LOWER HUDSON
Washington Irving's Sunnyside
http://www.hudsonvalley.org/historic-sites/washington-irvings-sunnyside
3 West Sunnyside Lane
Irvington, NY 10533
Hours: Select dates May to December. Check website for more information.
Admission: Varies by selected tour. Please see website.
Phone: (914) 366 - 6900 Email: [email protected]
Historical Description:
Sunnyside, a National Historic Landmark, is the carefully restored and picturesque home of renowned author and diplomat Washington Irving. In 1835, Irving purchased a simple eighteenth-century cottage and enlarged and remodeled it to its present appearance. The wisteria-covered, stepped-gable entrance, and the Spanish-style tower are instantly recognizable images of America's literary and architectural history.
The Site:
Presented by guides dressed in the costume of the mid-Victorian period, visitors may see the advanced features: a bathtub with running water and a hot water receptacle in the kitchen feeding from the pond via pipes, and the impressive library. The house is nestled in grounds, which Irving personally plotted. Picnic grounds are available, and picnickers are encouraged to select a spot among plantings and walkways laid out by Irving himself. There is a Visitor Center, museum shop, and seasonal café.