William E. Ward House | |
 South elevation and west profile, 2008 | |
| Location | Rye Brook,NY; Greenwich,CT |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Rye, NY |
| Coordinates | 41°01′34″N73°40′02″W / 41.0261°N 73.6672°W /41.0261; -73.6672 |
| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha)[1] |
| Built | 1873–76[1] |
| Architect | William E. Ward, Robert Mook |
| Architectural style | Second Empire,Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001294 |
| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1976 |
TheWilliam E. Ward House, known locally asWard's Castle, is located on Magnolia Drive, on the state line betweenRye Brook,New York andGreenwich,Connecticut, United States. It is areinforced concrete structure built in the 1870s.
Ward, amechanical engineer, built the house with his friend Robert Mook to demonstrate the viability of the material for building. It is the first reinforced concrete building in the United States.[2] It was later purchased byMort Walker, creator of the comic stripBeetle Bailey, who used it to house theMuseum of Cartoon Art from 1976 to 1992.[3]
The house is located in a residential neighborhood a short distance from wherestate highwayNY 120A leaves the state line for a southwesterly heading into downtownPort Chester. Most of the house's 8-acre (3.2 ha) lot is located on the Connecticut side of the state line, where it is open and slopes downward to the east and theByram River. Because of this it is possible to seeLong Island Sound from the house. A short driveway leads in from Magnolia Drive on the Rye Brook side.[1]
The building itself is made entirely ofreinforced concrete, from thefoundation to themansard roof that caps the two-story main block. Wood was used only for door and window frames. A four-storycrenellated tower with decorativemachicolation rises above the southeast corner. Like the house it has imitationquoins on the corners of its lower two stories. A one-story wing projects to the west.[1]
A wraparound porch with round columns covers the south (front) elevation of the main block. The eastern two-thirds and tower are in Connecticut; the western third and wing are in New York. The mansard roof is pierced by classically inspiredgableddormer windows and two concrete chimneys; a third is on the west side. The roofline is marked by a modillionedcornice. On the north (rear) a two-story service wing connects to awater tower, stylistically similar to the house's tower. Another small wing projects from the east, overlooking the parking area.[1]
The first floor has a central hallway withdrawing room, reception room and dining room. A breakfast room and sun room are in the wing. Another central hall on the second floor leads to three bedrooms and a library with decorativewoodwork in anElizabethan mode. Above it is a similar floor with bedrooms and storage space.[1]
The only other building on the property is thecaretaker's cottage. It is a two-story frame house built in the late 19th century and located in a grove of trees to the north of the main house, in New York. The periodlandscaping on the property includes a variety ofornamental trees.[1]
Ward worked in collaboration with architect Robert Mook over three years to build the house. His goal was not only to build a house for himself, but that it be effectivelyfireproof. It was made entirely ofPortland cement and light ironI-beams and rods, even in the roof. Wood was only used for door and window frames and their decorative trim.[1] Ward's mother also had a fear of fire, which contributed to his desire to construct a fireproof residence.[4]
Mook contributed a design in keeping with the tastes of the time. The main block and its mansard roof are in highSecond Empire architectural style, and the more Gothic tower allows for panoramic views overLong Island Sound. The other tower is awater tower, meant to offer additional fire protection as well as a drinking supply. The architect and engineer left the concrete unfinished to better display it.[1]
Architectural publications carried articles about the house as early as year before construction was finished. Its completion in 1876 prompted even longer articles, and mentions in overseas publications. Seven years later, in 1883, Ward presented his own paper on the house's construction to theAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers.[1][5][6]
Sometimes called the first knownreinforced concrete building in the United States (although the Coignet Building in Brooklyn, New York was completed over the winter of 1872-73[7]) critics and scholars have recognized its importance since then, calling it "one of the most remarkable achievements of building art in the century" and "a technical tour de force". Ward's neighbors were less sure, calling it "Ward's Folly" at first, certain it would collapse or otherwise be ruined, but later calling it "Ward's Castle" when it survived. It has remained mostly unaltered, save for the two modern wings, ever since.[1]
From 1976 until 1992 the unaltered castle housed theMuseum of Cartoon Art established byMort Walker two years earlier.[3][8] Walker bought the dilapidated building for $60,000. He repaired the house and ran the museum with his family. It attracted up to 75,000 visitors per year.[4][9]
The Ward House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[4] The following year, the structure was jointly designated as aNational Historic Civil and Concrete Engineering Landmark by theAmerican Concrete Institute and theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers.[2][10]
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