Plashbourne Estate
Why it's listed
Built in 1911 at 51 Carlton Road in Yonkers, this two-and-a-half story Tudor Revival house sits on a hillside site of about 2.5 acres beside a brook in Lawrence Park West, a planned suburban community created as an arts colony. Carrère & Hastings designed it for muralist and sculptor Violet Oakley. The rough-cut stone walls, cross-gabled slate roof, copper-clad dormers and flared eaves give it an irregular, picturesque profile. Inside, a long corridor serves a north studio with a decorative plaster ceiling, a sitting room and a dining room with painted murals. The house is notable because the firm was known mainly for Beaux-Arts classicism, yet this design contains no Renaissance-inspired detail and is closer to early Tudor Revival. Its hallway-centered plan and attention to the landscape reflect the firm's wider approach. Additions made in 2001-2002 replicate the original details, and the site's original boundaries remain intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as a work of the noted firm Carrère & Hastings, which was best known for Beaux-Arts classicism. This design is an unusual, austere Tudor Revival with no Renaissance-inspired details. It also served as the residence and studio of Violet Oakley within a planned arts community.
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 07000777, listed August 2, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 51 Carlton Rd., Yonkers |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | August 2, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000777 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Carrère & Hastings |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; the original carriage house was removed and substantial additions (garage, passageway, family room) were built in 2001-2002. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.94136, -73.84757 (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 07000777.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7201734
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.