Architectural Description

Bay Lawn was a large mid-nineteenth-century country estate overlooking Little Neck Bay in what is now the Bayside section of Queens. The mansion was a substantial, three-story residence of formal, classically influenced design, surrounded by landscaped grounds suitable for large social gatherings. Contemporary photographs show a broad, symmetrical structure with a columned veranda wrapping the principal façade, deep eaves with decorative brackets, and tall sash windows, giving the house both grandeur and openness to its waterfront setting.

The estate commanded expansive views of Little Neck Bay and the surrounding countryside. Its lawns, trees, and outbuildings formed one of the most prominent private properties in the Bayside–Flushing area during the mid- and late nineteenth century. The setting made Bay Lawn a favored venue for outdoor entertainments and evening receptions.

History

After serving a single term as mayor of New York City (1845–1847), Andrew Hutchens Mickle purchased land in Bayside in 1849 from Abraham Bell, a major landholder in the area. Mickle retired from active political life and established Bay Lawn as his country residence.

Mickle was a prominent New York tobacconist and Democratic politician associated with Tammany Hall. His second wife was Mary Nicoll Lawrence, daughter of Judge Effingham Lawrence (1779–1850), builder of the Stone House in 1822. Through this marriage, Bay Lawn became closely connected to the Lawrence family, long established in northern Queens.

During the Mickles’ residence, Bay Lawn was known for its social life. Newspaper accounts describe “elegant hops” and evening entertainments attended by members of prominent New York and Long Island families. One such event was reported in the New York Herald on August 25, 1870, noting the extensive illumination of the grounds with lanterns and the tasteful decoration of the house with flowers and vines.

Andrew H. Mickle died at Bay Lawn on January 25, 1863. The estate remained associated with the family for several decades afterward. His daughter, Janet Campbell Mickle (1857–1939), married Effingham Lawrence III (1856–1899), further reinforcing the property’s place within the Lawrence kinship network.

Later, the Mickle family moved to the Lawrence Homestead on 221st Street and 41st Avenue. Bay Lawn itself was destroyed by fire in October 1890. No original structures survived the blaze.

In 1902, the former Mickle tract was sold for development for $50,000. Developers reused the name “Bay Lawn” for the subdivision, though the original mansion and estate had already vanished.