March, 1908 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



91 



Residence of Van Wyck Rossiter, Esq., Nyack, New York 



By Walter Williams 



The Entrance Hall Extends Up Two Stories and Is Trimmed with Quartered Oak 



HERE is a distinctive qual- 

 ity of beauty in the coun- 

 try around Nyack, N. Y., 

 that is irresistibly attrac- 

 tive. The Highlands above 

 the Hudson constitute one 

 of the most lovely nature- 

 spots in America; and the high elevation of 

 the land and the broad, splendid surface of 

 the river form a setting for suburban dwell- 

 ings that has few rivals in the vicinity of 

 New York. The land, for many miles 

 around, has long since been discontinued for 

 farming purposes, and has been pre-empted, 

 for the most part, for the houses and gar- 

 dens of the individual owner. The district 

 is, in fact, so highly accessible, that it has 

 long been a favorite place of residence for 

 busy New Yorkers; many of the houses are 

 not new; not a few of them are genuinely 

 old; and a number possess true individuality 

 and interest. 



Although not far from New York, this 

 region possesses many of the characteristics 

 of New York suburbs, notwithstanding the 

 fact that Nyack is a city of considerable size. These char- land has been rescued from the farm, it has not yet been 

 acteristics are quite common to all of the surrounding metro- completely transformed into a completed garden spot. The 

 politan territory except on Long Island. And these distin- old houses are found with the new; the large estate, the 

 guishing aspects are perhaps best described as representing considerable property, lies side by side with the smaller 

 a state of partial advancement. That is to say, while the place. And especially the new house stands side by side with 



the old. The latter are fre- 

 quently of singular interest, 

 even if they possess no real 

 structural or other beauty 

 of their own. One is at- 

 tracted to them from their 

 sheer simplicity and quaint- 

 ness, the more striking and 

 the more marked because of 

 the close proximity of more 

 modern dwellings. Terri- 

 tory such as this, similar to 

 it in the house building, ex- 

 ists for miles around New 

 York; Long Island, as has 

 been said, being the chief, 

 and perhaps the only ex- 

 ception. The western end 

 of Long Island, as is well 

 known, is actually a part of 

 New York City. Once the 

 metropolitan boundary has 

 been passed, there is a belt 

 of newness, chiefly of houses 

 of comparatively small 

 size; and then a wonderful 

 development of large es- 

 tates that is more and more 

 becoming characteristic of 

 all this region. 

 The Dining-room Has White Enamel Trim, and Wall Coverings of Dull Green Mr. KOSSlter S p I C t U r - 



