Gazebo Gazette - Larchmont Historical Society

April/May 2008
Volume I; Issue 5
The
Gazebo Gazette
Newsletter of the Larchmont Historical Society
LHS Annual Spring House Tour 2008—Sunday, May 4th
"Creative Icons & Historic Houses"
. On Sunday, May 4th, the Larchmont Historical Society will
host its Annual Spring House Tour, featuring four historically significant homes in Larchmont. This year’s theme
features houses that are, or previously were, owned by individuals with careers in the creative arts -- an actor, a poet, a
singer, a musician and an interior designer. A special Reception and Art Show at The Larchmont Yacht Club, sponsored by Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate, will follow the
Tour. The Art Show will feature a collection of Larchmont
scenes by local artists presented by the Mamaroneck Artists Guild. Refreshments will be served.
TICKETS ON SALE:
Sat. April 26th – Sat. May 3rd
at:
Houlihan Lawrence
Real Estate
2070 Boston Post Rd.
Coldwell Banker
Real Estate
140 Larchmont Avenue
As a special preface to lead off this year’s Tour, LHS is reintroducing our pre-tour Lecture and slideshow hosted by
Larchmont interior designer, Libby Cameron and Susan
Bartlett Crater, both of Sister Parish Design. They will discuss the life and career of the legendary American interior
designer Sister Parish. The event will be held Saturday, May
3rd from 3:00 p.m.– 5:00 p.m. in the Undercroft at St. John’s
Church, 4 Fountain Square. Admission will be $5 at the door. The House Tour Journals will be
available for pick up at this time so you can spend time
previewing the extensive architectural and social history of
our featured homes before touring them.
Or….
By calling
Patti Roberts
833-9080
To arrange purchase
& pick up of your tickets
This is a much-loved and popular event, so order your tickets soon!
Yes, I would like to purchase tickets to the 2008 Spring House Tour!
Name:
_______________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Tel:
______________________ E-Mail: _____________________
Number of Tickets for Members & Volunteers ($35 each) ______
Number of Tickets for My Guests*
Total Amount Enclosed:
($40 each) ______
Please Make Checks Payable
to*:
The Larchmont Historical Society
Don’t forget to renew your LHS
membership or join today. Use
the form on the back or our
online membership service!
$ ______
* (Guest Tickets must be purchased by Members. Join Today!
Fill out membership on back and mail/drop/off with this ticket form)
Page 2
Published by:
The Larchmont Historical Society
P.O. Box 742, Larchmont, NY 10538
Editor: Nancy White
Contributors: Ned Benton, Elaine
Everhart, Teresa Laughlin,
Roberta Warren
Officers and Board of Trustees:
Barbara R. Newman, President
Lauren Gottfried, 1st VP, Membership
Dee van Eyck, 2nd VP, Programs
Cate Jarrett, Recording Secretary
George Berridge, Treasurer
Ned Benton
Norma Perciasepe
William Byrne
Patricia Roberts
Barbara Coyne
Colette Rodbell
Manuel Delgado
Melissa Schoen
Susan Emery
Judith Doolin Spikes
Andrew Fancella
Jim Sweeney
Margi Gristina
Roberta Warren
Peggy Kahn
Nancy White
Kate Kelly
Pier Witek
Mary McGahan
Lynne Crowley, Archivist
The Larchmont Historical Society was
founded in 1980 and chartered in 1981
as a not-for-profit educational corporation by the New York State Board of
Regents to discover, preserve and disseminate information concerning the
natural, social, and civic history of
Larchmont, and to promote the preservation of local historical sites and structures. The Society maintains an archives in the Mamaroneck Town Center, 740 W. Boston Post Rd.,
Mamaroneck; publishes a newsletter;,
offers programs; conducts tours for
school children and adults; and offers
outreach lectures to other community
groups. The newsletter is published to
provide news of the Society and occasional articles of related interest. Opinions expressed are those of their authors; publication should not be construed as endorsement by the Society.
