London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

From the Westchester Herald (as reprinted in the Times of London, 24 April 1835):

WASHINGTON IRVING — Our distinguished fellow-citizen, Washington Irving, has purchased a small property of about 10 acres, eminently romantic in its location and appendages, on the bank of the Hudson, near the residence of his nephew Oscar Irving, about three miles south of Tarrytown.

On the premises just mentioned there is still standing an old stone house, built in the ancient Dutch style of architecture, during the French war, by Wolfred Acker, and afterwards purchased by Van Tassel, one at least of whose descendants has been immortalized in story by the racy pen of its present gifted proprietor.

It is the identical house at which was assembled the memorable tea-party, described in the legend of Sleepy Hollow, on that disastrous night when the ill-starred Ichabod was rejected by the fair Katrina, and also encountered the fearful companionship of Brom Bones in the character of the headless Hessian.

The characters in this delectable drama are mostly known to our readers; but time, that tells all tales, enables us to add one item more, which is, that the original of the sagacious schoolmaster was not the individual generally considered as such, who still resides in this country, but Jesse Martin, a gentleman who bore the birchen sway at the period of which the legend speaks, and who afterwards removed further up the Hudson, and is since deceased.

The location is a most delightfully secluded spot, eminently suited to the musings and mastery of mind; and it is the design of the proprietor, without changing the style or aspect of the premises, to put them in complete repair, and occupy them as a place of retirement and repose from the business and bustle of the world.

The Irvings lived at Sunnyside (as Washington Irving eventually named it) until it was purchased by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1945.

Since then it has been in the care of Historic Hudson Valley.

Published at 11:15 am on Monday 17 July 2023. Categories: Architecture Errant Thoughts History New York The Hudson Tags: , , , .
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