Bartow-Pell Mansion

 

Bartow-Pell Mansion

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Bartow-Pell Mansion and Carriage House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Location:	895 Shore Road North, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx, NY, United States
Coordinates:	40°52′17.8″N 73°48′21.4″W / 40.871611°N 73.805944°W / 40.871611; -73.805944Coordinates: 40°52′17.8″N 73°48′21.4″W / 40.871611°N 73.805944°W / 40.871611; -73.805944
Built:	1836
Architectural style:	Greek Revival
Governing body:	Local
NRHP Reference#:	74001220
Significant dates
Added to NRHP:	December 30, 1974[1]
Designated NHL:	December 8, 1976[2]

The Bartow-Pell Mansion is a New York City landmark and museum located in northern portion of Pelham Bay Park in The Bronx. Originally the Robert and Marie Lorillard Bartow House, the residence and estate date back to 1654. The Lords of the Manor of Pelham once owned the home which was later enlarged, renovated and remodeled in the Federal style. The current house was built between 1836 and 1842. Ownership of the house passed between the Bartow and Pell families until it was finally sold to the City of New York in 1888 by descendants of the Bartow family.^[3]

The mansion remained unused and empty for years before being leased by the City of New York to Mrs. Charles Frederick Hoffman, Jr. ( Zelia Krumbhaar Preston ) ( April 1, 1867 - Sept. 14, 1929 )^[4][5] in 1914 to house the International Garden Club, Inc., an organization she had founded to promote formal gardens. The club has since extended its purpose to include the preservation and restoration of the home.^[6]

The exterior of the mansion was restored and the formal gardens were constructed from 1914 to 1917/.^[7][8] In 1936, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia used the mansion as his summer residence while nearby Orchard Beach was built. The interior of the mansion, furnished with period antiques, reopened to the public as a museum in 1946. The property also includes the Pell family burial plot.

The property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978.^[2][9] The mansion and a carriage house are included.