Washington Irving in Tarrytown, Irvington and Sleepy Hollow

In 1835 Washington Irving (1783–1859) bought a small property in Tarrytown, upstate New York, on the banks of the Hudson and expanded it in stages. He was aided by the artist George Harvey and the house displays various interests of Irving's: romanticism, Europe, etc.

The rear elevation with the Spanish Tower on the left that Irving added in 1847, with crow-stepped gables giving a Dutch appearance on the right.

More crow-stepped gables on the west elevation.

But the date '1656' is something of a mystery.

A replica of the original seating at the entrance to Sunnyside.

A replica of the ice house.

There may now be telegraph poles and lines, plus the Tappan Zee Bridge in the distance, but this photo at least gives an idea of what the view must have looked like in Irving's day.

Our informative docent rigged out in the costume of the day.

At the top of the road from Sunnyside (the junction of Broadway and West Sunnyside Lane in Irvington) is the impressive Washington Irving monument.

'WASHINGTON IRVING MONUMENT

WASHINGTON IRVING WAS THE FIRST OF EARLY AMERICA'S GREAT AUTHORS. THIS MONUMENT IS A TESTAMENT NOT ONLY TO IRVING, BUT ALSO TO THE IMAGINATION AND TENACITY OF JENNY PRINCE BLACK, A PROMINENT IRVINGTON CITIZEN, WHO WORKED FOR 18 YEARS TO MAKE IT A REALITY. IT ALSO MANIFESTS THE ARTISTRY OF SCULPTOR DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH, THE CREATOR OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, AMONG OTHER PROMINENT WORKS. THE ARCHITECT FOR THE IRVING MONUMENT WAS FRENCH'S LONGTIME COLABORATOR, CHARLES PLATT ADAMS. THE LAND WAS DONATED BY HENRY GRAVES, JR. MRS. BLACK LED THE FUND-RAISING, WHICH RANGED FROM A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR., TO PENNIES FROM SCHOOL CHILDREN.

THE MONUMENT WAS COMPLETED AND DEDICATED IN 1927. AFTER MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF CORROSION, THE MONUMENT WAS RESTORED BY IRVINGTON LANDMARK PRESERVATION, INC., WITH SUPPORT FROM THE VILLAGE OF IRVINGTON AND FROM SAVE OUTDOOR SCULPTURE OF WASHINGTON, D.C. THE MONUMENT WAS REDEDICATED IN A VILLAGE CEREMONY IN 1998. AS A MASTERPIECE OF DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH, IT IS LISTED ON THE NEW YORK STATE AND NATIONAL REGISTERS OF HISTORIC PLACES.

IRVINGTON LANDMARK PRESERVATIONS, INC.'

'WASHINGTON

IRVING

1783–1859

ESSAYIST POET

HISTORIAN TRAVELLER

DIPLOMATIST SOLDIER

THE FIRST AUTHOR OF

OUR REPUBLIC'

'BOABDIL

THE LAST KING OF GRENADA'

'RIP VAN WINKLE

THE DREAMER OF THE KAATSKILLS'

And a few miles up the road, in Sleepy Hollow cemetery, is the enclosed Irving plot. Washington Irving died at Sunnyside.