The Chronicle

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

Spring 2000 Bronxville, New York
A Publication Of
BY ROBERT RIGGS A daily boyhood task for me was fetching milk from the Masterton homestead, now Bud and Berta Hansens home at 90 White Plains Road. Amie Dusenberry (granddaughter of patriarch Alexander Masterton) kept a Jersey cow on the premises until the early 1950s and I recall the cool butterfat scent that greeted passage into the cellar dairy where fortunate neighbors picked up lidded buckets full of milk drawn from the cow that day. On a rare occasion I entered the front hall of the house and recall seeing a massive painting of a family gathered near a stream with three boys fishing and the rest of the family in Sunday finery nearby. The painting was of Alexander Masterton, his wife and five children and hung in the front hall from 1835 when the Masterton homestead was built until it was removed for sale about 150 years later. The artist was William R. Hamilton, Scottish born like Alexander Masterton, who trained as an artist in London and Paris and migrated to the United States in about 1832. He lived with the Masterton family in Manhattan and then in the familys Bronxville homestead where he completed at least 15 paintings of the family, family friends and landscapes.
Continued on back page

Tracking Bronxville Art

BY NANCY VITTORINI

George Plimpton shares intimate portrait of Brendan Gill

He thinks of Brendan Gill

about most of his living

more often than he thinks

friends, which gave nearly second annual Brendan Gill Lecture a personal insight known author George into the deep regard wellformer resident. The event, held March 31st at Sarah Lawrence College, was sponsored by the Bronxville part of its mission to raise the cultural heritage. Plimpton has for this famous 300 people attending the

Historical Conservancy as architectural, artistic and

awareness of the villages

which grace the streets of Bronxville. He recalled Plimptons praise and delight: He once wrote of

particularly of the homes

great love of architecture,

Plimpton spoke of Gills

Georgian box or Colonial clapboard house is bound to do. With their verandas and bay windows and dormered towers and carved barge boards and many-patterned shingles share their manifold felicities. Plimptons remarks were aired on Cable television channel 72 in the month of April. and occasional exterior sculpture, they reach out and gather one in and prompt one to

by looking at them. They do not shut themselves away from passersby, as the brick

make one feel good simply

are joyous, and playful and

Lawrence Park, the houses

George Plimpton speaks at 2nd annual Brendan Gill Lecture

Were off to a great start!

ince the organization of our committees in the early months of this year, over 40 of our members have been busy working on various Conservancy projects. Recognition should go to Plimpton lecture co-chairs Bob Riggs and Bob Macdonald who, with the assistance of Milly Marshall and Rory Millson, were able to secure the outstanding speaker for this second Brendan Gill Lecture. Member Mimi Ruhm did a wonderful job coordinating the arrangements for the Plimpton lecture. Barbara Donohue and Dorothy Brennan assisted Mimi that evening by greeting guests and distributing Conservancy literature. A very special thanks also goes to Marianna Brittis whose beautiful spring flower bouquets on the dais were admired by all. Nancy Vittorini masterfully coordinated the event's publicity for television, radio, and print media, and Madeline Oden and Peter North made sure that cable coverage was available to all residents unable to attend. Activities of the Who Was Who, Art Research, and Membership committees are described elsewhere in the Chronicle. If anyone would like to be involved in these or other Conservancy projects, please contact Marilynn Hill, 961-6790.

PUBLISHING BRONXVILLES HISTORY

A Conservancy Journal
ome Conservancy members may soon become published authors. Work has already begun on planning the first issue of the Historical Conservancy's journal that will be available in the late fall. Members will receive a complimentary copy; a limited number of issues may be purchased by non-members at local bookstores or newsstands. The journal will be an annual publication that will offer fresh insights into Bronxville's history through long and short illustrated research articles, photo essays, and brief features on newly discovered manuscripts, photos, paintings or other information that relates to the Village's heritage. Both the contents and design of the journal will make this attractive publication an ideal holiday gift for those interested in the Village and its past. The editorial board will solicit articles, but Conservancy members and community residents are encouraged to get in touch with the committee chairman if interested in writing for the journal and a copy of the editorial guidelines will be made available. The deadline for the first volume will be this summer; articles for future issues may be submitted at any time. For further information, please call journal chairman Marilynn Hill, 961-6790.

BY MARILYNN HILL

BY MARILYNN HILL

LOCAL HISTORY ROOM: UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Archives are still available during renovation of the Bronxville Village Library
BY ELOISE MORGAN

lthough Bronxvilles Local History Room was closed in March when a year-long construction project began at the Library, the most frequently used materials, including vintage photographs and newspapers, remain available to the public upon appointment with the Village Historian, Eloise L. Morgan, at 779-9391. Response time will be somewhat slower as archive items must be retrieved from storage vaults at Eastchester Town Hall and Bronxville Village Hall.

