THE WAINWRIGHT
HOUSE is
a waterfront Historic Mansion designed in the style of
a Loire Valley French Chateau with a dramatic entrance
behind tall iron gates. It is located on a small peninsula
that juts out into the Long Island Sound, and has breath
taking views and spectacular sunsets across Milton Harbor & the
Rye Marshlands.
The grounds boast beautiful lawns,
a sculpture & ceremony
garden. Located in Rye, NY, Wainwright is only
35 minutes from NYC and easily accessible from
Westchester County, Rockland County,Connecticut
and New Jersey.
The Wainwright House is available for a
limited number of weddings each year,
with the option of both indoor and outdoor events.
The house is also available for rehearsal
dinners and brunches.
Corner Stone Caterers of Rye is Wainwright
House's exclusive Caterer. Please contact Gary
at (914) 933-0177 to schedule a tour.
History
THE STORY OF THE WAINWRIGHT HOUSE
The first Wainwright emigrated to the U.S. in the 1780's. Eventually
settling in Rye, the Wainwrights became one of Rye's most
influential families. John Howard Wainwright his wife Margaret
(a direct descendant of New York Gov. Peter Stuyvesant)
bought Milton Point in 1864 and summered there with their
four sons, who later built houses along Stuyvesant Avenue
(Yes, the road is named for their mother's family). These
buildings include Wainwright House, Panetiere Restaurant, Coveleigh
Club, The Anchorage, The Willows, and a large brick home near
Hall's Lane.
The youngest son was Col. J. Mayhew Wainwright.
He became a state assemblyman, state senator, US
Congressman, assistant secretary of war, and a
much-decorated lieutenant
colonel in World War I. When he was in Doullens, France, he
was headquartered ata17th century chateau called Rain- cheval,
which came to have a great impact on him. On the eve before
he was to lead his men into battle, he promised himself that
if he came through the war alive and made it back to Rye, he
would
build a chateau resembling Raincheval on the family land on
Milton Point.He did, completing Wainwright
House in 1931.
Col. Wainwright was active in Rye's Christ
Church for more than 24 years, first as a vestryman
then as a warden. He served on the Westchester
County Parks Commission and on the boards
of the Seamen's Church Institute and St. Luke's Hospital.
Col. and Mrs. Wainwright had one child,
their daughter Fonrose. In the late 1940's Fonrose
suffered the loss of both her parents and her husband
in the space of just a few years. Whereupon, through
a series of apparent coincidences, she met a then
unknown young minister, Norman Vincent Peale. It
is said that Peale walked through the door of Wainwright
house, stopped suddenly and remarked with awe that
even thought it was empty and unused, the house
was filled with love. Fonrose knew then that she
had found a compelling use for her parents' home.
