the program of the National Register of Historic Places: “the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation.

Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources.”

• National Historic Landmark Program www.nps.gov/history/nhl/ A National Park Service web site about the 2,500+ U.S. properties designated by the Secretary of the Interior as “National Historic Landmarks” because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.

THE

PRESERVER VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1: WINTER 2008

Newsletter Highlighting New Rochelle’s Rich Past

Message from the Chairman

I

am delighted to welcome you to the first issue of The Preserver for 2008—our “How-To Issue”.

In this newsletter we have assembled a wealth of resources and tips to help you: • Research the social history of a New Rochelle property; • Repair, rehabilitate, restore, or renovate an older home; • Explore the beginnings of the community’s great residential parks; and • Learn more about New Rochelle’s long, extraordinary past.

The Historical and Landmark’s Review Board’s mission is to promote the preservation of our community’s unique character, which is deeply rooted in its illustrious heritage. Here’s your opportunity to discover the role your home or neighborhood may have played in New Rochelle’s past; and ways in which you can celebrate that valuable history, through its preservation. We think you will thoroughly enjoy the process!

What is the 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 City Council, and reviews all exterior renovations and new construction in the local historic district. The Board receives grants periodically for various historic preservation projects. The HLRB is committed to identifying, maintaining, and perpetuating the historic elements that make New Rochelle unique.

City of New Rochelle

HISTORICAL & LANDMARKS REVIEW BOARD Melvin Beacher, A.I.A. Chairman Belkys Reyes-Cuni Gerard Ragone Donald Richards Rosemary Speight Samuel Spady, Jr. Theodore Wilson Jean Friedman, Preservation Consultant Funding New York State Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Program Editor Barbara Davis Please send comments and suggestions to: Historical and Landmarks Review Board c/o Mrs. Sheila Beacher Bureau of Buildings City Hall 515 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801 (914) 636-8292

Who Lived in My House?

Researching the History of a New Rochelle House

S

leuthing into New Rochelle’s history

always reveals surprises and treasures, particularly when you have set out to discover the history of a home.

It could be a house that has sheltered three, four, even five generations. Perhaps it was the residence of a nationally renowned individual or a steadfast pillar of the city. It may be a building that has often piqued your curiosity, the home of a neighbor, an unusually styled house you drive by each day, a building harboring legendary ghosts. Who lived in the house and what were their contributions?

When was the structure built? How did its neighborhood grow?

Without much ado, travel or time, many of the puzzle pieces are easily found — in just a few local places.

Although a deed is often used as a starting point for this kind of research, as it can jump-start a "title chain" search of past owners, here’s an easy approach suitable for most New Rochelle homes.

Our first stop–the Assessor's Office in City Hall, 515 North Avenue. To find the house's identification number, which includes the block and lot numbers, start at the computers on the counters (with help from a very accommodating staff, if needed). Once you have found your site,

“Brookside” ownership card

jot down the identification number in a notebook for future reference and on a slip of paper for the staff member behind the counter. He or she will use it to locate the property's ownership card.

Given current technology, this index card-sized document is bound to give you pause. By delicate hand, each 20th century "conveyance" made of the property is noted in ink, or sometimes in lead.

The writing may be difficult to decipher, but do your best to accurately copy down each of the transactions–the names of the sellers and buyers, dates and purchase prices.

Next stop — the New Rochelle Public Library. Up on the second floor, you will find one of Westchester's best local history section — and good sources for your search. Begin by asking a librarian to guide you to the collection of city directories, and you’ll be led into the E. L. Doctorow Local History Room. Beginning in 1901 until well into the 1960s, these annual directories listed the names, addresses and occupations (and phone numbers, once they arrived in the community) of all residents. The library has almost every year. After 1926, many include reverse directories–a separate section in which names are listed by

Joshua Soulice House; Francis T.Hunter House–”Bookside”

260 Wilmot Road, c. 1694; c.1920s street address. All contain advertisements and listings of businesses, which also provide intriguing tidbits of the past.

By cross checking the names from the ownership card with those in the appropriate years of the directories, you may gain quite a bit of information on the former owners of the property. In addition to the individual's occupation, his place of work or business location is often cited.

Children of the owner may be listed and are usually identifiable by the description of “student” in place of occupation. A wife's name comes after her husband's, unless she is a widow, (“w”). As shameful as it now seems, a (“c”) or the word “colored” follows many of the names in these early directories.

With the bits and pieces you’ve been able to gather from the directories, head for the vertical files — they're brimming with newspaper clippings from the past 80 or so years. In the drawers marked “biographies,” articles about some New Rochelleans can be found in alphabetically arranged folders. You’ll see that certain individuals generated enough press to have their own folders. Any articles you find on your subject will undoubtedly lead you to others–particularly if the clipping is an obituary.

