Lispenard-Rodman-Davenport House
Encyclopedia
The Lispenard-Rodman-Davenport House in New Rochelle
, New York
a historic residence dating back to the early 18th century. The house is the oldest residential structure in New Rochelle. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1986.
In 1708 Antoine Lispenard bought from Jacob Leisler's son a half interest in the peninsula
, or neck, between New Rochelle Creek and Long Island Sound
. Six years later he bought the other half. Across the inlet he built a dam
and a tidal gristmill
. Each incoming tide filled a millpond behind the dam, and then, as the tide ebbed, the water was released through a millrace to turn the mill wheel. Nearby the mill, on the neck itself, Lispenard built his home, a stone house of one-and-a-half stories, with the front eaves
extending to form the roof of a wide porch
.
In 1732 he sold his property to Joseph Rodman who later doubled the size of the house. By 1776 the house and Neck had passed to John R. Myers who owned it for the duration of the Revolutionary War. During this brief period the house was used by the British as a hospital for their wounded soldiers.
In 1784 the property came into the possession of the Davenport family, and so is currently known as Davenport's Neck.
Generations of the Davenport family, and other owners after them made further changes to the house, so that the original structure built by Antoine Lispenard and Joseph Rodman is largely invisible. In the 1860s, the original roof was replaced by a modified mansard, topped by a cupola
. Restoration by the late Louis Ferguson managed to reveal and preserve several elements of the original structure such as the hand-hewn beams of its frame and the lime mortar
made from local oyster
shells
, used to cement its stone wall. Other features of the house include 20 inches (508 mm) walls, 16 inches (406.4 mm) pine floorboards and a 5+1/2 ft fireplace in the kitchen. Several Lispenard family grave-sites are also located on the property.
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
a historic residence dating back to the early 18th century. The house is the oldest residential structure in New Rochelle. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1986.
In 1708 Antoine Lispenard bought from Jacob Leisler's son a half interest in the peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, or neck, between New Rochelle Creek and Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. Six years later he bought the other half. Across the inlet he built a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and a tidal gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
. Each incoming tide filled a millpond behind the dam, and then, as the tide ebbed, the water was released through a millrace to turn the mill wheel. Nearby the mill, on the neck itself, Lispenard built his home, a stone house of one-and-a-half stories, with the front eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
extending to form the roof of a wide porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
.
In 1732 he sold his property to Joseph Rodman who later doubled the size of the house. By 1776 the house and Neck had passed to John R. Myers who owned it for the duration of the Revolutionary War. During this brief period the house was used by the British as a hospital for their wounded soldiers.
In 1784 the property came into the possession of the Davenport family, and so is currently known as Davenport's Neck.
Generations of the Davenport family, and other owners after them made further changes to the house, so that the original structure built by Antoine Lispenard and Joseph Rodman is largely invisible. In the 1860s, the original roof was replaced by a modified mansard, topped by a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
. Restoration by the late Louis Ferguson managed to reveal and preserve several elements of the original structure such as the hand-hewn beams of its frame and the lime mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
made from local oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
shells
Seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...
, used to cement its stone wall. Other features of the house include 20 inches (508 mm) walls, 16 inches (406.4 mm) pine floorboards and a 5+1/2 ft fireplace in the kitchen. Several Lispenard family grave-sites are also located on the property.