Lyndhurst has been awarded a $750,000 Save America’s Treasures Grant for the stabilization and preservation of the 1911 Swimming Pool Building, the only one in New York and a rare example in the United States. This grant, established to protect threatened cultural treasures, is from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

The Swimming Pool Building was erected by Helen Gould, noted philanthropist and daughter of railroad magnate Jay Gould, both for her family’s use and to promote recreation and vocational training, particularly for women and young girls who had few opportunities to learn how to swim. The building was built in response to a local ferry sinking in which hundreds of immigrant women out for a Sunday excursion died due to their inability to tread water. It was open 6 days a week, fully staffed, for local residents to learn to swim free of charge.

The Save America’s Treasures Grant will enable us to return the Pool Building to its intended use as a community resource and ensure its survival for future generations. The swimming hall will be used as a joint art exhibition and performance space open to the public and will likely serve as a welcome center to the increasing number of visitors who come to experience Lyndhurst’s 67 park-like acres and use the walking trails throughout the property. Planned work includes restoration of the exterior and roof, repairs to the entry room walls and floors, the return of original wooden furniture from the collection, and more. The building has retained many of its original artistic details which will continue to be restored over time, further enhancing visitors’ experience of the space.

Lyndhurst is grateful to the state and federal government for their recognition of the nationally significant need to preserve this space and their funding of this essential project.

This grant is part of $4.5 million dollars in funding raised towards our larger mission to revitalize the property over the next three years. Improvements will be made to the mansion, north side buildings and grounds, and the rose and perennial gardens. It will also include increased ADA access to the landscape. Thank you to our funders the New York State Regional Economic Development Council, New York State Council on the Arts, New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Westchester County Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, and ArtsWestchester for their transformational investment in Lyndhurst.

About Lyndhurst

Overlooking the Hudson River in Tarrytown, NY, Lyndhurst has the special distinction of being a National Historic Landmark deeming it meaningful to the history of the entire nation. Designed in 1838 by Alexander Jackson Davis, Lyndhurst is considered the most significant American home of the Victorian era. Lyndhurst marks the architectural transition in the US from classical to romantic architecture and the first full introduction of historic revival styles that predominated in the 19th century. The mansion is complemented by its 10,000-piece collection of original decorative arts, its iconic greenhouse and 13 additional historic buildings, and its 67-acre park-like landscape. Lyndhurst can be experienced through multiple guided tour options or visitors may choose to stroll through the beautiful grounds on their own.

Lyndhurst adds to the unique charm of the Hudson River Valley. The historic site is currently a film location for the HBO series The Gilded Age and hosted the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2021 & 2022. Lyndhurst has also been featured in the PBS series, 10 Homes That Changed America. Lyndhurst is where the Hudson Valley begins. Visit www.lyndhurst.org for more information.

Lyndhurst is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places. SavingPlaces.org | @savingplaces