This old photo from
MCNY of Number 857 Riverside Drive shows a tiny semi-detach house with a widow's walk attached to the roof. This cupola built on top of homes in the 1800s provided a view of the nearby waterway and the myth is that the wives of mariners would woefully wait for the return of their loved ones by peering through the windows up top. We were able to get a good look at the home as it stands currently which was quite a surprising discovery.
Based on DOB records, the house was actually renovated back in 1999 so it could have looked more like the archival photo 16 years ago. The original porch was removed and some major 1960s faux brick siding has replaced the wood clapboard. It appears the only architectural element really remaining is a piece of the cornice along with the chimney but the house is almost unrecognizable today. This location between 158th and 160th Street is a little out of the way but the estate actually has driveway out front.
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