"Dark Hollow" in Ruins

Dark Hollow was hidden away in a thicket of woods at the bottom of a steep mile-long winding drive..... 

26 Dock Hollow Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724

  

 .....terminated by an open central arch that led into a courtyard.

Stone obelisk and bronze urns flanked the entrance on either side of the white stucco carriage house.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

  Dark Hollow was one of the North Shore’s most beautiful homes, an architectural gem designed by Danish-born Mons Tvede and Mott Schmidt in 1930. Built by Walter Jennings, who was chairman of the board of Standard Oil, and was given to his son Oliver Jennings for a wedding present. 

"Dark Hollow" first floor inside front.

Second floor hall that ran along the front side of house. Note the boarded up circular window.

One entered the house through glass French doors that open onto a rotunda that soars up forty-Five feet to a glass starburst design skylight.

At the second floor landing a wrought iron railing runs full circle around a balcony.

Railing supports were salvage before demolition.

Glass Starburst Skylight.

Roof Skylight.

Originally all the floors on the main floor were glazed Della Robbia blue.

Cole Porter, Baron Alexis De Rede, Mrs. Hugh Auchincloss, Princess Chavchavodye, who brought the alleged Anastasia, the only survivor from the Russian royal family, to America were some of the many guests who attended parties at the house.

The barrel vaulted ceiling in the living room rose to 42 feet.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

The rear façade faces on a grass terrace that stretches to the water's edge.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

Side Porch.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

Stairs to second floor.

Bedroom Alcove.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

Detail of eaves.

Seawall Gate to the Sound.

Party guests came by private yacht and docked along the long wooden pier with lanterns strung along the railing for the occasion, while the sea wall was ablaze with dozens of flaming torches.

At one end of the sea wall was a pavilion with a copper domed roof. 

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

  The pavilion was open on four sides with louvered shutters.

Set into the wall was an marble altar from a chapel in Florence.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" from the Sound.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

Unoccupied and left to vandals "Dark Hollow" was demolished in late 2011.

Vacant lot sold on 11/09/20 for $8,375,000.

Click THIS LINK to see where "Dark Hollow" stood at wikimapia.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

"Dark Hollow" the Cold Spring Harbor home of Oliver Burr Jennings.

Subsequent owner of "Dark Hollow" was  Ella Jaffe Freidus(Ivory Tower)

Ella Jaffe Freidus and her husband Jacob Freidus.

Ella was caught up in her husbands dealings with the government, the longest running tax fraud in American history. She herself was charged with fraud by not disclosing income and "clandestine concealment of assets."

FREIDUS v. COMMISSIONER Docket No. 24197-97.

"Petitioner now resides in an 8,000 square-foot home on 20 acres, with an in-ground pool, 4 fireplaces, 715 feet of waterfront and a gazebo. At the time of trial, the house was on the market with an asking price of $3,950,000. The house, known as "Dark Hollow", has been described in the book The Mansions of Long Island, as "the most remarkable house on the east coast". Petitioner purchased this residence around 1967."

"Petitioner employed a live-in married couple to take care of Dark Hollow during the years in issue. One of the caretakers, Johnny Mongkauw, also served as petitioner's chauffeur."

The Golden Maharaja

This large earth-hue diamond was shown at the Paris World Fair of 1937 and was later loaned to the American Museum of Natural History for 15 years (circa 1975 to 1990) by its owner, Ella Friedus. Around 1991 she sold the stone for $1.3 million.

Ella sold 35 Picasso ceramic pieces on June 26, 1990, for $500,000. On December 27, 1990, she sold 187 Picasso ceramic pieces for $1,943,330.

COSSACK PLAYING A KOBZA
David Burliuk

Prior to her marriage to Mr. Freidus in 1967, Ella was an art dealer who collected art for an art gallery she owned on Long Island. She was also an agent for a well-known Russian artist, David Burliuk .


If records are correct Ella still lives on Long Island at the age of 100.

Follow THIS LINK for past posts on "Dark Hollow".