A bit of background...
The History of North Strathmore
In 1933 “The Onderdonk Farm” was purchased for development by Levitt & Sons, The original name of the development was “STRATHMORE AT MANHASSET." In 1936 the Community Association of North Strathmore was established.
The historic Onderdonk House remained in its place and was transferred to the Strathmore Association who has maintained it ever since. The House is a recognized landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Click here to see a video about the history of the Onderdonk Family
Onderdonk Family History
Horatio Gates Onderdonk was born on August 14, 1808, at Cow Neck (today Port Washington) and died April 6, 1886 in Manhasset. He was the son of Joseph and Dorothy (Monfort) Onderdonk.
He graduated from Columbia College in 1829 and married Elizabeth Schenk Onderdonk (his cousin) on January 23, 1830. They had six children: Sarah (b. 1831), Maria (b. 1832), Josephine (b. 1835), Annie (b. 1839), Catherine (b. 1841) and Andrew J. (b. 1847). Maria, is presumed to have died in childhood. Each of the others lived to adulthood and all but Anna are known to have married. The youngest and only son, Andrew J., would inherit the house.
Horatio Gates Onderdonk is said to have pursued mercantile interests in N.Y.C. after graduation from college but studied law soon thereafter and was admitted to the bar. He maintained offices in N.Y.C. and at his residence in Manhasset. He was appointed county judge of Kings County by Governor William L. Marcy, a Democrat. He attended the Reformed Dutch Church in Manhasset where the Onderdonk family plot is still located.
While following in his father’s footsteps professionally, Andrew J. remained childless and the house was later inherited by a nephew, George O. Linkletter. By 1933, the Onderdonk Farm was purchased for development by Levitt and Sons who soon after built North Strathmore on 46 acres bordering the north side of Northern Boulevard. The house itself served as an office facility for the development, until the formation of the Strathmore Association, a membership organization composed of the owners of Strathmore property. The house and four corner plots adjoining “The Circle” were conveyed to the association on December 3, 1936, and the property has been maintained by the Strathmore Association since that time.
Onderdonk House History
It is said that the Horatio Gates Onderdonk House in Manhasset is one of Long Island’s finest Greek Revival dwellings. It was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936 and entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The House is recognized as a Town of North Hempstead landmark. Owned and operated by the Strathmore Association Inc. since 1936, the House has undergone partial restoration in recent years.
When the Onderdonk House was built in c. 1836, it was representative of a class of dwelling being built elsewhere on Long Island and in other localities within an easy commute of New York City. Many of these houses are now gone, giving the Onderdonk House added significance as one of the few examples of its type, left standing today.
History Center at the Manhasset Public Library
The Strathmore Association possesses a selection of paper archives dating back to the 1930's. With the assistance of the Manhasset Public Library History Center, the Strathmore Association has been actively scanning these documents.
Thanks to the MPL's involvement, we are able to provide links to important documents from the historical archives.
Click here to view photographs and copies of materials about the Onderdonk House that are held by the Library of Congress. Click on the links below the Onderdonk House photo labeled "Manuscript and Mixed Materials" for additional background on the House.
In addition to these Library of Congress materials, the Manhasset Public Library has scanned Strathmore Association documents dating back to the mid-1930s. Click here to view a collection of Strathmore Association documents.+
