Everyone’s house is special. It is often the embodiment of their style, their preferences and is above all their refuge. There are bigger, grander and more interesting houses, still I find my house charming in an old, elegant way.
My house sits in the middle of 5.67 manicured acres. It is like living in the middle of a park. I am surrounded by century old trees, many unique specimens, rolling hills of grass, a stream and a small wooded area. It is so much like a park the neighbors come to my yard to walk their dogs. When the neighboring couple had a baby, the mother began taking the baby for walks down my driveway and along the stream. I grew up on a dirt road, in a small Colorado town, so the idea of living in such a beautiful property had never really seemed possible.
My driveway is approximately 1,000 feet long. Entering from the main the driveway meanders alongside a small stream, with an old stone wall – possibly hundreds of years old – as there was an old road that used to run alongside the property. The driveway is covered by towering catalpa trees. After making a bend the house comes into view. It is a modified Cape style home made of brick. The house was built in 1934. The date of the construction was etched by the roofers into one of the slate shingles at the front of the house.
The house was designed by the architect Gordon S. Marvel, a well-known architect in the Newburgh area. His son was also an architect and his grandson Jonathan J. Marvel is the principal and founder of the successful Marvel Architects firm in New York City. I have the original blueprints for the house, making it easy to know what was original and what had been added later. Surprisingly little was done to the house. The kitchen and bathrooms were remodeled in the late 1970’s, but otherwise the house remains true to the original blueprints.
Gordon Marvel was a marvel (just had to write that) at built-ins. He took advantage of every inch of space. There are too many instances to list, but a few are the identical corner china cupboards in the dining room, the huge linen closet and the drawers fitted into the knee walls of two of the bedrooms.
With the exception of the living room and the dining room, the rooms are small by today’s standards. Lifestyles were different in 1934. People were more social. Bedrooms were for sleeping, kitchens for cooking, so the sizes were smaller.
The home was built for Stanley G. Harcourt, a successful Newburgh businessman, and the brother of the more known Alfred Harcourt. They were born in New Paltz, New York (north of Newburgh). Alfred was well known for co-founding the publishing company known as Harcourt Brace. At one time they were the largest text book publisher in the United States. Alfred represented some of the famous writers of his time, including Robert Frost, Sinclair Lewis, George Orwell, Carl Sandburg, T.S. Eliot and E.E. Cummings. I would like to believe Alfred visited his brother in his new home with one of his famous writers – it probably didn’t happen, but I can still fantasize about it.
The home features a full basement, equipped – as per the original bluprints – with a wet bar. Prohibition ended in 1933, so a bar would have been all the rage. Three antique non-alcoholic bottles from Germany, with the original contents, were left in the bar when I arrived. The first floor had a maid’s room, the huge basement laundry room has three sinks (obviously the help needed the extra capacity), there is a laundry chute from the first and second floors to the laundry room. Trash chutes, now dysfunctional, also go from the first and second floors to the basement.
From the screened porch, one looks out onto the in-ground pool, added in the 1970’s. I imagine Mrs. Harcourt had guests for tea on her screened porch in the summer. From the screened porch there is also a view across the front yard to an area where the Harcourt’s kept horses. Sadly, this area was not maintained by the prior owners and is now infested with invasive shrubs and trees. Someday this area will be returned to a woodland.
This is a brief glimpse at my home. It is special in many ways, the setting, the design, the history, and the potential. Mainly, it is special because it is mine and I can now put my own stamp on the beautiful house and yard.
I’m enthralled with the whole history, Paul! You wield a pen with a flair ~ I know how time consuming blogs are ~ reason I don’t blog often, although I enjoy writing.
Thank you. You are very kind.