Because accomplishments, service duty, employment and family members are usually mentioned, these biographical

sketches can open up many more doors.

An obituary may also provide dates you need to find relevant articles in the (unindexed) copies of the community's newspapers. Beginning with issues from the 1890s, the New Rochelle Pioneer, The Paragraph, Evening Standard and the Standard Star are all on microfilm here.

You can also check back issues of the New York Times for obituaries by accessing Historic New York Times in ProQuest.

It’s free of charge if you use a library computer (ask a librarian at the second floor desk for help).

Now that you have the key information about your house and its former owners — expand your quest by delving into some of the other materials found in the E. L. Doctorow Room and other locations described on page 2 & 3 of this issue.

As the City did not start recording the ownership cards until the early 1900s, you may want to take a detour to the County Clerk's Office in White Plains to research the title of a house built before the 20th century. Or, there are professionals who can be hired to complete an in-depth research for you. If you are considering having a house designated as a local landmark or listed on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places, you may want to consider enlisting the help of an expert for some or all of the process.

This professional can help in determining exact year and type of construction, architects and builders, and details on additions and materials.

HELPFUL RESOURCES Located at the New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL) Between Main and Huguenot Streets, and Lawton Street and Memorial Highway: www.nrpl.org The New Rochelle Public Library contains a treasure trove of books, directories, maps, pamphlets and other materials to help you in your quest. Bring pencils or a laptop, check-in at the second floor information desk, and head for the E.L. Doctorow Local History Room, where these local history resources are safely housed, to begin your quest:

G ET G ENERAL G UIDANCE IN R ESEARCHING THE H ISTORY OF Y OUR H OUSE

• Green, Betsy J. Discovering the History of Your House: And Your Neighborhood. Santa Monica Press. 2002. LH R 907.2 G

• Howe, Barbara J., ed. Houses and Homes: Exploring Their History. American Association of State and Local History. 1995.

LH R 307.336 H

• Howard, Hugh. How Old Is This House?

Noonday Press. 1989. L R 728 H

• Light, Sally and Margaret Eberle. House Histories: A Guide to Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home. Golden Hill Press. 1989.

LH R 929.1 L

P EG

THE

S TYLE

OF

Y OUR H OME

• Blumenson, John J. G. and Nikolaus Pevsner, Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms: 1600–1945. W. W. Norton & Company; Revised edition February 1990.

• McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. Knopf. 1984.

LH R 728 M

• Poppeliers, John C. , S. Allen Chambers, Jr., and Nancy B. Schwartz. What Style is IT? A Guide to American Architecture. John Wiley& Sons. 2003

• American Homes: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Domestic Architecture. Walker, Lester.

Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.

• American Shelter: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Home. Walker, Lester R. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.

For Specific House Types, See Also:

• Aladdin Company. Aladdin “Built in a Day” House Catalog 1917. Dover Publications. 1995. LH R 728.37 A

• Gordon-Van Tine Company. 117 House Designs of the Twenties. Dover Publications. LH R 728.37 G

• Sears, Roebuck and Company. Small Houses of the Twenties: The Sears, Roebuck 1926 House Catalog. Dover Publications.

1991. LH R 728.37 S.

• Stevenson, Katherine H. Houses By Mail: A Guide to Houses From Sears, Roebuck and Company. Preservation Press. 1986.

LH R 728.373 S Section

A P ICTURE IS W ORTH T HOUSAND W ORDS

A

B OOKS :

• New Rochelle in Pictures. The Standard P INPOINT Y OUR L OCATION Maps are in map drawers and atlases on map shelves in the E.L. Doctorow Local History Room: The collection of maps and atlases includes numerous maps of New Rochelle and segments of New Rochelle from various years, beginning with 1867 to zoning maps starting in 1978. Some maps show structures and include names of owners.

New Rochelle Neighborhood maps include:

• A Map of Rochelle Park c. 1890 • An Amended Map of Beechmont, New Rochelle, Sections 1 & 2. 1905

• A Map of Rochelle Heights in the City of New Rochelle, Subdivision 1, June 1905

• A Map of Forest Heights, City of New Rochelle, Subdivisions 1 & 2. June 1909

• A Map of Peters Road as dedicated by John R. Peters 1846.

Check in these atlases for maps with details of New Rochelle areas:

• Atlas of Westchester County, New York Bien, Joseph R. Julius Bien and Company.

1893. LH q912.747 B 1893 “Atlas Table” These maps show considerable detail: streets with lots drawn in; some houses and other buildings have also been drawn in. Owners of some large properties are identified by name.

• Atlas of Westchester County, New York.

Bromley, G.W., and Bromley, W.S., G.W. Bromley and Co. 1901. LH q912.747 B. Similar to Bien's Atlas in format and detail provided.

