"Holly House" (Laurel Hollow, New York)

 residence, LIGC - Long Island Gold Coast

Residence built c. 1880 in the Colonial Revival style for John Gerdes {attorney, industrialist, capitalist}. Gerdes served as a partner of Gerdes, Montgomery & Miller, director of Howes Leather Co., Knapp Brothers (shoe manufacturing), C.F. Mueller Co. (macaroni manufacturing), and Zion Industries. He also served as vice president and treasurer of Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. He also resided at "Brookedge" in Plandome, "Cannonhill Point" in Laurel Hollow next door, and at "Pepperidge Point" in Mill Neck.

The estate, superintendent's cottage "Merrywitch" and service building consisting of a garage complex and Victorian barn was given to Gerdes' daughter Margery Gerdes Fates following his tenure. Ms. Fates subsequently deeded the house in a family transaction to her daughter Alexandra and son-in-law George H. Howard, III who continued to call it "Holly House". She gave the Victorian barn to her sons Dudley Livingston Miller, Jr. and Courtlandt Gerdes Miller. Dudley subsequently sold his interest in the barn to Courtlandt. In March 2001, the barn complex and surrounding acreage was sold in a family transaction to George H. Howard, IV.