HomeMy WebLinkAboutWE-15 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM
UNIQUE SITE NO.Jn310.aED
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC' PRESERVATION QUAD WE-15
NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES RED
ALBANY,NEW YORK (519)474-0479
NEG. N0.
YOUR NAME: Town of Southold/SPLIA DATE: March 1988
YOUR ADDRESS: Town Hall, Main Rd. TELEPHONE: 516 765 1892
Southold LI NY 11971
ORGANIZATION (if any): Southnld Town Communit)l DevelalmentO-ff1e:e
IDENTIFICATION
I. BUILDING NAMI (S): Walton Ferguson Sr. House
2. COUNTY: Suffolk TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Fishers Island
3- STREET LOCATION: Fox Ave. , west side, (west loop), private drive
4- OWNERSHIP: a. public ❑ b. private
5. PRESENT OWNER: W.C. Ridgeway ADDRESS:
6. USE: Original: residence present: residence
7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible From public road: Yes ® No ❑ partial
Interior accessible: Explain private residence
DESCRIPTION
8. BUILDING a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick ❑ d. board and batten ❑
MATERIAL: e. cobblestonq ❑ f. shingles ® g. stucco ❑ other:
4). STRUCTURAL a. wood frame with interlocking joints ❑
SYSTEM: b. wood frame with light members a
(if kn(wn) c. masonry load bearing walls ❑
d. metal (explain)
e. other rubble stone foundation
10. CONDITION: a. excellent El b. goad ❑ c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated ❑
11. INTEGRITY: a. original site 0 b. moved ❑ if so,when?
c. list major alterations and dates (if known):
12. PHOTO. neg: KK XI--17a, fm SE 13. MAP: NYS DOT New London quad
Entrance facade and south side
zr
B
Na h
C_�z 6
ar r! f Ht :x,•ox ..
Gn9eeeTA
�
29 •s. ;.... :A58
Pi
4 ,7 Q U 'i• C/(11
� , fJl
Pile rrar
��"�_- •$ _ �'i}_. ; _� -JTZ)
►a FIS E 2 } a• Gooa
, aPill +Gu island•
Ha IS7
is- - ; �Ji •.
troll• 5
course \.
1p
1tE5
HP-1 ` !ti Island=.= �,_� I • M
f
WE-15
RED
14. THREATS TO BUILDING: a. none known30 b.zoning❑ c. roads ❑
d. developers ❑ e. deterioration ❑
f. other:
15. RELATED OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY:
a. barn❑ b. carriage house ❑ c. garage ❑
d. privy ❑ e. shed ❑ f. greenhouse ❑
g. shop ❑ h. gardens ❑
i. landscape features: waterfront
neg: KK XI-16a j. other: entrance cottage, stone terrace walls
16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary):
a.open land EJ b. woodland D light
c.scattered buildings ❑
d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑
f. industrial ❑ g. residential r-N
h.other: water
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(indicate if building or structure is in an historic district)
Located high on a knoll west of Fox Ave. , in a low density,
residential area of large summer houses. Stone walls and
gardens on property, which faces Hay Harbor to the west.
Open land surrounding the house.
18. OTHER NOTABLE: FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known):
Large, 2z story, multi-bay, irregularly shaped house. Hip roof
with wide slopes at upper level and steep slopes at second
floor level. Stone piers at ground story throughout the ex-
terior. Main entrance porch with overhanging gambrel roof and
Tudor arch set between the piers. Main door with wide surrounds,
SIGNIFICANCE — see attachment —
11). DATE; OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION: Early 1890's
ARCHITECT: Probably H Edward F' akin
BUILDER:
20. HISTORICAL. ANIS ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
This house was built by one of the Fergusons shortly after
they had acquired the island. It is an impressive Shingle
Style mansion, and is one of five which were built here on
the west end of the island in the late 19th century. The others
are Fulton/Husband (WE-6), Linderman/Wilmerding (WE-7), Linder-
man/Van Ooosten (WE-9) , and Ferguson/Russell (WE-14). All five
might be considered for listing in the National Register of
Historic Places.
The helmet roof on the tower recalls the Fulton/Husband
house,WE 6.
21. SOURCES:
Interview, Mystic Isle Realty inc. , 3/88.
Fishers Island, A Book of Memories. James and Joanne Wall, 1982,
? p ffi
Form prepared by Kurt Kah.ofer, research assistant.
