White Lake Mansion House to be torn down

By WP Newsroom
4/14/10 - 3:24 pm

The aging Mansion House in White Lake has a date with destiny, according to developer Pawel Efraimov, who is planning to tear it down as soon as he gets the final go-ahead from the Bethel's Planning Board.

The Times Herald-Record reports that Town Supervisor Daniel Sturm is on board:

The developer would tear down the deteriorating mansion, which was built in the 1800s. Sturm said it would be too costly to restore it.

The Mansion House has been the darling of those who love the look of decaying grandeur. There are several luscious photos of the structure on Flickr.

White Lake Mansion House. Digital ID: G91F127_011ZF. New York Public Library

Apparently, the Mansion House was quite the sight in the 1800s. Here's a stereoscopic (that's old-timey 3D) photograph of the building in the mid-1800s, from the Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views at the New York Public Library.

The resort still looked good in 1919, when a vintage postcard featuring it -- and some vintage wish-you-were-here sentiments -- was mailed to England.

Comments

Mansion House Teardown

Why is it there the continued theme in America to tear down grand old structures with incredible histrory instead of trying to preserve them?

It seems that unless there is a Walmart and a local strip mall with new stucco, no one is interested in older areas with character.

Submitted by Anonymous on January 15, 2011 - 1:47pm.

WHITE LAKE MANSION

Please save this grand historical building. If you do not want it, give the home to someone  to have it removed.  The home is still standing because it was built by Fine Craftsmen & good quality material. Our landfills are full. This should not happen. The town should stop this deplorable action.. I am going to send letters &  get people involved. I am from Texas & the people of NY should stand up for their history. How could greed be worth more than our pride? Their is plenty of other places for this person to build on without tearing down this proud Home. Sir please do not tear down this peice if American Past. Let the people of New York stand up & stop this.

Lainie Henderson Baker  

Texan &  Love History

 

Submitted by Anonymous on February 2, 2011 - 3:52pm.