Harry E. Donnell House
Encyclopedia
The Harry E. Donnell House, also known as The Hill, is a historic 33-room Tudor mansion located on the north shore of Long Island
, at 71 Locust Lane, Eatons Neck
, Suffolk County, New York
. The mansion was designed by prominent New York City
architect Harry E. Donnell
for his wife, Ruth Robinson Donnell on 200 acres (80.9 ha) of land given to the couple by Ruth's father George H. Robinson. The mansion was constructed in June, 1902 and completed in January, 1903 by the Randall and Miller Company of Freeport, New York
. When completed, the mansion had dual waterfronts. The east lawn extended from the mansion to Duck Island Harbor, and had sweeping views of Long Island Sound
, while the south lawn extended to Northport Bay. About 80 acres (32.4 ha) northwest of the mansion was fashioned into a golf course.
In 1927, the estate was subdivided, and the Eaton Harbors Corporation
created to maintain the private roads and beaches for the new owners in the subdivision. During the Great Depression
sales of building lots on the old estate moved slowly. In 1964, the mansion and 4 acres (1.6 ha) were sold by Nicholas Donnell Ward to the Lang family, and in 1977 purchased by the Treuting and McBrien families. In 1987, it was purchased by Robert Gerlach.
In 1997, the mansion was sold to the Carr family, who obtained the original architectural plan
s from Nicholas D. Ward and used them to restore the mansion to its original design and finish. In 2002, the Carrs obtained a special use permit from the Town of Huntington, New York
to operate a bed and breakfast
after a lengthy court battle.
The Harry E. Donnell House was added to the National Register of Historic Places
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/NY/Suffolk/state2.html in 1985.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, at 71 Locust Lane, Eatons Neck
Eatons Neck, New York
Eatons Neck is a census-designated place and a hamlet in the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York. The population was 1,388 at the 2000 census. Students attend the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District...
, Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
. The mansion was designed by prominent New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
architect Harry E. Donnell
Harry E. Donnell
Harry Ellingwood Donnell was an American Beaux-Arts architect, who designed many commercial and residential structures in New York City and Long Island between 1894 and 1915.-Life:...
for his wife, Ruth Robinson Donnell on 200 acres (80.9 ha) of land given to the couple by Ruth's father George H. Robinson. The mansion was constructed in June, 1902 and completed in January, 1903 by the Randall and Miller Company of Freeport, New York
Freeport, New York
Freeport is a village in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, USA, on the South Shore of Long Island. The population was 42,860 at the 2010 census. A settlement since the 1640s, it was once an oystering community and later a resort popular with the New York City theater community...
. When completed, the mansion had dual waterfronts. The east lawn extended from the mansion to Duck Island Harbor, and had sweeping views of Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, while the south lawn extended to Northport Bay. About 80 acres (32.4 ha) northwest of the mansion was fashioned into a golf course.
In 1927, the estate was subdivided, and the Eaton Harbors Corporation
Eaton Harbors Corporation
The Eaton Harbors Corporation is a New York business corporation created in 1927 by the heirs of Cornelius H. DeLamater to hold title to and maintain approximately of private roads and beaches located in Eatons Neck, New York...
created to maintain the private roads and beaches for the new owners in the subdivision. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
sales of building lots on the old estate moved slowly. In 1964, the mansion and 4 acres (1.6 ha) were sold by Nicholas Donnell Ward to the Lang family, and in 1977 purchased by the Treuting and McBrien families. In 1987, it was purchased by Robert Gerlach.
Architectural plan
An architectural plan is a plan for architecture, and the documentation of written and graphic descriptions of the architectural elements of a building project including sketches, drawings and details.- Overview :...
s from Nicholas D. Ward and used them to restore the mansion to its original design and finish. In 2002, the Carrs obtained a special use permit from the Town of Huntington, New York
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
to operate a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
after a lengthy court battle.
The Harry E. Donnell House was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/NY/Suffolk/state2.html in 1985.
External links
- Archiplanet.org listing for H.E. Donnell House (Archiplanet is a website that echoes National Register public domain data, and, in this case, added a photo too.)
- Carr Bed and Breakfast website with photos