The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-05-13
FERNANDO WOOD At HOME,
SOMETHING ABOUTA HISTORIC HONE IND
A historic MAN.
George Alfred Townsend in Graphic

'He0Tge Alfred townsend III GlNpDC'I
On the Broadway, Bloomingdale or
Grand Boulevard old stage road to
Albany magnifcently elaborated, graded
and widened-stands at Seyenty-sixth
street the villa ard park of "Woodawn."
Anybody can denote it without question:
ing, for it is probably the most valuable
piece of ofground in the new world, occu-
pied exclusively for residence purposes.
Ten acres in extent, overlooking the Hud-
son and the opposite heights of Weehaw-
keGtGith the new Riverside Park max
ing a strip just behind it, and the Central
Park few rods from the front gate, it is
Ofal gentlemen's villas the most urban.
In the year 1913, when a comparatively
poor man., Fernando Wood purchased
this piece Of ground from Mrs. McCarty,
an heir Of the great Dutch Somerindyke
estate of $50 acres, for the sum of $500
of which $1,000 remained on mortgage
Mr.. Wood has refused $950,000 for it
within three years, 1t contains 100
building lots, has two city blocks of front,
and street is opened to the great main
gate and stops there; the lawn has been
filled and given undulations to conform
to the new boulevard grades, and walks
and drives are drawn throughout pictur-
esquely; gilded summer-house is on the
front lawn; a belyedere in the rear over
looks the Hudson; large willow and ma
pie trees shade the slopes, and monster
locust is on the parapet of the river line.
Before the old part of the dwelling, built
anterior to the Revolution, is the one tree
which stood there when General Howe's
Chief of staff used the old frame residence
for an office, while Howe himself was
quartered in the Vandenhoyel mansion,
af erwards Burnham's, next above, and
still standing erect but weather-beaten.
This was in the time of Washingtons evac-
uation of New York.
When Fernando Wood came here to
dwell he was young shipping merchant,
thirty-siX years of age who had already
been in Congress Leaving Washington
City with only few hundred dollars he
pluuged.into the West India and CalifOr-
MIA trade, and as early as 1850 retired
from business Thenceforward politics
and real estate absorbed his life He has
been thrice married and is the father of
eleven living children. In 1854 the old
Dutch dwelling, with its clapboard and
low ceiling, was changed in appearance,
though not in fact, by the addition of a
veranda screen and Gothic dormer, while
a series of projections and additions in
frame were added, giving a front Of sew
enty-fve feet, and the whole was painted
a tasteful yellow color, showing very eff
fectively against the verdure of the sur
rounding lawn, The result is an elegant,
though not presuming Gothicized villa,
with Swiss caves and carved pendants,
presenting several gables to the view. A
magnificent brick stable stands in de-
preston to the north of the house; wall
of hewn sandstone backed by trimmed
hedge surrounds Woodawn; rural lane
leads up to the front gate, and the gate
posts bare ornamented with large gas
lamps Here the Prince of Wales was
splendidly entertained in lSG0,and Prince
brome Napoleon Bonaparte and Clo-
Ulilde in 1861.
The interior of this dwelling is quaint
and inviting. A large tiled hall at the
center, with broad stairway and Sc
ries of portals leads to all parts of the
meandering house. Herein is a large
copy of one ofthe old masters, represent
ing Christ disputing with the DOCTORS
The door under the stairs leads to the din
ing room, which has the entire height
and contents ofone wing, and is paneed
to the caves, and the string pieces and
beams are left open like monkish refec.