Bayside

Alison McKay

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2008
• ISBN:
  9781439620274
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

In rich, historic images, the unlikely story of Bayside and her founders comes to life.

In 1824, a wealthy shipping merchant by the name of Abraham Bell purchased 245 acres in the area now known as Bayside. He created an upper and lower farm, bisected them with a country lane now called Bell Boulevard, and with this Bayside began to develop. Over the generations, Bayside evolved from its beginnings as a rural farming community to a resort destination with lavish estates that lined the shore of Little Neck Bay. Later the town was transformed again into a commuter suburb touted by real estate developers for its scenic beauty and convenient location. Bayside chronicles the community's ever-changing history through this collection of vintage photographs culled from the Bayside Historical Society's archives.

Three

ESTATES, MANSIONS, AND HOMESTEADS

The first mention of the town’s name appeared on early maps denoting the Lawrence property as situated on the Bay Side. Although the town was a farming community for its first 200 years, the natural beauty found along Little Neck Bay was a major factor in its attraction for many wealthy individuals. Transportation also contributed to this phenomenon. Daily coach service from points west began in 1840, and the railroad, which first came to Bayside in 1866, had daily stops by the 1870s. The railroad service provided easier access from New York City via the Long Island City ferry, which departed from 34th Street in Manhattan. When the Queensborough Bridge was completed in 1909, it made the commute even easier.

Many of the wealthy residents in the 19th century considered themselves gentleman farmers and pursued other careers while maintaining orchards, groves, or sheep farms in Bayside. Others, including some members of the Bell family, maintained two or more residences and divided their time between Bayside and Manhattan on a seasonal basis. Still others, such as Louis Harway and Fredrick Storm, made their fortunes close to home.

It was not until the early years of the 20th century that the demise of these large estates was imminent. Many factors contributed, but ultimately, most were for financial reasons. Nearly all of the mansions, homesteads, and estates were razed with the acreage subdivided for residential development.

The John Taylor estate, known as the Oaks, was originally a nursery run by the Hicks family. The property was sold to a member of the Lawrence family who in turn sold it to Taylor in 1859. As suppliers of plants and cut flowers, Taylor and his partner, John Henderson, created one of the largest horticultural businesses of the period. They constructed 24 greenhouses warmed by hot-water pipes running over an acre on the estate. The name of the property is believed to have been derived from the trees in the area, first introduced by the original European settler, John Hicks.

The homestead of William Buhrman and his wife, Mary E. Lowerre Buhrman, was located along Alley Pond next to their general store and gristmill, as seen in this postcard from 1908. In early years, a pine tree reaching over 50 feet tall was allowed to grow directly through the steps leading up to the front porch.

This mansion, known as Stone House, was built in 1822 by Flushing resident Isaac Stansbury for Judge Effingham Lawrence. Located at 39–19 222nd Street, Stone House was situated on 49 acres overlooking Little Neck Bay. Passing to Lawrence’s eldest daughter, Lydia Lawrence, the property was owned by her until her death in 1879. She then left the mansion to her only son, Col. Fredrick Newbold Lawrence, from her marriage to her first cousin Edwin Newbold Lawrence. It was the colonel who expanded the mansion by adding a wing with a dining room able to accommodate 80 guests. Upon his death in 1916, Stone House was left unoccupied. By 1924, the mansion was sold to Emma Foster, who passed it to her niece Clara Kouwenhoven. In 1956, the property was sold to developers and Stone House was demolished.

This Victorian-style farmhouse was home to nine generations of the Lawrence family. It was originally much larger, but Effingham Lawrence dismantled part of it in 1822 in order to use the massive beams for his mansion, Stone House. An addition on the homestead was built in 1878 with a wrap-around porch that dramatically altered the facade.

Melissa Chambers Bell (right) and her children are seen in front of the house that was originally built by her grandfather-in-law Abraham Bell I. The home was situated on the northwest corner of Bell and Warburton Avenues (Thirty-eighth Avenue) and became the property of Thomas Bell through inheritance when Abraham died in 1849. Melissa Bell was the wife of Abraham Bell II, the son of Thomas Bell and grandson of Abraham I.

Abraham Bell II built this home in 1870 as a wedding present for his bride to be, Melissa Chambers. The home was located across the street from Abraham Bell I on the southwest corner of Bell and Warburton Avenues (Thirty-eighth Avenue). Their children grew up in this house, and upon its sale in 1969, the house was razed and the property now has a commercial office building.

Referred to as the Cornell-Appleton House, this is one of the oldest surviving homes in Bayside, as it is believed to have been built around 1790. Located on 214th Place, the original structure was built by John Allen (died 1815). Allen owned 164...