Pelham's Bay View Hotel In 1885

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The 1870s and the 1880s were the Golden Age of summer resorts in the Town of Pelham with most facilities located in the Pelham Bridge and City Island area of the Town.  One of several spectacular summer resorts at the time was the Bay View Hotel, occasionally referenced as the "Bay View House" and "Von Liehn's Bay View Hotel."  I have written before about Pelham's Bay View Hotel.  See, e.g., Fri., Jan. 23, 2015:  The Bay View Hotel on City Island, a Pelham Landmark for Many Years.

In 1885, the New Rochelle Pioneer published a brief, but detailed and significant description of the Bay View Hotel.  The description sheds important light on the hotel and its services in 1885.  For example, the article states "A large hall, or ball room was built last year, and is beautifully fitted up."  The "hall," built in early 1884, became an important City Island social center that is referenced in countless news stories as "Von Liehn's Hall" and "Von Liehn's Pavilion."  

As such references suggest, the proprietor of the Bay View Hotel was Carsten Von Liehn.  Von Liehn was born in 1839 in the Kingdom of Hanover part of today's Lower Saxony in Germany.  He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on January 11, 1866.  Even that early he was listed as a restauranteur by profession.  By the 1880s he had become one of the Town of Pelham's most successful hoteliers and summer resort operators. 

The Bay View Hotel, City Island, Circa 1904.

Source:  Image from Post Card Postmarked

in 1904.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Detail from Map of City Island Published in 1899 Showing

Bay View Hotel Complex in Block Bounded to the North

Bridge Street and to the West by Today's City Island

Avenue. Source: Board of Public Improvements Topographical

Bureau, Map or Plan Showing a General Desigh for a System

of Streets, Avenues, Public Squares and Places, Parks, Bridges,

Etc, in City Island, Borough of the Bronx (1899) (Available via Lionel

Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library).

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Von Liehn operated the Bay View Hotel, a hotel and a summer resort boarding house that overlooked City Island Bridge.  It faced what was then Pelham Bay, hence the name "Bay View Hotel."  Additionally, the northeasterly and easterly sides of the hotel had beautiful uninterrupted views of Long Island Sound.  

In 1885, the Bay View Hotel could accommodate up to 200 guests.  It had a large dining hall and a kitchen with the capacity to supply four hundred meals.  The dining room was immediately above the kitchen, so a large dumb waiter connected the two.  Von Liehn's Hall, a large ballroom built in early 1884, was an important part of the facility.  It attracted large gatherings including dances, masquerade balls, and the like.  

Given the nature of transportation at the time, the hotel complex included a large stable and barn "for the convenience of guests."  A large tree-lined lawn provided a "cool retreat for ladies and children" on hot summer days.  The complex included a long, sloping, and rocky beach that -- at the time -- Von Liehn was trying to clean up and convert to a lovely sandy beach.  The beach area included bath houses to facilitate swimming, bathing, and water sports including boating and fishing.    

"Bay View Hotel, CITY ISLAND, N.Y. City."  A Post Card

Image of the Bay View Hotel Postmarked in 1913 After

the Area Including City Island Had Been Annexed From

Pelham by New York City.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

Below is the text of the brief article about the Bay View Hotel that appeared in the New Rochelle Pioneer.  The text is followed by a citation and link to its source.  

"Bay View House, City Island.

This hotel and summer boarding house has advantages that can be surpassed by few hotels in this vicinity.  Its proprietor is Mr. C. Von Liehn.  Situated at the foot of City Island Bridge, it is directly in the road of travel, and stages and other conveyances for the convenience of the public are continually passing.  It faces Pelham Bay, from which it takes its name, 'Bay View House,' having a full view of the surrounding country.  From the north east and easterly side of the hotel there is an uninterrupted view of the Sound.  The hotel has accommodations for nearly 200 guests, the rooms all being well lighted and ventilated.  There is a large dining room directly over the kitchen, a dumb waiter connecting the two.  The kitchen has a capacity for supplying 400 dinners.  A large hall, or ball room was built last year, and is beautifully fitted up.  A barn and stable is connected with the hotel for the convenience of guests.  A lawn, surrounded with trees, affords a pleasant and cool retreat for ladies and children, during the hot days of summer.  In front of this house are a number of bathing houses, and their number is to be increased.  The beach is a gradual slope, and the proprietor intends to have all the rocks and stones cleared away, and a sandy beach made.  Boating and fishing can be indulged in to the heart's content, and for the convenience of his guests, Mr. Von Leihn is having a plank walk, over 200 feet long, run into the water, so that a landing from boats can be made at all times."

Source:  Bay View House, City Island, New Rochelle Pioneer, Apr. 18, 1885, p. 3, col. 4.  

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The Bay View Hotel on City Island, a Pelham Landmark for Many Years

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During the late nineteenth century there was a magnificent hotel named the Bay View Hotel that stood at Bridge Street and City Island Avenue on the former Bowne-King estate.  The hotel was built in the Second Empire style described as "[a]n eclectic architectural style based on French Renaissance and Baroque models."  The style first became popular in the United States in about 1860 and was well-represented in Pelham Manor and on City Island before the island was annexed by New York City during the mid-1890s.  

As City Island grew into a popular tourist resort and fishing destination during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the Bay View Hotel provided a beautiful setting for boarders and overnight tourist guests.  During the 1880s, the hotel was known as "Von Liehn's Bay View Hotel."  

The Bay View Hotel, City Island, Circa 1904.

Source:  Image from Post Card Postmarked in 1904.

