The arden is an estate that is home to a large mansion and many acres of woods, fields and lakes. It is a unique historic, cultural and environmental asset only 40 miles from midtown Manhattan.
The estate was the home of railroad magnate E. Harriman (1848-1909). The house was built on top of Mount Orama and is the fourth largest mansion in the country. It was one of the most distinctive and innovative homes of the Gilded Age and a statement of American excellence. The Harrimans commissioned many fine artists to create works for their home. Murals by (Barry) Francis Barrett Faulkner lined corridors around the inner courtyard; a bas-relief of Harriman by James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) stood over one fireplace; and corbel carvings of bighorn sheep decorated the music room.
Several ardens have been built in New York City, but none is as grand and beautiful as the arden built by Edward Henry Harriman for his wife Mary Antoinette Williamson Averell (1851-1932). The 50,000-square-foot mansion, which is now operated as America’s first – and premier – conference center, is located on a 450-acre plateau within the Palisades Interstate Park.
The arden has a special atmosphere, which makes it a very desirable place to live. The arden has three shopping centers within 4.9 miles, and five parks are nearby including John Jay Park, Carl Schurz Park, and St. Catherine’s Park. This neighborhood also has an excellent public school system.