Old Trees

Old Trees is a 168-acre hillside estate south of Cazenovia village, overlooking the southern end of Cazenovia Lake. Frederick R. Hazard, founder of the Solvay Process Company, bought the land in 1890 as a summer retreat and first built rustic cabins, none of which survive. In 1917 he erected a shingled lodge near the hilltop, along with a carriage house, an equipment barn and a small guest cabin. In 1937 his daughter and her husband decided to live there year-round and hired the Buffalo architects Bley & Lyman to remodel the lodge. The work turned it into a largely Georgian Revival house with white tongue-and-groove siding, dormers, Colonial-style windows and a fanlit entry, while a few rustic features such as shingles and stone chimneys remained. The three early outbuildings keep the original rustic character. The estate is significant as a late example of the summer mansions of the Cazenovia Lake area and for its blend of Adirondack-camp informality with Colonial formality.