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Wildcliff, also referred to as the Cyrus Lawton House, is a historic residence overlooking Long Island Sound in New Rochelle in Westchester County, New York. This 20-room cottage-villa, built in about 1852, was designed by prominent architect Alexander Jackson Davis in the gothic revival style. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 2002. ==Overview== Designed in 1852 by Alexander Jackson Davis, one of the preeminent American architects of the nineteenth century, the house was sited to take full advantage of the dramatic views of the water. Davis’ original plan envisioned the family sitting on the villa’s front porch and looking out over the spectacular scenery. The beauty of the house and its site were accented by the progression of the entry drive. The visitor originally entered the property from the north along a private road. The curving drive ascended toward the house, proceeding toward Echo Bay and curving around to the front door. The family who first commissioned the design was one Cyrus Lawton, a close friend of Mr. Davis. Mrs. Lawton was a member of the prominent Davenport family, for whom the entire area is named, and the house was a wedding gift to the couple.〔(Cyrus Lawton Obituary ), NY Times〕 Wildcliff was erected in the early 1850s, during a period when New Rochelle was beginning its transformation from a rural farming community into a residential suburb. Improvements in transportation permitted affluent families to built homes in New Rochelle and commute to work in nearby New York City. The land along the scenic north shore of Long Island Sound was especially sought after and many of Davis' designs were built here. His smaller homes were called "''cottages''", and the more substantial ones "''villas''", however the terms were frequently combined. Among their typical features were prominent, steep-roofed gables, with elaborately carved bargeboards under their eaves.〔A. J. Davis and the Gothic Revival, Edna Donnell, Metropolitan Museum Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Sep., 1936)〕 Wildcliff is one of two "''cottage-villas''" built by Davis on New Rochelle's waterfront peninsula Davenport Neck, the other being "Sans Souci" (or Davenport House).〔(National Register of Historic Places Registration Form ), section 8, page 2〕 After Cyrus Lawton's death in 1902, the property was inherited by his son Newberry Lawton Davenport. It was later purchased by Julius and Clara Prince who moved into the home in 1914. Clara Prince donated Wildcliff to the City of New Rochelle in 1940 with the hopes that it would be used as a natural science museum.〔"Wildcliff Youth Museum", manuscript printed by the City of New Rochelle, in collection of New Rochelle Public Library (New Rochelle Museums - Wildcliff File)〕 Clara Prince's obituary, "Mrs. Julius Prince". The New York Times, September 14, 1941, pg.49, notes that she was a "philanthropist who had given generously to educational projects" and that she was especially known for the donation of Wildcliff to New Rochelle in 1940, ten years after the City had tried in vain to purchase the property. It has since been used for a variety of purposes including a youth museum and performing arts center.〔(The Preserver - Highlighting New Rochelle's Rich Past )〕 Around 1970 a wing housing a theater was added at one corner of the house but the main structure remains intact.〔(National Register of Historic Places Registration Form ), section 8 page 7〕 Since late 2010, the local organization Jen's Community at Wildcliff has been working with the City of New Rochelle and its citizens to bring awareness to the building and to create a preschool and education center.〔(Jen's Community at Wildcliff )>〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wildcliff」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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