Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation & Museums

Perhaps the most impressive of the North Shore’s early-20th-century estates, Sands Point first served as the home for railroad heir Howard Gould and was later purchased by Daniel and Florence Guggenheim.

The 216-acre preserve, located by the Long Island Sound, is dominated by the massive Hempstead House and nearby Castlegould stable, but also includes a second mansion, “Falaise,” that was built by Capt. Harry Guggenheim around 1923. (Guggenheim was the founder with his wife, Alicia Patterson, of Newsday.)

Falaise, located on a cliff above the Long Island Sound and based on a 13th-century French Norman manor house, is open for tours between June and October, Thursdays through Sundays each hour from noon to 3 p.m. (fees: $6, adults, $5 seniors; please note that children under 10 are not allowed in Falaise).

Distinctive features of the house include an enclosed cobblestone courtyard, thickly mortared brick walls, steeply pitched roofs of heavy tile, and a round tower. The Medieval atmosphere is continued inside the house by the arches, thick wood beams, textured plastered walls, and carved stone mantels. Falaise is also furnished with antiques, many from the 16th and 17th centuries, and includes wood carvings, sculptures, Renaissance paintings and several important pieces of modern art. Please call for fees and other information.

In addition to its stunning buildings, Sands Point provides six nature trails that meander through diverse habitats of woods, fields, pond and beach in a beautiful North Shore community along the Long Island Sound. The preserve is an interesting mix of natural and landscaped areas. Forests, meadows, beach and cliffs, lawns, gardens and a freshwater pond provide habitats for a variety of plants and animals. The proximity of different habitats affords the visitor a varied outdoor experience within a relatively limited area. Nature Trails provide access to the preserve and highlight specific points of interest in self-guiding literature.

Click Here for link to Sands Point Preserve Website.

Falaise Mansion at Sands Point Opens for Tours on May 10

The historic Falaise mansion, one of the few mansions left from Long Island’s Gold Coast era, is opening on May 10 for tours four days a week, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. The tours, which are given until October, are held Thursday through Sunday every hour from noon to 3 p.m.; fees are $6 for adults and $5 for seniors.

Falaise was built on a bluff above the Long Island Sound in 1923 for Harry F. Guggenheim and his wife, Caroline, on what is now the Sands Point Preserve. The fascinating architecture of the mansion is French eclectic, based on a 13th-century Norman manor house. Exterior features include an enclosed cobblestone courtyard, thickly mortared brick walls, a steeply pitched roof of heavy tile, and a round tower.

Inside, a Medieval atmosphere pervades, with arches, thick wood beams, textured plastered walls, and carved stone materials. Falaise is also furnished with antiques, many from the 16th and 17th centuries, wood carving sculpture, Renaissance paintings, and some modern art.

The son of noted 19th-century industrialist and

philanthropist Daniel Guggenheim, Harry Guggenheim was himself a businessman, diplomat and philanthropist who served as a Navy pilot in both world wars. Guggenheim’s lifelong fascination with aviation led to friendships with Charles Lindbergh, a frequent visitor to Falaise, and rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. Guggenheim also started up Newsday with his third wife, Alicia Paterson.

New York State Provides Grant for Hempstead House at Sands Point

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in October 2006 awarded a grant of $350,000 to aid the restoration of the historic Hempstead House on the Sands Point Preserve, which is part of the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. The award will be used to repair windows, limestone materials and steel lintels on the front facade of the 40-room Hempstead House.

A grand and imposing stone castle along Long Island’s Gold Coast, Hempstead House was constructed in the early 20th century by Howard Gould, son of the famous 19th-century railroad magnate and financier, Jay Gould. In 1917, Gould moved to Europe and sold the estate to prominent industrialist and philanthropist Daniel Guggenheim.

Nassau County was granted the property in 1971. At one time, the estate employed 17 house servants, numerous farmers and groundskeepers, a golf pro, a tennis pro, and a riding master.

“This award received from New York State will allow us to continue our restoration of Hempstead House,” said Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. “It is fantastic that the Sands Point Preserve
has been placed on the New York State register of Historic Places and the Hempstead House has been given priority to be rehabilitated.”

“Our historic houses are visited by thousands of people each year and serve as museums and educational centers for the public to enjoy,” added Deputy
County Executive Peter J. Gerbasi. “The County’s focus is to restore and rehabilitate our historic properties through the development of partnerships and successful grant-writing.

"The recently announced EPF Grant received from New
York State and the funding received from the Environmental Bond Act will enable the County to continue the restoration plans to stabilize and preserve the Hempstead House. Nassau County will continue to restore this mansion as well as other buildings on the 216-acre preserve at Sands Point.”

In addition to Hempstead House, Sands Point includes one other mansion, Falaise, a Norman-style manor home that was constructed by Harry Guggenheim in 1923. Castlegould, a large turreted structure built on the order of Kilkenny Castle in Ireland was originally used for stables. The property also includes miles of beautiful trails traversing forests, meadows, cliffs, lawns, gardens, a pond, and three-quarters of a mile of shoreline.

The property also includes miles of beautiful trails traversing forests, meadows, cliffs, lawns, gardens, a pond, and three-quarters of a mile of shoreline.

Sands Point also hosts a variety of exhibits and events, including the “Battle of the Dinosaurs,” a family-friendly exhibit running through mid-January that features life-like robotic replicas of the creatures, as well as educational displays and plenty of hands-on activities

Sands Point Preserve is located at 127 Middle Neck Road in Sands Point, two miles north of the Port Washington post office and six miles north of the Long Island Expressway (Exit 36, Searingtown Road).