1925

1939

The '39 Social Register finds the Tollfree's using "Tangier" as their main residence.

Most times they used Palm Beach, Fla. Notice Countess Tolstoy is beneath them...

"But of course she is darling"

 

Edward Rogers Tolfree a wealthy chemist / inventor had tried selling off pieces of large tract of foreclosed Tangier he had bought off of Clarence G. T. Smith in 1922 before that decade was out. He paid Smith about $250,000.00 for 3 miles of land totaling over 1200 acres that extended from Montauk Highway to the bay and also the beachfront on Fire Island. The "model " Manor House that Fred J. Quimby had built to show investors his Tangier plans also went with the deal. There were originally plans for about ten manor homes along Tangier Blvd. The ad above first appeared in November of 1926. With no takers in 1928 Tolfree offered to "dedicate" a right of way across his property and more property on Fire Island if the Town Of Brookhaven would construct a decent bridge across Smith's Point. The debacle of Tangier and the depression probably kept Tolfree from getting rid of the excess property he no longer wanted or wanted to pay taxes on. The bridge plans died several times through the Ed's Tangier years. Then some major events happened to him. I believe in the late 30's or early 40's his show dog kennel was wiped out by heart worms. When his wife Aline died in August of 1944, he decided to sell everything. In April of 1945 Walter T. Shirley bought the 1200 acres off of Tolfree with the intent of developing the acerage and using the manor house as a part time summer residence. For whatever reason (no night life to speak of and there was no electric service but Tolfree did have a generator) Shirley did not keep the house long before offering it up with about 12 acres and dock rights on the Unkechogue Creek that ran along it's eastern side. It was purchased by the Cutro family in 1946 who still own it and turned it into a resturant hotel and night club by 1950. Today it remains their private home.

 

 

The Shirley's Summer Place 1945

When Shirley bought the estate from Tolfree, the best part of the deal may of been up

on the third floor in the attic of the Island View Manor

 

TREASURE IN THE ATTIC

It's very possible that this was the room that held the then 35 year old

Quimby's Plans For Tangier.

Those plans would save Shirley a lot of time and money as his future town of "Mastic Acres" at Shirley, LI.

was all surveyed and laid out for him. Even the streets were named.

 

Shirley's 1940's Lincoln Continental in which he cruised the streets of Manhattan & his newly cut roads in Mastic Acres was a super luxury car with a total luxury item for the time....a Radio Telephone. I'm sure it helped him make some fast deals as well as impress his friends & associates. When I first saw him at the Stork Club circa 1955, he had moved up into a Rolls- Royce. But by then he was a multi-millionaire.

"SUITABLE FOR A HOTEL ETCETERA"

4 months after he got the Island View Manor with the 1200 acres , Shirley listed it.

$25,000.00 and its yours along with 15 acres .

Just Call EGBERT AT WHITESTONE Flushing 3 - 7707

 

MORE ABOUT THE TOLFREE ESTATE HERE

 

NOW APPEARING TONY BENNETT AT THE ISLAND VIEW MANOR HERE

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BUYING UP THE KINGDOM
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