Wave Hill

Wave Hill is a Шаблон:Convert estate in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale, Bronx, in New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes overlooking the Hudson River, with expansive views across the river to the New Jersey Palisades. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the estate includes two houses and a botanical garden. The oldest part of the main house, Wave Hill House, dates back to 1843; Glyndor House dates from 1927, and contains a multi-room art gallery.

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, numerous highly notable people resided in Wave Hill, either because they owned it, leased it, or because they stayed there as guests. In 1960, the estate was given to the City of New York, and Wave Hill is now a garden as well as a cultural center. As well as the free, constantly changing, contemporary visual arts exhibits that are on display in the Glyndor Gallery within Glyndor House, paid-ticket concert series take place on some Sunday afternoons in Armor Hall, featuring music that includes such styles as chamber music and jazz.

History

The original Wave Hill House was a gray fieldstone mansion built in 1843 by lawyer William Lewis Morris. It was owned from 1866 to 1903 by publisher William Henry Appleton, who enlarged the house in between 1866 and 1869 and again in 1890, and added greenhouses and gardens to the grounds. During these years, the house was visited by Thomas Henry Huxley, who helped Charles Darwin bring evolution to the public's attention. Theodore Roosevelt's family rented Wave Hill during the summers of 1870 and 1871, and Mark Twain leased it from 1901 to 1903.

The house was purchased in 1903 by George Walbridge Perkins, a partner of J. P. Morgan, along with adjacent property, including Glyndor, a house built by the Harriman family in 1888, which later burned down and was rebuilt in 1927. In 1910 Perkins added an underground building for recreation which included a bowling alley. Perkins performed extensive landscaping on the site, and leased Wave Hill House itself to an eminent ichthyologist, Bashford Dean of the American Museum of Natural History, who built a stone addition to the building as a private museum, Armor Hall.

Other famous residents of the estate included the conductor Arturo Toscanini (1942–1945) and chief members of the British Delegation to the United Nations (1950–1956). In 1960, at the suggestion of Robert Moses, the Perkins-Freeman family deeded Wave Hill to the City of New York. In 1983 the estate was added to the roster of the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2005, Wave Hill was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Gardens

The special features of Wave Hill's gardens include:

  • The Perennial Flower Garden
  • The Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, including a cactus room and a tropical room
  • Pergola and vistas of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades
  • Wild Garden
  • Aquatic & Monocot Garden
  • Alpine House and Dry Garden
  • The Herbert & Hyonja Abrons Woodland, 10 acres (40,000 m²) of native second-growth forest, with a woodland path that stretches around the perimeter of the property
  • Special Collections, including the Shade Border, Elliptical Garden and Conifer Slope
  • Bee hives in the woodland area

References

Notes Шаблон:Reflist

Further reading

  • Dwyer, Michael Middleton (ed.) Great Houses of the Hudson River. Boston: Little, Brown and Company in association with Historic Hudson Valley, 2001. ISBN 0-8212-2767-X.
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Rally by Eventbrite
20 October 2016
With 28 acres of public gardens in this Bronx landscape to explore, you’ll get your fill of fall colors and then some, especially with a picturesque view of the New Jersey Palisades.
CNN
27 January 2015
These 28 acres of gardens, greenhouses, walks & trails offer an oasis of serenity in the midst of NYC's concrete jungle. ProTip: Target sponsors free hours on Tuesday & Saturday mornings year-round.
Time Out New York
13 June 2013
Check out the restored architectural details, from the wooden front door to ornamental moldings, as well as the café, serving food, wine and beer on an adjacent terrace with a view of the Palisades.
Harlem Ambassador
14 August 2014
You can call it the Bronx and no one will believe you! An oasis on top of the world hidden with gardens and paths that require a map to navigate. The galleries and shop will impress. So many events!!
Time Out New York
13 September 2010
Wake up early to take advantage of free admission between 9am and noon every Saturday, and reward yourself with some gourmet noshes from the Terrace Café.
Leah Labrecque
29 August 2014
A peaceful place to pass an afternoon. I liked the different gardens, the hiking trails, the views of the Hudson, and the thoughtfully stocked gift shop.
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0.1km from Wavehill Driveway, Bronx, NY 10471, USA Get directions
Tue-Sun 9:00 AM–5:30 PM

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