Poet's Walk Park
Abby needed a good walk and this place was said to have nice views and trails.. The hype was correct. This was a cool shelter at the top of a hill. Abby and Donna took a longer walk than I.
The Hudson River and the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge
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In the distance, you can see the Catskills
A little zoom needed.
A better view of the Catskills
Abby says, "What's taking you guys so long. Let's go."
A pretty cool place to spend some time.
Next stop
Margaret "Daisy" Suckley's (pronounced Sook-lee) house Wilderstein
The history of Wilderstein begins in 1852 with Thomas Holy Suckley’s purchase of the river front site, then a sheep meadow of the adjacent late 18th-century estate, Wildercliff. Suckley’s fortune had been secured through the family export trade and real estate investments. He was a descendant of the Beekman and Livingston families whose estate houses were prominent landmarks in this region of the Hudson River Valley from the 17th through the late 19th centuries.
Thomas Suckley and his wife Catherine Murray Bowne wanted a building site endowed with striking natural features in the best traditions of the picturesque aesthetic. The landscape setting for Wilderstein fulfilled this criteria by virtue of its varied terrain and the scenic views it afforded of the river and distant mountains – the vistas framed by tall cedars and evergreens. Suckley named the property “Wilderstein” (wild man’s stone) in reference to a nearby Indian petroglyph, an allusive reminder of a cultural heritage that preceded European settlements in the region.
The original Italianate villa designed by John Warren Ritch was remodeled and enlarged in 1888 by Thomas’s son Robert Bowne Suckley and his wife, Elizabeth Philips Montgomery. Poughkeepsie architect Arnout Cannon was hired to transform the two story villa into an elaborate Queen Anne style country house. The structure now soared upward with the addition of a third floor, multi-gabled attic and a dramatic five story circular tower with a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. The fanciful, asymmetrical skyline of the house was enhanced by the addition of an imposing porte-cochere and an expansive verandah.
The last resident of Wilderstein was Margaret (Daisy) Suckley. A cousin and confidante of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Miss Suckley traveled extensively with FDR during his presidency, gave him his famous black Scottish terrier Fala and helped to establish his library in Hyde Park. Miss Suckley was with FDR when he was fatally stricken at Warm Springs, Georgia in 1945. She died at Wilderstein in 1991, in her 100th year. The letters they exchanged during their friendship, discovered in a black battered suitcase at Wilderstein, provide one of the best resources for understanding the private side of Roosevelt’s life during his presidency.Abby is tugging on her leash to explore the grounds. Daisy Suckley raised Scottish Terriers and gave FDR his Scottie, Fala.
We only walked the grounds, no tours today.
In the Hudson River. A Lighthouse??
That's the carriage house.
Down the road a bit we happened upon another mansion. The Mills Mansion It was not open to the public either.
Imagine these fine people walking up the front stairs between the pillars, arriving for a fancy ball.
Not a bad view, ey.
The mansion is in the process of being restored.
The exterior cleaning has begun.
Still needs help.
The Gates.
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