Estherwood and Carriage House
Why it's listed
Estherwood is a three-and-a-half-story Chateauesque mansion on the grounds of The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, built in 1894-95 to designs by Buchman and Deisler for James Jennings McComb. McComb, whose fortune came from a patented cotton bale tie, had an octagonal library built for a desk he bought in Europe, then had his earlier house moved and a grander residence built around the library. The house is white pressed brick with granite and terra-cotta trim, a tile roof with copper cresting, a porte cochere and a veranda with Guastavino tile ceilings. Inside are a two-story Great Hall, richly carved and decorated formal rooms, and an original attic structure. A Queen Anne carriage house stands nearby. Estherwood is the only surviving Chateauesque building in Westchester County and the last of the large estates that once covered Dobbs Ferry's hillsides. The school bought it in 1910, and it remains largely unchanged.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls Estherwood the only extant example of the Chateauesque style in Westchester County and the lone survivor of the many large estates that once dominated the Dobbs Ferry hillsides. It is also valued because it has remained essentially unaltered, with rich interior materials and detailing. Its link to James Jennings McComb, a patron of The Masters School, adds to its importance.
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 79001646, listed November 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Clinton Ave., Dobbs Ferry |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001646 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1894-95 |
| Architect / builder | Buchman and Deisler |
| Architectural style | Chateauesque (carriage house: Queen Anne massing with a Stick style porte cochere) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and owned by The Masters School; the mansion is used as a reception hall and staff apartments, and was long used as a dormitory. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 41.01296, -73.87189 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 79001646.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5401335
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.