Stillwell–Preston House Explained

Stillwell–Preston House
Location:9 East Saddle River Road, Saddle River, New Jersey
Coordinates:41.0069°N -74.0944°W
Built:1800
Architect:Warren & Wetmore
Architecture:Colonial Revival, Federal, Vernacular Federal
Added:August 29, 1986
Refnum:86001610
Designated Other1 Name:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Abbr:NJRHP
Designated Other1 Link:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Date:June 13, 1986
Designated Other1 Number:690[1]
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Designated Other1 Color:
  1. ffc94b

The Stillwell–Preston House, also known as Riverwind, is located at 9 East Saddle River Road in the borough of Saddle River in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built in 1800 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1986, for its significance in architecture.[2] It was listed as part of the Saddle River Multiple Property Submission (MPS).[3]

It began as a farmhouse. When improvements were made in the 1960s, square nails, handmade by a blacksmith, were removed from the walls. At one point, the house to the North on East Saddle River Road was once the carriage house for the estate and the house North of that was where the caretakers lived.

Martin Block, host of the "Make Believe Ballroom--so, arguably, the first disk jockey--once lived there. It was actually even larger, with a wing having been knocked down in the 1950s. Once owned by a retired Navy captain, he painted most of the interior battleship gray, since he had the paint and "help" available.

In the 1960s, the home was owned by Fred Pfister (who named it "Riverwind"). Fred had previously owned the equally historic Fell House in nearby Allendale, New Jersey. Fred died in July 1969 and his wake was held in the majestic 60-foot-long living room because of his deep love of this beautiful home. His family lived there until 1972.

There are ten fireplaces, and those in the bedrooms were faced with carved marble imported from Italy.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Bergen County . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office . 24 . December 28, 2023 .
  2. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=86001610}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Stillwell–Preston House ]. National Park Service. With accompanying photo.
  3. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=64000497|title=}} Saddle River ]. . T. Robins . Brown . August 1985.