Greenburgh Insider: A Presidents day? What President almost moved to 74 Ardsley Road?

 

74 Ardsley Road in Greenburgh almost became a footnote in Presidential history!

Today is President's Day- a day connected to Washington but broadened to include  all Presidents.  I thought  readers would enjoy reading about President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton's almost move to Edgemont (74 Ardsley Road) back in 1999 at the end of the Clinton Presidency. The Washington Post said (August 16) that the Clinton's  "interrupting a weekend at Camp David, they flew on  a small Air Force Jet to Suburban Westchester County...among the five properties they saw was a seven bedroom, $1.7 million house  2 and a half acres in the Greenburgh hamlet of Edgemont, walking distance from Scarsdale."   The NY Observer said  on 9/27/99  that the Clinton's almost ended up, the house in Edgemont, that was the inside favorite to be their San Clamente 74 Ardsley Road. This is a magnificent estate. The driveway climbs dramatically through a deep cut in a wall of rock to get to a grand old colonial clipboard house on more than three acres." The Edgemont house was the focus of attention in many other  publications and media outlets around the nation.  And neighbors who lived on Ardsley Road enjoyed the temporary  national attention when the house was the rumored favorite location.

Although the Clinton's loved the house and area the Secret Service did not like the idea of the soon to be former President moving to a location on a very busy road. So, the house was not purchased by the President. Although many residents of Greenburgh would have loved the prestige of having a former President  live in our town, there would have been lots of overtime costs for our police  and traffic related issues.  On the positive side - the Clinton's have been involved in community activities in Chappaqua, march in local Memorial Day parades, attend local functions and they interact with residents at restaurants,  and local shops. It could have been fun. Our town almost became a footnote in Presidential history!

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/12/nyregion/mrs-clinton-listens-this-time-to-house-prices.html

PAUL FEINER

PS: Can anyone think of any other examples --connecting Greenburgh to our Presidents?  Please e mail me info at pfeiner@greenburghny.com.