Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Billie and Flo
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
— The Museum in the Streets® —
In the 1920s, legendary showman Florenz Ziegfeld lived here at Burkeley Crest with his wife actress Billie Burke, best remembered as the good witch Glinda in The Wizard of Oz. The estate included a private zoo (with buffalo, tame bears and an elephant named Ziggy, sent to the St. Louis Zoo when he became too large for Hastings) and a playhouse for their daughter, Patty, that was a child-sized replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon. It was complete with running water, something the original lacked. The mansion famous for its glittering parties, its playhouse, zoo, and spectacular beech tree are all gone.
Erected 2006 by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 33.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets®: Hastings-on-Hudson, New York series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1920.
Location. 40° 59.57′ N, 73° 52.554′ W. Marker is in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, in Westchester County. Marker is on Farragut Avenue just north of Mount Hope Boulevard, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27 Farragut Ave, Hastings on Hudson NY 10706, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. School Days / Los Días de Clase (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Olinda (about 300 feet away); Draper Park (about 700 feet away); Draper Terrace / Draper Terrace (el callejón Draper) (about 700 feet away); Hastings' First High Rise / El Primer Edificio de Pisos Multiples en Hastings (about 700 feet away); Road Leading to Burkely Crest (about 700 feet away); Billie Burke's Reflecting Pool (about 800 feet away); Old Bridge and Reflecting Pool (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hastings-on-Hudson.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 112 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 13, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.