William Cullen Bryant's Queen Anne Victorian in Roslyn Harbor lists for $3 million
With winter views of Hempstead Harbor, the house sits on 1.4 acres and has seven bedrooms. Credit: Tim Hill Photo
The former home of William Cullen Bryant in Roslyn Harbor is on the market for $2.999 million. The annual property taxes are $41,934.
Bryant was a poet and editor of the New York Evening Post. According to a 2005 Newsday article about his estate, he fought to abolish slavery and valued the right to unionize. Bryant also helped create Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
His oasis from the hustle and bustle of city life was in Roslyn Harbor — his estate, called Cedarmere, was home to lush gardens and greenery. As a horticulturist, Bryant often wrote about nature in his poetry. According to a 2001 Newsday article, it was at this very estate where he wrote at least 48 poems, “more than a quarter of his total lifetime output.”
A sitting area in the house, which has been in the same family for the last 50 years. Credit: Tim Hill Photo
Montrose, the Queen Anne Victorian on the northern part of the estate, is for sale. It was built in 1830. When Bryant died in 1878, his daughter, Frances Godwin, inherited the house. It stayed in the family until 1955, per a 2016 Newsday article.
As for the current homeowners, "the same family has lived in this house for 50 years," said listing agent Melanie Cogan of Compass, who is co-listing with Shawn Rogol. "It's really loved and well taken care of."
The house sits on 1.4 acres, at 11,779 square feet. It’s three stories tall with light blue siding, containing seven bedrooms and six bathrooms (including two half-baths). There are views of Hempstead Harbor, visible during the winter from the porches on the first and second levels, said Cogan.
The dining room. Credit: Tim Hill Photo
There are seven wood-burning fireplaces (four are functional), hardwood floors and a grand staircase.
The most significant sign of its history: a poem etched onto the glass of one of the bedroom windows. The homeowners believe it may have been done by poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Cogan said, though no one knows for sure.
The house also contains central air conditioning and oil heating, plus a generator.
Two rear staircases lead to the bedrooms and bathrooms of the second floor. The third floor can be used for storage or converted into an additional living area. The house is not listed on historic registers, therefore renovation and updates are permitted, said Cogan.
One of the hallways. The home has period hardwood floors and details. Credit: Tim Hill Photo
There is an inground pool with a waterslide, a playground, gazebo and four-car garage.
The house would be perfect for a history buff, Cogan said.
"Somebody who appreciates the old architecture," she said, "with big,grand rooms, who doesn't want something brand-new, but wants that feeling. Or, a big family would be ideal. The current owners have seven children and 23 grandchildren."
The property is served by the Roslyn Union Free School District.
One of the seven bedrooms. Credit: Tim Hill Photo
Rachel Weiss joined Newsday in 2016. As a real estate/living multimedia reporter, Rachel writes feature stories and contributes to and appears in on-camera video packages. She was the lead reporter on Newsday’s LI Acts of Kindness series.
