Samuel J. Tilden House

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Coordinates: 40°44′15″N 73°59′14″W / 40.73750°N 73.98722°W / 40.73750; -73.98722
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Samuel J. Tilden House
Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.76001251[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 11, 1976[1]
Designated NHLMay 11, 1976[3]
Designated NYCLMarch 15, 1966

The Samuel J. Tilden House is a historic townhouse pair at 14-15

Tweed Ring and Tammany Hall, and the losing presidential candidate in the disputed 1876 election. Tilden lived in the brownstone from 1860 until his death in 1886.[4][5] From 1881 to 1884,[6] Calvert Vaux combined it with the row house next door, also built in 1845, to make the building that now stands,[7] which has been described as "the height of Victorian Gothic in residential architecture" with Italian Renaissance style elements.[8] Since 1906 it has been the headquarters of the National Arts Club
, a private arts club.

Description and history

The Samuel J. Tilden House is located on the south side of Gramercy Park, facing the park across Gramercy Park South between Irving Place and Gramercy Park West. It is a four-story sandstone structure, its exterior finished mainly in pink sandstone with ashlar finish. Pink marble is used in the entrance surrounds, and shiny stone material studs some of the horizontal stringcourses. The building interior retains many Victorian features dating to the Vaux redesign, including parquet floors and floor-to-ceiling wood paneling. Further carved details have been preserved by the National Arts Club and are displayed in basement spaces.[4]

The rowhouses were built in the 1840s, after Gramercy Park was laid out by Samuel B. Ruggles. Tilden acquired first Number 15, and later Number 14, in the 1860s, and lived in the combined units until his death. During these years, Tilden rose to prominence for successful battling the

Reconstruction after the American Civil War. In those tumultuous times, he had both rolling steel doors and a secret escape tunnel.[9]

The house was extensively restyled in the 1880s by Calvert Vaux, transforming it from the Greek Revival to a more Italianate Victorian style. Since 1906, the house has been occupied by the

Gramercy Park Historic District
.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ISBN 978-0-8129-3107-5
    . pg 206
  3. ^ a b ResourceType=Building "Samuel J. Tilden House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. ^ a b c Alexander, Cathy A. (September 1975). "Samuel J. Tilden House" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. National Park Service. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Samuel J. Tilden House" (pdf). Photographs. National Park Service. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1
    ., p.86
  7. Landmarks Preservation Commission
  8. ^ "National Arts Club Designation Report" New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (March 15, 1966)
  9. ISBN 978-0-8129-3107-5
    . p.207

External links
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