History Mystery Homes #9

      Number "14" is the next home that needs identification in Garden City, and can be located anywhere in town.
      Last week's "History Mystery Home" was solved by three residents: Lesley Graham of Lesley Graham Interiors, who works with homes in her business, as well as Regina Moran and Gregory Burke. House "Number 11" is 63 Third Street, just east of Rockaway Avenue.
     Burke is the current homeowner of 63 Third Street. "One of the reasons Christine and I bought our home was because it was here before so much of Garden City was (and it had a pool). We have been working on it for 14 years and it is still a work in progress. With the help of Vinny Muldoon we have tried to duplicate many of the original details that been lost over the years. Sheila Jones Heslin has made the interior warm and inviting. Mary Minaugh helped design the gardens. Many families have enjoyed raising their families here including the Lundies and the Heingartners. We hope that we continue this tradition as we raise our sons, Charlie and Brian here," he said.
     The author researched 63 Third Street and found that the home was owned by Mr. E. L. and Mrs. B De Forest in 1926. The couple added two porches to the original house and enclosed the porch in the front. The project was completed by builder, R. Otto Vestal of Freeport who was to perform "first class workmanship." In 1942 the home was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Mac A. Chamberlin who hired H. William Johanson, an architect in Roslyn. At the time of completion, the Chamberlins had five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms and a wood shingle roof home on a 100 x 250 foot plot. According to Burke, the house now has five bedrooms and seven baths.
     
     The author found more information on the Castronovo home at 139 Nassau Boulevard, with its neighbor to the south, 135 Nassau Boulevard. It  indicates the properties were bought at the same time in 1908, according to American Architect and Architecture  dated November 11th, 1908 (vol. 94, p. 354-5).
     "Charles F. Kastenhuber has purchased the plot 120 x 150 at the northeast corner of Nassau Boulevard and Stratford Avenue on which he will build an attractive home and garden for himself. Mr. Kastenhuber has also purchased the adjoining plot on Nassau Boulevard, 100 x 150 for a home for his mother."
     A New York Times article adds that Kastenhuber was planning on building a garage at number 135, which was unusual for 1908. Not many people had cars back then and barns were much more common.
     Beth Castronovo, the current homeowner of number 139 remarked, "  How wonderful it is to discover more about the history of our dear old home."
     The author gratefully acknowledges the following donated books and booklets from Beverly Wegener to the archives: Nassau County in the Civil War by Arnold Gates; the Nassau County Historical Journal, Winter 1959; Historical Long Island Paintings and Sketches by Cyril A. Lewis; Christopher Morley on Long Island by Helen McK. Oakley; East Williston History- 1663-1978 by Nicholas A. Mayer and two additional booklets.
      Please contact Suzie Alvey at 516.326.1720 or suziealvey@gmail.com if you recognize any of the homes that have been featured. Also, if anyone has any old books, photos or papers like Mrs. Wegener relating to anything in Garden City, please call Alvey. She can scan or photograph the items, while you keep the original, or you can donate it. This will be extremely helpful to the archives at the Garden City Public Library and the Garden City Historical Society. Help us help history!