Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Part 2

I visited Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Pleasantville, NY on the way back from my adventure in Philadelphia, PA. This extensive preserve in the Sleepy Hollow area offers manicured carriage roads, historic bridges, scenic views, and the remains of a grand estate. I visited two units of this extensive park. In the first part released on Wednesday, I covered the history of the park and the larger Preserve Entrance unit. This second part covers the Rockwood Hall unit, a description of the former estate, and a note on local transportation infrastructure.

The famous mansion that once stood on this property was Rockwood Hall, designed by British architect Gervase Wheeler in 1849 for merchant Edwin Bartlett. Not much information exists on either of these men despite their wealth. Wheeler worked in the United States from about 1846 to the 1860s. His other designs included the Insurance Company of North America Building that I mentioned as a quick history stop in Philadelphia. Industrialist William Rockefeller, younger brother of even wealthier industrialist John D. Rockefeller Sr., purchased the house and surrounding land in 1886.

The Gothic Revival house was not big enough for him, and his additions greatly increased its size. Unfortunately, the property proved too difficult to maintain. William Rockefeller died in his mansion in 1922 at age eighty-one, and his heirs sold the property. After twenty sad years as the site of bankrupt country clubs, the building was destroyed around 1942. A descendent donated the property to the state and to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 1998. Today, Phelps Hospital adjoins the property, providing a place for medical staff, patients, and their families to enjoy nature.

The commuter rail between Tarrytown and New York City passes by the property, allowing trainspotters a glimpse of the trains. According to The New York Times from October 5, 1911, the Rockefeller family used the precursor to the modern station as the ending point for their telegraph wire at their Pocantico Hills estate. Local gossip conveyed that John would complete work for William while William traveled to Europe, the sort of thing any brother would do, except their business concerned millions of dollars. Just beyond the railroad tracks was the Tappan Zee or widening of the Hudson River. A mindful visitor could see the three-mile cable-stayed 419-foot tall Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which opened in 2017 to replace the original Tappan Zee Bridge. As for the new name, that was approved by his son, Governor Andrew Cuomo, a natural impulse for a man wanting to honor his father but perhaps not the best political move for a family already associated with nepotism.

The final delight of the visit was the Rockwood Hall Goat Project featuring Stone Barns Center goats. This organization has served the Hudson Valley as a nonprofit farm and education center since 2004, and the goats have grazed at the park since 2020. These animals are kept safe behind an electric fence and are not to be petted. Their continuous grazing controls plant growth and is instrumental in eradicating invasive species. Plus, their presence is significantly more bucolic than a riding lawnmower. This was an ideal end to a trip filled with long walks, fun facts, and plenty of history.