President’s Message:
Barbara Rewey Newman
Soon our town will be painted with the dazzling pinks and whites of dogwood, cherry blossom and magnolia trees that make Larchmont so intoxicating at this time of year. And we can’t wait -- because that incredible backdrop just makes our Spring House Tour even more fabulous! Mark your calendars, buy tickets and join us for this highly anticipated and much-loved
event on Sunday, May 4th. See the form for pre-ordering tickets included in
this newsletter. So much work goes into the research and writing of the
House Tour Journals to share the special architectural and social history of
the featured homes that this year we’re planning to distribute the books prior
to “Tour Day” to encourage you to read ahead. There will be a special lecture the day before – Sat. May 3rd, so plan to attend and pick up your journals! It’s going to be an absolutely wonderful afternoon that ends with a
special reception at the Larchmont Yacht Club. We are all incredibly grateful to Susan Emery, Kate Kelly and the House Tour Committee for all their
hard work to make the event possible this year!
Thanks also to Kate Kelly and George Schweitzer for generously sharing
their beautiful CHC home and hosting our first volunteer night in March. We
met many new volunteers who share our passion for the history of our special
community. Our Committee list is on the back of this newsletter—the time
commitment is up to you—take a look! We have a lot of fun - if you love
Larchmont history and enjoy our programs—join us!
We hope to see you on the House Tour in May!
From the Archives:
Lynne Crowley, our archivist, has been getting
many calls with questions about Symphonette
Square and Longines.
Originally built as the Larchmont Hills Apartments
garage c. 1925, the building was remodeled for use
as an Army barracks during World War II. It later
served for many years as the home of two subsidiaries of the Longines Swiss watchmaker, the
Longines Symphonette Society and the Wittnauer
Precious Metals Guild. The latter billed themselves as “makers of fine metallic art,” while the
former was best known for its mail-order, multiple-record sets of “easy listening” music. During
their tenure, 1950-1970, this corner of Myrtle and Madison avenues was
known as Symphonette Square. LHS board member, Nancy White, remembers the Longines logo in big letters around the curve.
Have a question? Ask Lynne Crowley, lcrowley@larchmonthistory.org
Page 3
Women’s History Month
Program a Big Hit With
All Ages
To celebrate National Women’s History Month, LHS
presented “Two Film Chicks & A Classic Flick” on
March 2, 2008. Featured were two of Larchmont’s
Luminaries: Mary Pickford, legendary film actor and
producer and former summertime resident, and Leslie
Holleran, Academy Award nominated film and television producer and current resident.
Ms. Holleran gave an
entertaining account of
her start in the film industry and provided a
compelling introduction
to the 1927 comedy My
Best Girl, Pickford’s
most endearing silent
film. LHS’s Trustee
and VP of Programs,
Dee van Eyck, presented Ms. Holleran with the second Larchmont Luminaries award – the first was awarded to Ms. Holleran’s husband, notable film editor, Andrew Mondshein, who hosted a program in 2006.
The event was well attended and enjoyed by all. “I
remember when this picture first came out. It is as
funny now as it was back then,” stated Irene van
Eyck, the oldest member of the audience at 92-yearsold. Thirteen-year-old Megan Gerspach also gave the
film high marks, “Boy, this is a really great movie –
so funny!”
To further the attendees’ enjoyment, historically accurate refreshments were served to the tunes of music
from the 1920s. “This is fun,” said Diana Genovese, a
19-year-old freshman in college. “Who knew that
Yoo-Hoo and Reese’s have been around since the
1920s?”
By Stephen van Eyck, LHS Intern
Refreshment Menu:
Popcorn
Stewart’s Rootbeer (1924)
Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink (1920s)
Kool-Aid (1927)
Hershey’s Chocolate Bar (1900)
Goetze’s Caramel Creams (1918)
Life Savers (1912)
Mounds (1920)
Mary Janes (1914)
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (1927)
Oreo Sandwich (1912)
Mallomars (1913)
Page 4
EMILY EARLE LINDSLEY:
1858 - 1944
‘LARCHMONT’S FIRST LADY’
A pioneer, philanthropist,
artist and teacher, 50 year
Larchmont resident Emily
Earle Lindsley helped
shape Larchmont into the
dynamic and civic-oriented
community we share today.
At her death in 1944, she
was universally remembered as “Larchmont’s First
Lady”, but she could also
be said to be ‘First’ in so
many other arenas, not least
her leadership in promoting
women’s independence.
Born in neighboring New Rochelle in 1858, Ms. Lindsley
grew up the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, the Rev.
