Old Westbury Gardens-Phipps, John S., Estate (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Westbury House
Why it's listed
Old Westbury Gardens occupies 187 acres in the Village of Old Westbury, New York, and preserves the remaining core of the country estate of John S. and Margarita Grace Phipps. Westbury House, a red brick mansion with limestone details and a Collyweston stone slate roof, was built in 1906-1907 on the highest point of the property. George A. Crawley designed both the house and its grounds, grading the land and laying out long allées of lindens, beeches and hemlock, along with a Walled Garden, ponds and a pool area. Later alterations to the house were made by architects including Horace Trumbauer, who extended the Red Ballroom in 1919. The estate is significant for landscape architecture, reflecting a unified plan of house and gardens in the manner of an English park. This boundary increase adds acreage acquired since the first listing, along with fuller descriptions of the gardens, outbuildings and landscape features. The property is now run as a museum and public garden.
Significance in brief: The estate is argued to be significant for landscape architecture, with Crawley's design joining house and grounds into an English-style park of broad lawns, tree-lined allées and formal gardens. It also reflects the Phipps family's ownership and the estate's expansion between 1906 and 1958. The boundary increase adds descriptions of the gardens and landscape features that the 1976 listing lacked, plus acreage acquired since then.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 10001124, listed January 10, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 71 Old Westbury Rd, Old Westbury |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | January 10, 2011 |
| Reference number | 10001124 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1906-1958 |
| Architect / builder | George A. Crawley (house and landscape); Horace Trumbauer, James W. O'Connor and others made later alterations; Paul R. Smith (swimming pool area, 1916) |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and operated by a not-for-profit organization as a museum and gardens open to the public and for special events; some allées are being restored. |
| Acreage | 187 |
| Coordinates | 40.77591, -73.59287 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 10001124.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.