'19alton Ferguson Snr. House WE-15
,Fishers Island
18 - (continued) -
incorporating large sidelights with interlacing, curved muntins, fluted
pilasters, and paneled elements. Overhanging second story with elongated.
console brackets. Porch on west facade with flanking pavillions, raised
a full story at the NW corner on high stone columns. Hexagonal tower at
third story level with helmet roof, bulls eye windows, and balcony.
Windows 6/1, 6/6, curved glass panels at NW corner, and in semi-hexagonal
bays with stained glass and inset sea shells. House has marvelous interior.
Detail of
windows on
.� east facade
showing shells
set into lead-
ed glass. Neg:
KK XI-21a.
Walton Ferguson Snr. House WE-15
t Fishers Island
ii
114
Note helmet roof
on the tower.
West facade. Neg:
e KK XI-19a, fm SW.
s.
Close-up of east
facade. Neg: KK
XI-18a, fm NW.
Walton Ferguson Snr. House WE-15
Fishers Island
a�.
Close-up of
main entrance
from the west.
neg: KK XI-20a.
r
- A
cottage Ar
Neg:
KK: XI-16a, fm SE.
Walton Ferguson Sr. House WE-i -
Fishers Island
a'
Z°
-i
r
V
E
Abnve: an early view of Nay Harbor.
The two predominant houses were
owned by the I.inderrrran cousins.
Below: a home built by Wallon Fergu• Harbor. Mr. and Mrs. Efrem Zimbalist later purchased the
son Sr.at the c inning o I e 1890 s. It
is currently owned home from the esleaCr. of This Linderman cousin.
y y r. urn Mrs. he ZimI h is w,re very famous in the music world. Mrs,
t William G. Rid Bway fr.
k - tbalisl, whn was better known by her maiden name, Alma
j (auc. was a lyric soprano al the Metropolitan Opera in New
York L Her husband was a renowned violinist. on mangy,
summer n is the house reverberated with the sounds ill
music from the recluent concert parties The Zimbalisls gave for
I Iln:ir Fishers Isle I friends. 'Throughout the years the old
i lJ71dermalt house h. hiul the foklowing owners: Baron Kidd,
Onolee C:nrfry�, anal crr -wally Helene Van Ouslen.
On Ihar oppaasile shore; o ter harhur, a liltlt� norlhoasl of Iho
, I
Fishers Island, A Book of Memories. James and Joanne Wall, 1982, p. 66.
t
's f IL
12
ISLAND
Fishers Island 4 Book of Memories. SUSINESSES
ames and JoanneNall. 1982
ird f r.
wring the days of the Winthrops,the only business on the
island was farming, although there were probably fisher.
men working the waters around the island. In the early
years of the 19th century, a new industry was begun. A
high-quality clay was discovered near Isabella Beach. It was
"M perfect for making bricks. Kilns for firing the bricks and other
necessary equipment for brick-making were set up in an area
known then, as today, as "the Brickworks." The bulk of the
work force was transient. In the early years of manufacturing,
French Canadians were brought down in the early spring and
remained until the weather became to cold to work the clay.
An old newspaper article stated that the arrival of the workers
' in New London during December was a boon to the local
f merchants for they supplied the travelers with whatever was
needed to make the trip back home.
Not all the workers left during the winter months.Completed
+ bricks still had to be loaded onto schooners docked in front of
/ what is now the summer home of Mrs. Reynolds duPont Sr.,
J and shipped to customers all along the east coast. Martha
�*�� Ferguson Pendleton recalled that Fishers Island brick was used
y `'} in the construction of City Hall in New York City.
+.. Today it is difficult to believe that the two clay pits of the
_ Brickworks were dug entirely by hand. The clay was then
loaded on mule-drawn carts and transported down metal
tracks to the brick-makers. In the beginning of this century the
✓ clay began to run out, and the Brickworks closed down,
General Contractors and the Fishers Island Utility Co.
The houses and barns constructed during the 1899's and
e�� * early years of the 29th century were built by off-island
rs i ,,, • contractors;H.M.and Walton Fe son's homes were built by a
Connecticut builder. T ere was very little skilled labor at the
. . � max,_
_ -1 tt� • �. time on Fishers, so it was necessary to bring workmen over- '' �� �► from the mainland. The workmen were supplied with living
,i quarters and stayed on the island until the job was completed.
According to E.M.Ferguson's daughter,Martha Pendleton,the
��,� g
same architect—a Mr. Fikin—dear ned most of the build' s
*� ♦•�,~ t at her father and uncle had built during their association in
227