"Westaways" (Centre Island, New York)

 residence, LIGC - Long Island Gold Coast

A large frame colonial revival style house c. 1920 with a central bay portico facing the water. Originally built for Alfred H. Bromell, Vice President and a major shareholder in the Munson Steamship line.

Bromell's first wife, Josephine Brumley, was the sister of Mrs. Mary Brumley Knowles, wife of Edward Richardson Knowles who lived at the southern end of Centre Island. Upon his first wife's death, Alfred Bromell married his wife's niece, Estelle Knowles, daughter of Edward Richardson Knowles. Estelle Knowles Bromell later married C. Arthur Smith, son of Charles Dutcher Smith.

Upon Bromell's death in 1925 the estate was sold to Conrad H. Matthiesen Jr., heir to the F.O. Matthiesen (member of the Havemeyer Sugar Trust) sugar refining fortune. The property was subsequently sold in 1931 to Clifford Vail Brokaw Jr., grandson of William Vail Brokaw a founding partner of Brokaw Bros. Clothing. The estate was then sold to current owners in the mid 1950's. Property was subdivided with a 6 acre lot on the southern end of the estate developed in the late 1920s.

Prior to the construction of Westaways, the site was the location of a large asparagus field owned by George M. Fletcher and his wife Emeline Smith having descended to her from Thomas Smith the original Smith settler who purchased it in 1745. The Hog Island asparagus were considered some of the best available in 19th century New York.

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