THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



profession, architecture has become firmly estabhshed and indi- 

 vidual architects are doing work far superior to that of the period 

 1850-90, and the same may be said of landscape architects. But 

 there are still lessons to be learned from the very early times. 



The location and general character of the early New Amsterdam 

 homes and their gardens are interestingly shown on Castello Plan 

 of New Amsterdam in 1660. Lieut. Ratzer's map of 1767 shows 

 very well the country estates and gardens of that period. The 

 following are brief descriptions of the estates shown on Ratzer's 

 map, which may further help us to form some idea of their char- 

 acter. 



Along the shore of the East River was the road to Greenwich 

 Village and to this road a number of large country seats connected. 

 The first of importance was that of Abraham Mortier, later to be 

 known as Richmond Hill, the residence of Aaron Burr. This es- 

 tate was purchased by Mortier in 1760, who soon after erected the 

 mansion. In 1776 it was occupied by General Washington and 

 in 1784 by John Adams, Vice-President. From 1797 to 1812 the 

 property was held by Aaron Burr, who lived there in luxurious 

 style. According to all accounts, this was a most beautiful estate. 

 A letter from Abigail Adams in 1789 reads as follows: "The house 

 . . . is situated upon a hill, the avenue to which is interspersed 

 with forest trees, under which a shrubbery rather too luxuriant 

 and wild owing to its having been deprived, by death some years 

 since, of its original proprietor, who kept it in perfect order. In 

 front . . . the noble Hudson rolls its majestic waves . . . 

 beyond . . . rises the fertile country of the Jerseys. On 

 the right hand an extensive plain presents us with a view of fields, 

 covered with verdure and pasture full of cattle. On the left, the 

 city opens to us, intercepted only by clumps of trees and some ris- 

 ing ground, which seems to heighten the beauty of the scene by 

 appearing to conceal a part. In the background a large flower gar- 

 den, enclosed with a hedge and some very handsome trees, on one 

 side of it a grove of pines and oaks." 



The Warren Estate (later Van Nest) was located not far from 

 Richmond Hill, the mansion near the intersection of Charles and 

 Bleecker Streets. This was built by Capt. Peter Warren (later 

 Sir Peter Warren, Vice-Admiral of the Royal Navy) about 1740 



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