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06/28/2004 Archived Entry: "John Jay Homestead, Tea at Caramoor"

This past Thursday I drove for a company tour to visit two historic estates in Katonah, New York -- north of New York City. The first was the John Jay Homestead. John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, and held a number of other prominent public offices as well. He occupied the home (photo above left) in the early 1800s. The motorcoach is shown at the group drop-off/pick-up point directly in front of the home; parking is just down the hill within easy walking distance.

Following the tour of the John Jay Homestead, the group had lunch in downtown Katonah. It's a small town, nice place for shopping and lunch, but I couldn't find anywhere to park a coach or even turn around, so I drove out of town where I found a shopping center I could park a short while. After picking up the group from their lunch hour, we toured Caramoor, almost across the street from the John Jay Homestead. Caramoor was the home of Walter and Lucie Rosen in the early 1900s. The home was built to be beautiful and as a place to entertain friends with great music; it's filled with great art. The photo above right shows an outdoor courtyard where concerts are held to this day. We had tea just off the courtyard, following a tour of the property. Access via motorcoach through the main gate is very tight, requiring a right turn from the left lane if you have a 45-foot coach, but it is possible. The driveway is long, winding and narrow, but navigable. Coach parking is also very tight, with room only for two or three coaches at most in the marked bus parking area.