Scheduled to reopen in April 2001, the History Room will be in much-improved quarters in the Library basement. The new, larger space will contain a climate-control system to regulate relative temperature and humidity, archivally-appropriate shelves and cases, a computer and an archival photocopier, according to Morgan, as well as about five times as much storage space and twice as much work space as the original archives.

The new Local History Room will be partially funded by the Village of Bronxville, the Bronxville Library and profits from the sale of Building A Suburban Village, published by the Centennial Celebration Committee in 1998. Funds must be raised to complete the $30,000 project, however. Tax deductible contributions to the Local History Room may be sent to the Village Historian, Village Hall, 200 Pondfield Road. While the History Room is closed, the Village Historian will catalog and package the Bronxville School archives, displaced last year by a small classroom, for consolidation into the Local History Room. Morgan also plans a History Room collection of books written by Bronxville residents over the decades and would welcome suggestions and book donations. Preliminary work on a computerized index for the History Room archives will Village Historian Eloise Morgan also begin in the coming year.

Pictured at the Plimpton affair

1. Brendan Gills daughter, Madelaine Gill 2.Carlo Vittorini 3.George Yeager 4.Hank Coon 5.Barbara Yeager 6.Wayne Fredericks & Cherry Lawrence 7.John Hill & Vandy Walker 8.Mary Holland 9.Mimi Ruhm 10.Bunny Micolino 11.Claudia Keenan 12.Lorraine Lange 13.Peg Breen, president, New York Landmarks Conservancy & Mayor Nancy Hand 14.Dorothy Brennan 15.George Plimptons wife, Sarah, & Bob Wein 16.Bob Underhill 17. Janet & Ben Lentz and Karen Bevan 18.Barbara Donohue 19.Mimi Wein 20.Christopher Lawrence & Sarah Lawrence College President Michele Meyer

6 4 5

10

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16

13 18

17

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STATE OF THE ART

Searching for Bronxville art and artists takes on a palette of its own.
BY JAYNE WARMAN

A
Images.

February at the home of Mary Huber to discuss the mission and instrumentation of the aims of the art research and inventory committee. The goals are twofold: First to research and catalogue all of the

very enthusiastic group of villagers gathered in

Bruce Crane (1857-1937), Passing Shower Bronxville Library Collection, Bequest of William Francis Burt

artist by researching at libraries, archives, on-line, art gallery all of the information will eventually be housed in the Local

the work will accompany each description. It is expected that ed on a regular basis by an ongoing committee. History Room. A database is to be created that will be updatOne of the most important roles of the group is to be

inventories, and word of mouth. Where possible, an image of

works of noted Bronxville artists, from William Hamilton to living resident artists; second, to be a repository of information for artists, and to catalogue works of Bronxville subjects by noninstitutions and private individuals interested in learning about

and/or obtaining Bronxville-related artwork. Already we have

at auction or at art galleries. One would like to avoid the situation that occurred in May 1986 when the contents of Amie Dusenberrys house were auctioned off and, because of lack of organization and preparedness on the part of the Village lost. You can help. If you own or know of any works by for sale, please contact Jayne Warman (961-6184). Information will be kept strictly confidential. (we had no Conservancy then), many Bronxville treasures were Bronxville artists either in a private collection or being offered

alert to Bronxville-related art work that comes up for sale either

Bronxville Library Collection and works by local artists shown in Bronxvilles art galleries, notably Nol Fine Art and Objects & To accomplish the stated goals each committee

bition at the Hudson River Museum of paintings from the

seen a great interest in this subject because of the recent exhi-

member will make an inventory of the work of at least one

Art Historian Jayne Warman will be speaking to members of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy on Sunday, June 11th at Objects & Images Art Gallery about Bronxville artists and their rising popularity and place in the current art market. Please join us!

Who WAS Who?

