Cornelius Kingsley Garrison Billings 1861-1937 was a wealthy industrialist, a noted horseman and a highly eccentric tycoon.
In 1901 he built a mansion in what is now Fort Tyron Park and moved his family to New York City. It was so famous it had its own postcard.
The attraction, according to Wikipedia, was “the newly opened and very fashionable Harlem Speedway,” which you can read about here:
Eventually the Billings Mansion fell to fire in 1925,
but one of the little gatehouses lived on.
1907
I found it!
It’s by the park opening, now used for Fort Tyron Park offices.
But it’s in excellent shape now that it is on the Park Department budget.
The vertical stone foundations still look very strong.
Built right on Manhattan’s highest point, 20 mile river views are routine up the Hudson Valley.
But money can’t buy everything.
Like you can’t buy this house.
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