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price:    bedrooms:     bathrooms:     square feet:     acreage: $1,695,000.00 4 6 4200 3.37     Location:  Cold Spring, NY Description:   Willowshade, a stunning 1763 country colonial on a rural lane, is a true find for the historic home lover.  This beautifully restored home features 5 working fireplaces, wide board floors, period moldings, and a master suite with Juliet balcony.  On the lower level, the country kitchen and dining room, both with fireplaces, access the stone patio.  The main floor opens from the rocking chair front porch to the foyer, large parlor with fireplace and built-in bookshelves, sitting room with fireplace and full bath, office, and den/nanny/guest room with full bath.  The master suite and 2 additional bedrooms, all with full baths and walk-in closets complete the upper level.  The nearby barn boasts an exercise room and a tastefully finished upstairs studio room with bath perfect for guests.  The property consists of over 3 private acres with lovely gardens, stone patios, manicured lawns and a ½ acre stocked swimming/skating pond, and is only minutes to Cold Spring Village and Metro-North. Selected for the 2010 Castles and Cottages Tour. Estimated taxes, if appropriate: $21,276.00

A Home for All Seasons

Some History of Willowshade, Circa 1763 

Family History:

            Willowshade was built in the year 1763 by Uriah Mekeel and his then new wife, Elizabeth Davenport.  Uriah Mekeel was the second son of Michael Mekeel, a Second Lieutenant of the Militia under Governor Tryon.  Elizabeth Davenport has been said to be “the daughter of the founder of Cold Spring” by many locals.  Elizabeth’s father, Thomas Davenport, was the highway master of the area at the time of her marriage to Uriah.  An account taken from The Davenport Book indicates that the house’s tract of land was owned by Elizabeth’s father and that she and Uriah took the property as a lease hold from him at the time of her marriage in 1763.  The property, located on what is now Lane Gate Road, was, at the time, known as “the road through the woods.”

            After the death of Elizabeth’s father, Thomas Davenport, in 1797 the farm property fell to Elizabeth’s brother, Isaac.  Isaac permitted Elizabeth and Uriah Mekeel to continue living at the property on a leasehold basis for the next few years until the year 1800, when all large leaseholds were extinguished by Captain Frederick Philipse.  It was then that the property was subdivided so that Uriah and Elizabeth found themselves a tenant of Captain Philipse, on a mere 80 acres, known as Farm No. 40.

            Despite the fact that Uriah and Elizabeth were leasehold tenants, they both spent their entire lives after marriage at this residence and bore their 7 children on the property.  In fact, seven generations of Mekeels have lived at the residence.

            Peter Mekeel was born at the property in 1823.  He is said to have moved away and then returned to live at Willowshade in 1845.

            One of the 7^th generation Mekeels to be born at and who lived at Willowshade was Agnes Vera Mekeel Rathjen, daughter of Willis Mekeel.  Agnes was born at Willowshade in 1901.  According to her granddaughter, Agnes was born in the front bedroom that is now painted yellow.

Property Particulars:

            The name of the Willowshade property dates back to 1854.  In the Beers map of that year, the property was referred to as “Willowshade, P. Mekeel.”  Agnes Rathjen’s granddaughter, Kathy Rathjen, said that the property was named as such due to a giant willow tree that hung over the pond.  According to her, the willow tree was described to be used for the purpose of jumping from a rope, which hung from a large branch of the tree, into the pond.

            The pond was always in the past and is still a valuable part of Willowshade.  Swimming and splashing one’s feet in the pond has been a pastime that presumably has been enjoyed by all owners of the property.  There are remnants of an outdoor shower in what now houses some gardening equipment.  During cooler weather, the current owners fish the pond.  In the old days on the coldest of winter days, the pond was used to harvest ice.  Today, the pond is used for ice skating in January and February.

            A local writer, Bob Boyle, researched the property and proclaimed to the current owners that is was likely the subject of the famous Currier and Ives Homestead in Winter print.

Floor Plan