The official plaque for this city landmark states that it's "the last unaltered survivor" of Hamilton Park, an early "model suburb" built between 1852 and 1874. According to the NY Times, "the subdivision featured cottages of 12 to 14 rooms with carriage drives and provisions for live-in staff. It was a hit with wealthy people from Manhattan, 30 minutes away by steamer, who could entertain themselves at the local yacht club or listen to the legendary Jenny Lind warble from the stage of one of the posh waterfront hotels."