Wave Hill | |
 Wave Hill House | |
    | |
| Location | West 249th Street and Independence Avenue |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°53′55″N73°54′47″W / 40.89861°N 73.91306°W /40.89861; -73.91306 |
| Area | 20.9 acres (8.5 ha) |
| Built | 1843 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001646[1] |
| NYCL No. | 0131 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | September 9, 1983 |
| Designated NYCL | June 21, 1966 |
Wave Hill is a 28-acre (11 ha) estate in theHudson Hill section ofRiverdale inthe Bronx,New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes overlooking theHudson River, with expansive views across the river to theNew Jersey Palisades. The estate includes two houses and abotanical garden. The oldest part of the main house, Wave Hill House, dates to 1843; Glyndor House dates from 1927 and contains a multi-room art gallery. Perkins Visitor Center, which was originally a garage, contains a gift shop and an information desk.
During the late 19th century and early 20th century, numerous highly notable people resided in Wave Hill, either because they owned it, leased it, or stayed there as guests. In 1960, the estate was given to theCity of New York, and Wave Hill is now a cultural center as well as a garden. In addition to visual arts exhibits, paid-ticket concert series take place on some Sunday afternoons in Armor Hall. Wave Hill is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places and is aNew York City designated landmark.
The original Wave Hill House was a grayfieldstone mansion built in 1843 by lawyerWilliam Lewis Morris.[2] It was owned from 1866 to 1903 by publisherWilliam Henry Appleton, who enlarged the house in between 1866 and 1869 and again in 1890, and added greenhouses and gardens to the grounds.[2] During these years, the house was visited byThomas Henry Huxley, who helpedCharles Darwin bringevolution by natural selection to the public's attention.Theodore Roosevelt's family rented Wave Hill during the summers of 1870 and 1871, andMark Twain leased it from 1901 to 1903.[3]
The house was purchased in 1903 byGeorge Walbridge Perkins, a partner ofJ. P. Morgan, along with adjacent property, including Glyndor, a house built by theHarriman family in 1888, which later burned down and was rebuilt in 1927.[2] In 1910, Perkins added an underground building for recreation which included a bowling alley.[2] Perkins performed extensive landscaping on the site and leased Wave Hill House to an eminentichthyologist,Bashford Dean of theAmerican Museum of Natural History, who built a stone addition to the building as a private museum, Armor Hall.
Other famous residents of the estate included the conductorArturo Toscanini (1942–1945) and chief members of the British Delegation to theUnited Nations (1950–1956).[2] In 1960, at the suggestion ofRobert Moses, the Perkins-Freeman family deeded Wave Hill to the City of New York.[2] In 1983, the estate was added to the roster of theNational Register of Historic Places.[1] Before 1987, the estate was known as Perkins Garden. During that year Parks Commissioner Henry Stern renamed it Wave Hill.[4]
In 2005, Wave Hill was among 406New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from theCarnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayorMichael Bloomberg.[5][6]
On an annual basis, about 65,000 people visit Wave Hill, making it one of the most popular sites in Riverdale.[4][7]
Wave Hill's formal gardens feature a variety of plants, usually based on type. Garden areas include:
Additionally, Wave Hill's gardens is a hotspot for birding in New York City, with 127 species to date — including ruby-throated hummingbirds, great blue herons, and bald eagles.[10]
It also abutsRiverdale Park.
Wave Hill offers a variety of programming around horticulture, the arts, and education.
Visitors to Wave Hill may visit artexhibitions in Glyndor House, home to Wave Hill’s art galleries, as well as in locations throughout the grounds. Exhibitions typically include artwork inspired by Wave Hill or nature more broadly. Temporary exhibitions are presented throughout the year.
Additionally, Wave Hill’sWinter Workspace program hosts artists at Glyndor House for working sessions of six to eight weeks from January through April. Working artists are able to use the gardens and resources of the site in their work and to share their work in open studios with the public.[11]
The Shop[12] contains gifts from local artists as well as nature-themed and handmade items. The Shop is located in the Perkins Visitors Center.
The Cafe[13] is located in the Wave Hill House and offers a variety of hot and cold foods. The Cafe includes indoor eating areas and access to the Kate French Terrace located behind the Wave Hill House.
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