Charles Edmund Lindsley, D.D. In 1910, she started a movement in to create a new Presbyterian Church within Larchmont for its’ growing population. After four years of pursuit,
the first worship service of the Larchmont Avenue Church
was held in Ms. Lindsley’s home at 39 Larchmont Avenue
with about 40 people in attendance. Ms. Lindsley continued
to faithfully serve the Church as a life deaconess, including
donating their pulpit in memory of her father. Her dedication
was honored in memoriam with the Emily Lindsley Memorial Window, and with these words from her eulogy: “She
loved life and people, and was at all times a Christian Lady.”
A serious artist, Ms. Lindsley pursued advanced studies in
art and even opened her own studio in New York where she
taught art and continued to paint for many years. She was
also a charter member of the National Association of Women
Artists and of the Society of Independent Artists.
For a while Ms. Lindsley made her studio at the carriage
house owned by her dear friend, Helena Flint (1850 – 1934),
daughter of the Manor Company Founder, Thompson Flint
(1811-1888) and a fellow-philanthropist. Both women as
“ardent gardeners” helped found The Garden Club of Larchmont in 1913. These civic-minded women sought to “teach
the children of Larchmont how to make small gardens” and
encourage members “in sending fruits, flowers and vegetables to the sick, either in New York City or locally.”
Ms. Lindsley was also a charter member of several other
Women’s groups, including The Woman’s Club of Larchmont and Larchmont’s League of Women’s Voters. Under
the Woman’s Club of Larchmont, she acted as Contributing
Editor of their monthly publication, The Larch Tree, and
frequently published poetry even during her final months of
illness. As one of the original members of Larchmont’s
League of Women Voters, Ms. Lindsley hosted the League’s
first meeting in October of 1922 and acted as their first Vice
President. The League adopted the slogan “Know Your Government” and Ms. Lindsley did just that as the “First woman
in Larchmont to vote under the Suffrage Act” according to
her obituary in the Larchmont Times.
Ms. Lindsley did not confine her energies to her work,
church, teaching and these women’s groups, she also helped
others outside of Larchmont. For example during World War
I, she was an ambulance driver with the Red Cross, and she
reapplied for duty with the Red Cross after Pearl Harbor only
to be denied. But that denial didn’t deter her assisting spirit;
she participated in packing “more than 700 boxes of clothing
for the French war relief” and became “one of the most faithful members of the Production Corps of the Larchmont
branch.”
Ms. Lindsley’s tireless devotion to her work and to others
have truly helped mold Larchmont into the friendly, welcoming and lively place it is today. As the Larchmont Avenue
Church honored her at their 20th anniversary celebration in
1935: “Beloved by all who know her. Kindly, gracious,
gifted with a delightful sense of humor, progressive in
thought, aggressive in the work of Christian welfare, Emily
Earle Lindsley combines in rare measure the proper balance
of high idealism and realism.”.
By Roberta Warren
Page 5
Century Homes Club Profile:
James and Constance Levi
85 Larchmont Avenue
James and Constance Levi are ardent collectors but their
greatest treasure is not one of the several museum-quality
collections they have amassed—including an extensive trove
of Larchmont historical material. No, their prize possession
is their home, 85 Larchmont Avenue, once one of the most
extensive and eclectic properties in the village.
The Levis came to Larchmont in 1974 in search of a big
house and closer proximity to a circle of friends who were
locals. They bought 85 Larchmont Ave., also known as
“Cherry Tree Cottage,” on their second try. The sellers had
turned down a previous offer from the Levis for the property
only to come around a year later.
It’s easy to see why a seller would be reluctant to part with
the house. Built in 1894 for Helena Flint, the shingle style
house combines period details with extensive grounds. A
house with personality and history, it was also once the center of a much larger estate that extended
from Larchmont Avenue to Monroe
Ave and included a number of outbuildings—two guest houses, recently renovated into larger homes along Cherry
Ave., a tennis house, a movie theater, a
powerhouse and a carriage house.
The outbuildings were erected by John
J. Murdock who bought the house in
1917. He owned the property until
1946. Murdock’s career spanned vaudeville and the rise of
the movie business. That was his occupation; his passion was
horticulture. At one time, the property contained a greenhouse large enough to cover an entire city block filled with
tropical plants and orchids to rival any botanical garden.
woodwork in the main hall had been painted and the house
had not been furnished with its history in mind. It took workmen a year and a half to remove the paint and restore the
woodwork. Finding the right pieces for the parlor, dining
room and numerous bedrooms took a bit longer.
