Upstate

A Picturesque Stone House in the Land of the Headless Horseman Asks $995K

No ghostly stories envelop this house, but with an address on Hemlock Drive and a location in the suitably atmospheric sounding Sleepy Hollow Manor, it’s perhaps an appropriate choice for a look in October.

by Susan De Vries

10/25/2019 0

The stone house on the market at 50 Hemlock Drive was originally built as part of a suburban Westchester County development which launched in 1927.

Located just a couple of miles from the historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and a bit further from Sunnyside, the home of author Washinton Irving, the planners of the development smartly took advantage of the marketing opportunity presented. Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” first appeared in print in 1820 and the creepy tale of a headless horseman appearing to terrified townspeople became a spooky favorite and firmly entrenched in the identity of the region.

The new development was dubbed Sleepy Hollow Manor and carved out of a 107-acre scenic plot of land near the Hudson River. It was designed to maintain “the natural beauties and mystic lore” of the hollow where “Ichabod Crane of fiction fled terrified before the headless spectre,” a representative of Henry Mandel Companies, the builders of the development, told the Irvington Gazette in 1929. By that year, the development included 15 completed houses, four under construction and seven pending.

Ads for the development promised “houses of fine dignity and craftsmanship” in “harmonious English Manor and Georgian” styles. A number of different architectural firms designed houses in the new residential community, including Coggins & Hedlander, Lyon & Taylor and Farrar & Watmough.

Record hunting hasn’t uncovered the identity of the architect of 50 Hemlock Drive, but it was likely constructed between 1929 and 1931. Newspapers, both local and in the city, reported on progress in the development and in early 1930 at least two other houses on the street were completed and sold. The census records for that year record about 15 households identified as being located in Sleepy Hollow Manor. By 1931, it appears that 50 Hemlock Drive was complete and purchased by William and Ida Young.

The rough stone, side-gabled house has a steeply pitched roof and dominant chimney that are all nods to Early Americana, while the architect made sure to include the 20th century necessity of a garage. The house is sited on a slope and the garage is neatly tucked in at the lower level so as not to detract from the picturesque.

William, an advertising man, and Ida Young were still there by the time of the 1940 census in which they were listed as living in the spacious house with one live-in servant. The house has passed through a few hands since William’s death in 1949 and, while it has had some updates, there is still some period charm intact.

The entrance includes an arched Dutch, or split, door ornamented with strap hinges.

The living room includes the only fireplace indicated on the floorplans, although there’s no indication in the listing as to whether or not it is in working order.

Off one end of the living room is the sun room, located in one of the two wings that flank the central portion of the house.

For more seasonal living space, there’s a screened-in porch off the other end of the living room.

The dining room is adjacent, with a view to a patio and backyard.

There’s an eat-in kitchen with tile floors and white cabinetry.

There are a total of four bedrooms, including a first floor bedroom with en-suite bath that was most likely the original servants quarters. The master suite and other two bedrooms are located on the second floor.

There are three full baths and, at least in those pictured, there seem to be at least a few period fixtures intact.

The basement includes a family room, laundry, half bath and access to the garage.

The house is set on a landscaped half acre. Beyond the rear patio is an expanse of lawn and picturesque stone steps leading to a tree-sheltered garden space.

The house is listed for $995,000 by Elvira Aloia of William Raveis Legends Realty.

Even if you decide not to snap up a local residence, you can still join in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the publication of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Local organizations have organized a full calendar of events for 2019 and 2020 in celebration of Iriving’s creation.