Leaving the Bridge, the approach to the village of Yonkers from the south possesses many points of interest. Along the edge of the valley are scattered beautiful knolls and high ranges of hills, cither cultivated or covered with woods ; to the left, seated on a fine, wooded hill, is a large stone mansion, erected by Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq., A.D. 1822, upon the site of a much older building, which was destroyed by fire .A.. D.
a. The arms of McCotaJj or McCoombe, ar. a saiUre per feoae anJ per saltire, or iiuJ af. couQtercliargdJ.
THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 615
102 2. The ascent to the house is through the romantic woods of CortlojiJt's ridge. I'he road passes over a deep ravine, watered by a pictur- CMji-.e brook, and through high masses of frowning rock. The lawn in front commands a \'iew of the vale of Yonkers, while at the foot of the hili runs Tippett's Brook.
The farm house situated on this property was built by Frederick van Cortlandt, A. D. 1766. In 1S48, flourishing upon the lav.-n in the rear of the mansion, was an aged apple tree marked with the name of Jacobus van Cortlandt -- date illegible.
This property, which Ues directly north of Berrian's Neck, passed, upon the death of Frederick van Cortlandt, to his brother Augustus van Cortlandt. The latter, by will, bequeathed the same to his grandson Augustus Morris, '"provided he assumed the name of Van Cortlandt.'' Augustus van Cortlandt subsequently sold the property to Samuel B. Thompson, John F'wing, V/illiam C. Wetmore, and James R.. Whiting. The latter gentleman has recently erected a beautiful stone residence on the western side of the neck, v/hich commands extensive prospects of the Hudson and palisades; the entrance is by a beautiful road that ^^inds through a thick wood to the house.