Hempstead House

Hempstead House is a large estate with more than forty rooms in Sands Point in the state of New York. The entry hall with its high ceilings and the limestone exterior walls give the building the look of a European residence from past centuries.

The estate was built between 1912 and 1915 as a residence for a wealthy family on the northern shore of Long Island. During World War II, Florence Guggenheim converted the building into shelter for European children fleeing war events.

The walnut-paneled library follows the design of a hall from the time of King James I and gives the feeling of an English palace. The restored Wurlitzer Opus 445 theater organ fills individual rooms with sounds from the first half of the twentieth century and is occasionally played during events.

The estate now serves as a venue for concerts, lectures and private celebrations, with the two main floors open to visitors. Those wanting to explore the building will find many details from the construction period inside that offer a sense of how the original residents lived.

The Palm Court once held more than one hundred and fifty orchid species and an aviary with exotic birds maintained during the Guggenheim family period. Today, a few structural remains recall this green oasis that drew visitors from the region.

Location: Sands Point

GPS coordinates: 40.85944,-73.69639

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27