Historic House with Cultural and Religious Ties Seeks a Savior

An architecturally significant house with deep roots in our area's cultural and spiritual history is facing demolition. This house, long abandoned, sits on a hill being sold as “vacant land” across from the Chapel of St. George that now houses the Winery on Route 6 in Mohegan Lake.

In this case “St. George” refers not to the slayer of dragons but the architect George Lewis Heins who lived in the house with his wife Aimée La Farge until he died there in 1907. Theodore Roosevelt appointed Heins as New York State Architect in 1899 and he was involved in the design and construction of some of the most important buildings in New York City including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the Astor Court of the Bronx Zoo as well as many other structures upstate.  

After his death, his grief-stricken wife had the chapel built in his memory. She was the younger sister of John La Farge, the well-known American mural painter and stained glass designer. Both siblings became closely associated with the house after 1868 when heir widowed mother Louisa married its owner, a local businessman and Welsh immigrant named Thomas Jones.    

The La Farges were Catholic and invited priests into the house to perform the first Roman Catholic Masses ever held in of Yorktown. This was a time when anti-Catholic prejudice remained very strong in a predominantly Protestant country and celebrating Mass may have been an act of self-affirmation as much as it was a religious obligation. Catholic services later moved to a succession of other venues as the size of the local congregation grew.  

During the Depression Aimée La Farge was forced to sell her home and for many years it housed the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus. Today this chapter is named after Aimée’s nephew and son of the artist, Father John La Farge.  This priest, a strong advocate for racial equality and the disenfranchised, participated in the Civil Rights marches on Washington D.C. before his death in 1963.  He is buried in the Loyola Seminary Cemetery in Yorktown.

It is clear therefore, that this house played an important role in Yorktown’s past. But is the structure itself worthy of being saved?  It’s hard to tell completely from the street but the exterior including balconies and decorative scrollwork appears to be intact. An architectural historian with experience in preservation who has seen photos taken from the road has indicated that it is a very impressive and rare example of early Swiss Chalet Revival built ca.1860-1870 and would be worthy of historic designation due to its architectural character and documented history. Most Swiss chalet-inspired houses in America date from later in the 20th century. 

Historic designation could only be made with the full consent of the present or future owner.  Although this structure would require considerable resources to renovate, it might be eligible for various types of preservation funding.  Well situated near major roadways, it would make an impressive restaurant/inn and event site or could be put to other suitable uses: public, private or commercial. 

This is the type of historic building that adds character and value to Yorktown and Northern Westchester in general. 

Is there a savior for this beautiful and unique structure?