FIELDSTON HISTORIC DISTRICT
ABOUT FIELDSTON
Letter from the President
Fieldston is a one-of-a-kind oasis located in Riverdale, New York, with over 100 years of history.
As President of the Fieldston Property Owners Association, I'd like to personally welcome you here to explore more about our unique past, present and future.
Thank you for visiting.
Yehuda Shmidman
FPOA President
Our History
The land that is now Fieldston was part of the estate of Major Joseph Delafield, who purchased 250 acres in 1829. The Delafield family laid out lots in 1909 – the year after the New York City Subway's Broadway line was extended to Van Cortland Park. Rather than use a grid plan, civil engineer Albert E. Wheeler, following the suggestions made by Frederick Law Olmsted and James R. Croes in 1876, designed a street plan which followed the contours of the land and preserved as much of the wooded areas as possible.
The first house in Fieldston was begun in 1910 and finished in 1911. Buyers were provided with a list of approved architects and architectural styles – the various "revival" styles – were strongly encouraged. The Tudor revival style was popular in houses built in the 1920s and many of them were designed by local resident Dwight James Baum, who was responsible for 62 houses. Another prominent architect, Julius Gregory, is credited with forty-two of the homes. Many of the houses in the neighborhood were featured in design and architectural magazines, and the neighborhood had a reputation for having houses of quality design.
Click here to read the full Story of Fieldston or view our Gallery of Historical Photos.
A New York City Landmark
Robert B. Tierney, past Chairman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, and other leading preservationists, architects and historians have called Fieldston one of the city's jewels and an important example of a planned suburban community in the 20th century. The Commission agreed and on January 10, 2006, the majority of the Fieldston neighborhood was designated as an historic district. Click here for the full designation report.