The location of the hotel was ideal.  It faced the City Island Bridge on the island side and was a grand sight to behold as visitors to the island crossed the bridge.  Below is a detail from a map of City Island prepared in 1899 showing where the hotel complex was located.  City Island Bridge can be seen extending off into the waters at about the 10 o'clock position in the image on the left side.  

Detail from Map of City Island Published in 1899

Showing Bay View Hotel Complex in Block Bounded

to the North Bridge Street and to the West by Today's

City Island Avenue.  Source:  Board of Public Improvements

Topographical Bureau, Map or Plan Showing a General 

Desigh for a System of Streets, Avenues, Public Squares

and Places, Parks, Bridges, Etc, in City Island, Borough

of the Bronx (1899) (Available via Lionel Pincus and Princess
Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library).

There are many brief accounts published in period newspapers describing outings, celebrations, and gatherings at the Bay View Hotel complex.  One such account is transcribed in its entirety immediately below.

"THE ANNUAL OUTING OF THE PROTEANS OF FANWOOD.
-----

The Protean Society had its annual outing last Friday, to City Island.  

The Society was organized in 1890, and since then has had its outing a week before the close of school, except in 1895 and 1896.  Little interest was manifested in the organization, until last Fall, when it was re-organized, and the following officers elected:  President, Robert H. McVea; Vice-President, Herman F. Beck; Corresponding Secretary, Louis A. Cohen; Recording Secretary, William Konkel; Treasurer, Emil Mayer.

The Society was formerly composed of members of the High Class, but now all the cadet officers are members, namely:  Robert H. McVea, Herman F. Beck, Emil Mayer, Louis Cohen, James Avens, William Konkel, Anthony Reiff, Edward Rappholdt, Henry Prinsinzing, Charles Sanford, Henry Muench, James Burke, E. V. Moeslein.  The invited guests were Messrs. W. H. Van Tassell, E. A. Hodgson and A. Capelli.

Principal Currier is counselor of the Society, and its prosperity is owing a great deal to his advice.

It is not for me to go in detail and give a history of the society, but sufficient to say that it seems to have regained its lost energy and has made its presence felt at Fanwood after a lapse of two years. 

The outing this year was to Bay View Hotel, City Island, by a tally-ho drawn by four horses.  The tally-ho arrived on time at the Institution, at 8:30 A. M., but the members were not all ready to start.  Another delay was caused by the non-appearance of the official photographer, Mr. Ranald Douglas, who was prevented from arriving at the scene of starting, to photograph the members in their outing costumes, grey coats and caps and white duck trousers.  So after waiting till twenty minutes to ten for Mr. Douglas, they decided to start.  Just as they left the grounds, Mr. Douglas appeared, but too late.

The route taken this time differs somewhat from the previous outings of the society, although the destination was the same. 

The boys were well provided with fish horns, bugles, bicycle whistles, and other kinds of instruments, and at intervals the noise they made startled the natives on the route, which was across Washington Bridge to University Heights, where a fine view was had of the magnificent new buildings of New York University and 'Ohio Field,' where our foot ball and base ball team have met their rivals for glory.  Of course the party let themselves loose, and gave as a parting the Fanwood yell.  The coach was going at a lively rate of speed.  Soon University Heights was out of view; Morris Heights was next reached, and Berkeley Oval, where our boys past and present have achieved glory, was passed, and although at that early hour deserted, the party again gave another ringing yell which must have been heard for miles aroudn.  The next place of special importance was Fordham, here still stands the house where Edgar Allen Poe lived; also St. John's or Fordham College, whom our boys have time and time again met both on the gridiron and the diamond.  There is still another place that interests the sporting element in Fordham, and that is the fallen champion, Corbett's Hotel.  Bronx Park and Morris Park are passed, so is Westchester, Westchester creek, in short order.  The Catholic Protectory is perhaps the greatest institution of Westchester.  Here are housed over one thousand boys.  Not far off is the Westchester Institution for Catholic Deaf-Mutes. 

Besides these attractions which were passed and noted upon, the scenery all along the route is very beautiful, and would recommend it to the Silent Wheelmen for a run some day this summer.  Pelham Manor has so many shade trees and many desirable lots for sale, that it would be well for the Silent Wheelmen to try and secure land to erect a club house at some future time.  Being in the borough of Bronx, it is a part of the City of New York.

At the End of Pelham Manor is a bridge, and from this bridge City Island is in sight.  The party arrived at the Bay View Hotel at 12 o'clock, and dinner was served at 1.30 P. M. -- and such a dinner it was too.  To say that all dd have good appetites is not doing them justice, so we will draw the curtain here.

After dinner, a trip around the island was had on a Naphtha launch owned by the proprietor of the Bay View Hotel, which took up one hour.

A bowling contest was the next attraction, the bowlers were A. Capelli and Wm. Van Tassell against Robert McVea and E. A. Hodgson.  The former won by th score of 157 to 156.

The boys amused themselves in various other ways.  Some went boating, others fishing, and a few, although the water was rather cold, went in swimming.  Taken all in all they had a very enjoyable time.  Supper was served at half past five, and all I can say in praise of the feast is that it took one hour to get through it.

The return trip was begun at 6.40, and ten minutes after it began to rain, but not very hard.  Despite this the boys kept up their spirits, and their yell and noise was kept up all the way to the Institution, which was made via 155th Street Viaduct.  The party arrived at the Institution at 9 o'clock, all expressing themselves having had a good time.

A. QUAD."

Source:  THE  ANNUAL OUTING OF THE PROTEANS OF FANWOOD, Deaf Mutes' Journal, Jun. 10, 1897, Vol. XXVI, No. , p. 1, cols. 4-5.

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