• Insurance Maps of New Rochelle Sanborn Map Company. 1911. LH q912.7477 NRO 1911, 1924 The maps in this atlas date from 1911; additional material was “pasted” on in 1923 and 1924. The Sanborn Map Company compiled its maps for insurance purposes. The maps show the outline of each building, their size, shape and construction, and the location of windows and doors. They also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. In many cases the dollar value of property and the names of owners have been written in, along with notes on water and fire department facilities.

• Atlas of Westchester County, New York.

G.M. Hopkins Company. 4V. 1929-1931.

LH q912.747 H. The layout and detail provided on maps is similar to the atlases published by Bien and Bromley.

Star 1931. LH 917.47 N419s

• New Rochelle on the Sound. John Rosch, publisher. 1903. LH 917.47 N419n Profusely illustrated with photographs of old New Rochelle, these two books include pictures of many homes. The library created indexes (found in the appendix of the Local History Room Index) for both publications so that it is possible to search for buildings by owner's name, street address, and type (i.e. school, home, commercial, etc.).

PHOTOGRAPHS AND POSTCARDS:AND The New Rochelle Photograph Collection is made up of over 1,000 photographs donated by Dominick Bruzzese, the Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historical Association, and other private collectors.

Reproductions are filed in five notebooks according to subject and are located in the E. L. Doctorow Local History Room.

The library also has a collection of over several hundred vintage postcards, including a number depicting neighborhoods, also organized in a notebook.

L EARN M ORE A BOUT Y OUR N EIGHBORHOOD :

• History of Street Names of New Rochelle LH q794.7277 H From 1933-1935 The Standard Star ran a series of short articles on the origins of street names in the city, and these have been photocopied and organized in a notebook.

• “Streets and Sections–Know Your City”.

From May to June 1972, The Standard Star ran a series of articles on neighborhoods in New Rochelle. A map accompanying the articles shows the city divided up into districts; each of these areas is profiled in an article. This series has been photocopied and placed in a notebook.

• Sound Shore Medical Center House Tour Booklets Since 1997, The Friends of SSMC have printed booklets describing the houses and neighborhoods of their annual house tours, which include historical overviews of several New Rochelle neighborhoods.

Booklets and Pamphlets on Specific Neighborhoods:

• Sutton Manor Story in Historic New Rochelle

• D’Ermes, Anthony J. West New Rochelle, NY: An Italian Journey. Hawthorne House.

2001. LH 974.7277D

• Larson, Neal, National Register Application for Rochelle Park-Rochelle Heights

Real Estate Brochures: A binder of Real Estate Brochures (copies; originals are kept in the NRPL Archives Collection) located in the E.L. Doctorow Local History Room include a number of neighborhoods and properties.

M ASTER THE N UTS & B OLTS OF P RESERVING THE C HARACTER OF A H OME

• Rochelle Park-Rochelle Heights Local Historic District: Design Criteria Guidelines, City of New Rochelle Department of Development, November 1988. LH q363.69 R Gives the guidelines for maintaining, restoring and altering existing buildings and adding new buildings in the historical district of Rochelle ParkRochelle Heights. Includes a section on the various architectural styles used in the district.

• Rochelle Park-Rochelle Heights Historic District Resource Collection A collection of catalogs of suppliers and related materials useful to anyone restoring an historic house was compiled by Stephen Tilly for the Manual of Historic House Styles and Materials, and is found in this labeled box, in the E. L. Doctorow Local History Room.

• Tilly, Stephen. Manual of Historic House Styles and Materials: Rochelle Park—Rochelle Heights Historic District. 2003. LH R 728.3

• Tilly, Stephen. Yonkers Historic Design Guidelines, City Of Yonkers, NY. July 6, 2005 for City of Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board.

• Directory of Restoration Product Suppliers and Contractors, prepared by Stephen Tilly.

Architect. City of Yonkers. Landmarks Preservation Board.

• Heritage Preservation and National Park Service. Caring For Your Historic House. Harry N. Abrams. 1998.

LH R 690.24 C

• Preservation of Historic Architecture: United States Government’s Official Guidelines for Preserving Historic Homes, U. S. Department of the Interior. LHR 720.973.

• The Preserver: Back issues of the Historical and Landmarks Review Board’s newsletter contain articles, tips and news about New Rochelle’s historically significant properties.

by Ruth Sutton Reynolds (the Little Print, 1963. LH 974.728 P)

A Brief Primer on Landmark Status and Historic Designations Q. What does “designation” mean?

Q. What designation offers the least protection?

A. A property has been deemed architecturally, historically or culturally important on a

A. National Landmark designation provides no protection, only awareness.

local, state and/or federal level by meeting criteria as established by each of these levels of government, and successfully fulfilling the corresponding application process.

