"The Monastery" (Huntington Bay, New York) | LIGC - Long Island Gold Coast, Mediterranean Revival (architecture)

 residence, LIGC - Long Island Gold Coast, historical layer / disappeared object, Mediterranean Revival (architecture)

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Former estate home designed c. 1908 by Allen W. Jackson of Boston (with Louis Comfort Tiffany as associate architect) in the Mediterranean Revival style on 13 acres of land for Juliana Armour Ferguson, whose family owned the Armour Meat Company. Caroline Geiger designed the formal landscaping.

Juliana and her husband, Dr. Farquhar Ferguson, a pathologist, resided in New York City but summered in Huntington Bay for a number of years around the turn of the 20th century. Those summers in Huntington inspired the couple to plan and build a mansion of their own in an area that they grew to love. The interior featured frescoes by Robert Sewell and and a fireplace relief which was attributed to Michelangelo. Incorporated into some of the guest rooms were centuries-old tombstones which were acquired during European buying sprees.

As eccentric as Ferguson was, she was also remembered as being very kind. Rather than being interested in high society, her life revolved around her seven children. The house was always filled with their friends. Its gatehouse was like a toy store, left open for anyone to use its bikes, motorcycles, cars, and other playthings.

The estate was sold to a real estate firm who demolished it in 1970 and built smaller homes on the footprint. The gatehouse still stands as a private residence. Some of the architectural remains are now part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

www.oldlongisland.com/search?q=monastery
halfpuddinghalfsauce.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-monastery-o...
archive.org/details/mansionsoflongis00rand/page/103/mod...
archive.org/details/north-shore-long-island-country-hou...
www.historiclongisland.com/index.php?page=bygone_mansio...
Exterior and interior photos - www.countryhouses.com/view/18934/
books.google.com/books?id=1_whAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA122&dq=pla...
archive.org/details/artsdecoration2223newy/page/n196/mo...
archive.org/details/housegarden47jannewy/page/n560/mode...
gothicghoststories.com/2009/08/28/huntington-bay-ny-the...
books.google.com/books/about/Ferguson_s_Castle.html?id=...
digital-libraries.artic.edu/digital/collection/mqc/id/2...
digital-libraries.artic.edu/digital/collection/mqc/id/2...