Wildcliff

Wildcliff is a Gothic Revival mansion in New Rochelle built with colorful rubblestone walls, steep gabled roofs, and ornate chimneys. The twenty-room structure occupied a prominent location on Wildcliff Road and presented a substantial architectural form that stood out in the neighborhood.

The house was designed in 1852 by architect Alexander Jackson Davis as a villa for Cyrus Lawton during New Rochelle's shift from a rural area to a residential community. In 1940, the Prince family gave the property to the city, which then used it for various public purposes.

The house operated as a nature museum from 1971 to 1978, displaying exhibits about local wildlife and plants for school groups and residents. It became a gathering place where people could learn about the region's natural environment.

The property was previously accessible from the street and served the city as an administrative building and performance space. Its location on Wildcliff Road made it an identifiable landmark in the neighborhood.

The house was designed as a country villa but functioned as a substantial urban residence in the growing New Rochelle area. This blend of rural elegance with an increasingly urban setting reflected the community's transformation at the time.

Location: New York

GPS coordinates: 40.90639,-73.77000

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:24