BY PATTY DOHRENWEND

hen plans for the Bronxville Historical Conservancy were first announced, a few residents expressed concern that in addition to preserving the village's historic buildings, focus should also be directed to saving the memory of those who had inhabited them. With Millennium Projects afoot in Eastchester and Tuckahoe, another type of project began to germinate in Bronxville: to capture the names of the important people of the village's last 100 years before recollections of who had lived and worked here became impossible to reconstruct. There has been an immediate and positive reaction to this call for research. The "Who Was Who" in Bronxville Committee has met twice this winter. Over 15 volunteers are busy organizing and developing a practical plan of action. Succinctly, the mission statement approved by the group states that the committee "has been formed to identify and preserve the memory of those village residents, property owners, business persons and other individuals who contributed significantly to the village's institutions and history. In addition, the committee will seek information about present and former villagers who have made substantial contributions to their chosen professions, fields of work or study -- either while living in Bronxville or at another point in their lives." In developing this statement, the "Who Was Who" Committee recognized that its task is not to construct a Bronxville telephone directory for the 20th Century, nor to simply reidentify the village's well-known celebrity residents. The scope has been limited, with those living "right outside" of the village left to their own communities to document. But, the emphasis has also been broadened with the recognition that outstanding community volunteers and beloved shop owners, for example, should be remembered. Patty Dohrenwend Currently, the committee is collecting information on villagers in the form of brief biographical notes. These notes will serve as a research tool to augment the information filed in the Bronxville History Room of the library. Initial entries will include enough to answer simple queries at a computer workstation. The committee considers this research "a work in progress," with more fully developed profiles the ultimate goal. Volunteers are needed to assist in compiling names and basic details, as well as to seek additional names by interviewing long-time residents. All names must be verified to ensure historical accuracy. Committee members are also needed to research the newly discovered names in greater depth. If you wish to contribute some biographical information, you are encouraged to use one of the Conservancy's database forms which may be obtained after June 1, at the library's new quarters on Kraft Avenue. If you wish to share in the fun of the committee's discoveries by joining the group, please contact Chairperson Patty Dohrenwend (779-2840).

LET IT GROW...
he response to the recent membership drive for the Bronxville Historical Conservancy has been overwhelming! More than 200 villagers have joined the organization in the last 3 months, which is a 100% increase in the number of members from our founding year, during Bronxvilles Centennial Celebration of the Century. We thank all who are supporting the Conservancy. Your financial donations, combined with your energy, talents, and interest in preserving Bronxvilles heritage will enable this fledgling organization to take root and make a significant impact on our villages future. As you read this newsletter, you will see that many of the Conservancys committees are already busy in targeted interest areas of art and architecture, biography and historical research Donald Gray studies. As well, an event is planned for June when we will all gather to learn more about Bronxvilles art history. In early fall, members will be invited to the very popular historic house tour which will be combined with our annual general membership meeting. We continue to welcome all to the Historical Conservancy who would like to play a part in preserving Bronxvilles past. Anyone interested may easily join by picking up a membership brochure available at Village Hall. Levels of membership begin at $35, and all donations are tax deductible.

LET IT GROW,
BY DONALD GRAY

LET IT GROW,

Upcoming Events
for members of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy

ART & WINE RECEPTION Sunday, June 11, 2000 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Objects & Images 99 Pondfield Road FALL Historic House Tour General Meeting & Reception

ance of the children and other details with other Hamilton paintings, I concluded that the work was painted at approxiIn the 1980s the Masterton family portrait was purchased by mately the same time as was that of the Masterton family. I several Los Angeles patrons, including Steve Martin, the comic, also became persuaded that it features Mary and little John and was donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Masterton and their cousin Catherine Masterton. My wife and I Last summer on a trip to the West Coast to visit family and purchased the painting and retitled it Mastertons at Play friends, we made a point of seeking out the Los Angeles musealong the Bronx River. It now hangs resplendently in our um and the painting. There in a commanding position in the home. American Wing hung the artwork, dwarfing a Rembrandt Peale The intent of this excursion is to suggest the pleasure that on the same wall. It is beautifully restored, yielding formerly hidcan come from dipden details of family ping into Bronxvilles and animal life. past, whether followThe painting stirred ing a lead on a village my curiosity and later in artist, discovering the the year I tracked early uses of Bronxville down several other houses , or restoring Hamilton works through the splendor of one of the 1986 auctioneer of the villages old housmost of the Masterton es as have the owners collection of Hamilton of the former John paintings. The Masterton residence Masterton collection is on Oakledge Road. widely dispersed, I The village as an incorlearned, but a New porated municipality is York dealer was able to not old when meashow me a Hamilton he sured against commuhad recently purnities with 17th century chased from a Midwest roots, such as dealer and that was Nantucket and Salem, not part of the but the favors of its Masterton collection, at location, topography least as it stood in the Mastertons at Play along the Bronx River William R. Hamilton, 1835 and big trees and the 1980s. The painting good fortune of was represented as attracting creative and farsighted residents make it a rich created in 1835 and was titled by the dealer A Country Frolic. study for those interested in our past. It showed three children at play on a riverbank in the foreThe Bronxville Historical Conservancy exists in part to help us ground with the river, woods, fields and several improvements forage happily in that history. along the river in the background. By comparing the appear-

Tracking Art, continued from front page

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

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The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was established in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the Village of Bronxville, New York. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the Villages architectural, artistic and cultural heritage and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those heritages.