Pelham Pride

As the only 19th-century mansion still standing in Pelham Bay Park, The Bartow-Pell Mansion serves as a museum and one of the region’s unique historical landmarks. This Greek Revival stone mansion was built in 1842 by Robert Bartow, a descendant of Thomas Pell, the original owner of the estate, who bought the nearly 9,000-acre tract from the Siwanoy Indians in 1654. The home remained in the Bartow family for the next four decades, until it was acquired by New York City. After surviving 25 years of deterioration and neglect, the International Garden Club saved the mansion, restoring the structure and planting elaborate perennial gardens. Declared a museum in 1946, the mansion’s stone carriage house serves as an additional attraction, showcasing a coach, carriage, horse stalls, and stable-boy rooms. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Today, it stands as a county epicenter of yuletide cheer, with NBC’s New York Live declaring it one of the “Top 5 places to see Christmas trees.” This year’s festivities kick off on Dec 2 with the annual Holiday Luncheon, where an all-new design scheme, “Past-Present-Future,” will be unveiled to the public. For a full schedule of holiday-themed events, visit www.bpmm.org.