“I believe a house has to reflect the people in it,” says Constance Levi, “but the people also have to reflect the house.”
In the Levis’ case, the house and owners were a rare and
perfect match. Their interest in period furniture, time-bound
gadgets like an orchestrion and antique picture frames, parallels their appreciation of architectural details.
For the Levis, 85 Larchmont Avenue’s requirements have been both responsibilities and opportunities. When the roof needed replacing,
the Levis insisted on using the original type of
wood for the shingles. When the family decided to add a pool, they created a stonework
deck that looks as if it had been original to the
property.
Not that they haven’t indulged in their fantasies either, Jim
Levi has always wanted a formal library. He was able to convert a room on the main floor into the sort of space that looks
as if it had been part of the home’s original plan.
Murdock may have been ardent about his plants yet he was
unsentimental about the house. He moved away from Larchmont, renting the property to a series of tenants including the
Skakel family. In 1936, Murdock had plans to raze the house
and develop the land. Ervilla Drive eventually satisfied the
urge to subdivde. And the house was spared.
The easy melding of the Levis’ aspirations and the house’s
capacities is what has made the long collaboration such a
productive one. Their 34-year ownership of this 112-year-old
landmark has made them the tenants with longest tenure.
Since Jim Levi vows only to be carried out of the house, we
can expect this property to be known well into the future as
the Levi House.
By 1946, Cherry Tree Cottage had been sold. A succession
of families lived in the house after that. The Dursis actually
owned the house twice for nine years each time with another
family taking six years in between. Something about 85
Larchmont Avenue keeps them coming back.
If you have a home that is at least 100 years old and are interested in joining the Century Homes Club, contact Lynne
Crowley at Larchmont Archives 381-2239 or
lhs@larchmonthistory.org.
When the Levis came to the house, the structure had lost
some of its sense of history. The cherry wood paneling and
By Marion Maneker
Page 6
A Slice in Time…
A Conversation with Bobbie
Keshian, member of MHS class
of ‘38
One of the unique aspects of Larchmont is the percentage
of current residents who have either returned to raise their
children in the town of their youth, or who have simply
never left. Mrs. Bobbie Keeshan is an example of the latter, having been raised in Larchmont, and remaining in the
area her entire life.
Spending time with Bobbie can only leave you with the
unbridled desire be her when you grow up. She is a bright
and friendly woman, who looks and acts decades younger
than she is, and who always seems ready for anything, as
evidenced by her continued racing of sailboats to this day.
The pace of life was less frenetic then, and MHS was far
less bustling than it is today. The student body numbered between 250 and 300, compared to the almost
1,500 currently attending. Most of the students walked
everywhere, including to and from school, though there
With the recent and troubling events at Mamaroneck High were those lucky few who proudly drove their Buick’s
School, it seemed a pleasant diversion to revisit the time or still shiny model T’s.
when Bobbie attended, beginning in 1935.
The age minimums on entering school did not exist in
The evolution of the building into its current structure has the ‘20’s, so Bobbie began Kindergarten at the age of
taken almost a century. The original structure of the school four, and was, subsequently, just over 16 when she
was built in 1888, at 741 West Boston Post Road, which graduated, in 1938.
ultimately became the Mamaroneck Town Center. At that School days then, as now, were very full, with many of
time, it housed everyone, from Kindergarten through 12th the same classes that are offered today. Bobbie regrade. The Palmer Avenue side of the current High School counted the idyllic image of one teacher conducting his
was built in 1925 for grades 7-12, and in 1931, the Boston classes outdoors in the spring, under the large tree on the
Post Road side was completed. (Significant additions then grass that still stands.
followed in 1941,1957, and in 2007.) The High School
and Junior High were structured differently, as well. Junior There were no major scandals to speak of, and the loomHigh consisted of the 7th, 8th and 9th grades, and High ing war had not yet intruded on the thoughts of the stuSchool was comprised of 10th, through 12th.
dents. There was even some diversity in the school at
that time, though the different groups self-segregated.
