The Marble House 1 



By Edward C. Delavan, Jr. 



The destruction of the Hotel Castleton by fire, on the evening 

 of November 12, 1907, led to the discovery, in the foundation, 

 of numerous blocks of dolomite, which had been so utilized after 

 St. Marks Hotel was demolished, about the year 1889. 



St. Marks Hotel may be remembered as a square stone build- 

 ing with a later frame addition extending toward the south. 

 This square stone building was formerly known as the Marble 

 House, or as the Mansion House of Mrs. Arietta Thompson. 

 The stone used in its construction, as the writer was informed 

 by the late Mrs. Hannah E. Westervelt, a sister of Mrs. Thomp- 

 son, was brought from the Kingsbridge quarry. 



The Marble House was built for Mrs. Arietta Thompson, wife 

 of Gilbert Livingston Thompson and daughter of Daniel D. 

 Tompkins, and its construction was commenced probably prior 

 to 1 82 1. The great brownstone gate posts, two of which remain 

 in their original location, 2 and the wall between them, along the 

 northeasterly side of St. Marks Place, are probably of a date 

 later than 1835. 



This venerable building was so closely associated with the 

 history of New Brighton, that the writer may be pardoned if he 

 goes with some degree of detail into the events which preceded 

 and led up to its construction. 



As early as the year 1623 the locality now called Tompkins ville 

 was known as "the watering place" (14 Col. Doc. 506). Here 

 outward bound vessels stopped to fill their casks from the brook, 

 which flowing from the thickly wooded hills and fed by con- 

 stant springs, afforded a copious supply of cold pure water. 

 With the progress of settlement cultivated fields began to dot 



1 Presented January 18, 1908. 



2 These two gate posts have since been removed. 