Q. What designation offers the most protection?

A. Local designation offers the most protection for property owners in New Rochelle.

By law, exterior alterations to these properties, including demolition of a structure and significant changes to the landscape, must undergo review by the Historical and Landmarks Review Board.

Historic properties are also protected when State and/or Federal permits or dollars are involved. The State and/or federal government reviews alterations to or demolition of properties eligible for listing or listed on the State and National Registers.

Although considered the most prestigious of designations, (the Thomas Paine Cottage is one of just 17 National Landmarks in Westchester County; 258 in New York State; and less than 2,500 in the entire country), this title has no “teeth”.

State or Federally Designated properties (those listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places) are afforded no protection unless State and/or Federal permits or dollars are involved. However, designation does serve as a “red flag” when construction is occurring in the vicinity of the designated property.

New Rochelle Properties with Historic Designation L OCALLY D ESIGNATED P ROPERTIES These are New Rochelle properties that are officially recognized and protected as historically significant properties through an ordinance first enacted by New Rochelle’s City Council on 7/16/1985.

S TATE

AND

F EDERALLY D ESIGNATED P ROPERTIES

Properties listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places Rochelle Park–Rochelle Heights Local Historic District (275 buildings). Neighborhood’s primary boundaries: Beaufort Place; I-95; Potter’s Avenue; Fifth Avenue. (Listed in 2005)

10

TIPS TO GREEN YOUR HOME

T

he greenest house is the house already built. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't make your old house even more ecofriendly. Here are 10 tips to green your home while maintaining its historic integrity:

1. Keep original windows intact. StudKnickerbocker Press Building

Lispenard–Rodman–Davenport House

50 and 52 Webster Avenue (Listed in 2000) 180 Davenport Avenue (Listed in 1986)

Rochelle Park–Rochelle Heights Local Historic District (275 buildings). Neighborhood’s primary boundaries: Beaufort Place; I-95; Potter Avenue; Fifth Avenue.

ies show that older windows can perform as well as vinyl replacements.

Weather strip them so that they seal tightly, caulk the exterior trim, and repair cracked glazing and putty around glass panels. You’ll reduce landfill waste and the demand for vinyl, a nonbiodegradable material that gives off toxic byproducts when it is made.

2. Use light paint colors for your house exterior. Light colors can reflect heat better than darker colors.

3. Insulate the attic, basement and crawl space. About 20 percent of

energy costs come from heat loss in these areas.

“Wildcliff”

Pioneer Building

42 Wildcliff Road (Listed in 2002)

14 Lawton Street (Listed in 1983)

4. Reuse old materials such as brick, stone, glass and slate when making

home improvements. If you’re rebuilding a staircase, for example, use wood from the summer kitchen or shed that couldn’t be saved.

5. Install fireplace draft stoppers, attic Huguenot Burial Grounds Located behind Trinity-St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 311 Huguenot Street

New Rochelle Post Office

Davenport House–“Sans Souci”

255 North Avenue (Listed in 1989)

157 Davenport Avenue (Listed in 1980)

door covers, and dry vent seals that open only when your dryer is in use.

An open dampener in a fireplace can increase energy costs by 30 percent and attic doors and dryer vent ducts are notorious energy sieves.

6. Plant trees. Evergreen trees on the north and west sides of your house can block winter winds, and leafy trees on the south and west provide shade from the summer sun. Using old photos of your house, try to match the historic landscaping.

7. Have an energy audit done by your local utility company, or visit

St. John’s Wilmot Church 11 Wilmot Road

N ATIONAL L ANDMARK Properties designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States

Leland Castle Castle Place, College of New Rochelle (Listed in 1976)

Trinity–St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Huguenot Burial Grounds 311 Huguenot Street (Listed in 2006)

http://hes.lbl.gov.

The Home Energy Saver is designed to help consumers identify the best ways to save energy in their homes, and find the resources to make the savings happen. The Home Energy Saver was the first Internet-based tool for calculating energy use in residential buildings.

Audits can help pinpoint problem areas and measure energy savings to compute your home’s efficiency.

8. In the summer, open the windows and use fans and dehumidifiers,

which consume less energy than airconditioning. Many old houses were designed with good cross ventilation; take advantage of your house’s layout.

9. Keep doors airtight by weather stripping, caulking, and painting them regularly. Recent studies suggest that installing a storm door is not necessarily cost-effective.

10. Restore porches and awnings.

Porches and awnings were intended for shade and insulation. To save energy, draw shades on winter nights and summer days.

Reprinted with permission from Preservation Online, Preservation magazine and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Thomas Paine Cottage 20 Sicard Avenue (Listed in 1972) Also a locally designated property and a state and federally designated property.

First Presbyterian Church of New Rochelle and Lewis Pintard House 50 Pintard Avenue (Listed in 1979)