During her long history, Mamaroneck High has been home
to many luminaries, as varied as the painter Norman Rock- Sports and clubs were an integral part of daily life, and
well to, more recently, the actors Kevin and Matt Dillon, girls were offered most of the same sports as the boys,
and countless others less celebrated. Another notable with the exception of football. There was a Women’s
alumni from Bobbie’s class, was Bob Roy Carruthers. As Fencing Team, and, surprisingly enough, even a
1st Lieutenant, he went on to serve as the navigator on the Women’s Hockey team. Bobbie recalled playing basketfamous and heroic 1,500-mile flight that evacuated Gen- ball, loving gymnastics, and being, at one time, captain
eral MacArthur from Corregidor in the Philippines during of the cheerleading squad.
WWII.
Whenever MHS played their archrivals in football, New
Listening to Bobbie reminisce about her time at MHS Rochelle, the game was very heavily attended, often by
transports you back to a much simpler time, invoking im- crowd of 2-3,000 people. Bobbie was always there, front
ages of dancing to Big Band music, and listening to radio and center in her uniform: a collared shirt, heavy off
shows from the likes of Orson Welles, Bing Crosby, Roo- white sweater with a large orange M on the front, and, in
sevelt’s “Fireside Chats”, and countless others.
her words, “a very short skirt”.
Page 7
Clubs of various sorts played a very prominent role in
the social life at Mamaroneck High. While there are
currently 35 different clubs and organizations at MHS,
in the ‘30’s the selection was far more limited, though
still impressive for the time. The Greek System that
most of us associate with college years, was very
prevalent. Bobbie was a member of Phi Zeta, while still
others joined Phi Delta, Alpha Sigma and Theta Kappa
Omega, otherwise
known
as
the
“TKO” club.
There were no specific buildings to
“house” the various
sororities and fraternities, so meetings were rotated
among members’ homes,
often to their mothers’
dismay. “Hazing” was
quaint by today’s standards, involving pranks
such as eating raw eggs,
or blindfolding initiates
and putting their hands
in jelly.
There were various other
social clubs for those
who weren’t accepted in to the sororities and fraternities, and there were always numerous dances and parties to attend.
The Glen Island Casino was a favorite haunt, even
hosting the prom one year. The Casino, located in New
Rochelle, which still exists, has an illustrious past. It
was a very happening place in the mid-30’s, featuring
Swing and Big Bands like the Dorsey Brothers, and
Glenn Miller, who was catapulted to fame on that very
stage.
Dating often involved, as now, going to the movies.
Sunday night at Larchmont Movie House seemed to be
the popular ritual. This was the era of Bette Davis,
Clark Gable, Cary Grant and Carole Lombard, and
movie stars loomed large. Almost everyone read one or
more of the crop of Movie Magazines, such as Movie
Life, Movie Story and Modern Screen, much like they
read People or Us Weekly magazines today.
The ambitions of the young women were characteristic
of the time, focused around marriage, children, and a
house in the suburbs. Going on to college was atypical
for most, though there were certainly women that did
go on to further their education. Bobbie was fortunate
enough to have secured a small scholarship, but, like
many families recovering from the Depression, it was
still out of their financial reach.
Bobbie speaks very lovingly of her years at
Mamaroneck High School, even maintaining several
friendships to this day. It was a bubble in time, sandwiched between the Great
Depression and WWII,
when the students had the
opportunity to just be
kids, and enjoy all the
pleasures that this area
has to offer.
Revisiting little slices of
history contained in stories like this, shared by wonderful neighbors like Bobbie
Keeshan, are precious opportunities that abound in Larchmont, precisely because so
many still call this home.
By Teresa Laughlin
An Update: The June Freeman Allen
Costume Collection, Phase II
The June Freeman Allen Costume Collection contains approximately 100 items of clothing, dating from 1860 to
1940, worn by several generations of the family that lived
at 46 Magnolia Avenue from 1891 to 1996. June (Mrs.
Bruce) Allen, the last member of the family to live in the
house, donated the collection to the LHS, which had an
initial review and evaluation performed in 1997 by Cathaline Cantalupo, a fine and decorative arts consultant and
appraiser. The resulting notebook catalog may be examined in the LHS Archives. Photos of most of the items,
accompanied by brief descriptions, may be viewed on the
Society's website (larchmonthistory.org) by clicking on
"Larchmont Images" and then scrolling down to "R."
The collection is currently housed in archival conditions
off-site. The board is now planning to undertake phase two
of cataloguing and conservation of the collection as a memorial to its donor, who died in 2006.
By Judith Doolin Spikes
Membership Form
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Larchmont, NY 10538
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