Baruch & Bagatelle: Part 3: 1872-1934

The extremely accomplished and distinguished Dr. Herman Baruch owned an estate and nursery in Dix Hills between Bagatelle Road and Burr's Lane.  Today, the estate is the Madonna Heights School.  This is the first part of the Baruch and Bagatelle story.

 Dr. Herman B. Baruch was born on April 28, 1872 in Camden, South Carolina.  His family moved to New York City and when he was 20 he graduated from City College.  After that, he went on to Columbia University's medical department and graduated from there in 1895.  Herman Baruch practiced medicine for the next eight years until he and his brother Bernard decided to create Baruch Brothers, and entered the New York Stock Exchange. 

On February 6, 1908 the New York Times announced that, "Dr Herman B. Baruch, son of Dr. Simon Baruch of this city, and Miss Rosemary Emetaz, daughter of Mrs. Martha Emetaz, were married at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the home of the bridegroom's parents…."  The article goes on to list the bridal party and describe the bride's dress and flowers, "an embroidered gown of chiffon satin, trimmed with point lace and [she] carried lilies of the valley." 

The article also announced that the new couple would sail for three months through Italy and Southern France, and upon their return to New York would live on East 52 Street.  The "Social Whirl" section of the New York Times dated February 9, 1908 elaborates on the honeymoon to explain that the new Mrs. Baruch was a native of Florence, Italy and a stop at her home would be included on the trip. 

In 1918, Baruch Brothers merged with H. Hentz & Co., bankers and commission merchants.  Herman became a senior partner in the firm and remained there until his next big career change in 1943.  But before he could make that change, he decided to buy an estate on Long Island.

On June 13, 1924, the Long-Islander announced that, "Dr. Baruch, of Manhattan, has purchased the Bronson property, also known as the Vanderbilt place, fronting the Motor Parkway."  According to the local legend, which was repeated by both of Herman Baruch's stepchildren, Willie K. Vanderbilt originally built this house, and some say he built it for his mistress.  The property is in very close proximity to the original path of the Long Island Motor Parkway, and Herman's stepson recalled that there were pieces of the parkway in the woods of the property so it is likely that at one time Willie K. did own the property.  Newspapers and historic maps revealed no proof to verify this, but a deed search has not yet been done in Riverhead. Though that would only prove that he owned the property, it does not conclusively determine if he developed and built the house or not.

The house was named Bagatelle, a French word describing a table game that originated in the Chateau de Bagatelle in the late 1700s.  According to Verne Dyson in Deer Park- Wyandanch History, "There was a formal English garden east of the residence.  The apple orchard, always carefully trimmed and sprayed, was in the southeast portion of the grounds.  A spacious and velvety lawn on the west sloped downhill from the house." 

Dyson goes on to explain that the most interesting feature of the house was the result of Mrs. Baruch's being diagnosed with a strange blood ailment.  According to Dyson, the doctors told Herman he could prolong her life if she were kept in a dark, cool room.  "Such a room was built and equipped at a cost of $40,000.  It was in the tower of the mansion… the room was in complete darkness and the temperature was kept constantly at 40 degrees."  Herman's stepson, whose room was located at the top of this tower, recollected that underneath his room was where Herman's first wife had lived and where Herman's office was.  Herman's stepdaughter also recollected the dark room on the main floor in the back of the house. 

Perhaps the cold dark room did prolong her life, but Rosemary Baruch's death was announced in the September 3, 1930 New York Times.  She left Herman and their two children, Robert and Marina, behind.  The funeral services were held in Wyandanch and at Bagatelle.

Adjacent to the Bagatelle estate was the Bagatelle Nurseries, originally opened by Herman Baruch as a way to indulge in his horticulture hobby but which quickly became a successful commercial enterprise.  According to Dyson, "he sent to California, China, and other far-away places for desirable nursery stock… only the best of everything was purchased." 

In 1931 Peter M. Koster took over management of the nursery.  His hope was to grow rare plants on a large scale.  And it was here that the Koster Blue Spruce tree first grew in America.  Peter had special knowledge of grafting this tree from his Koster relatives in Holland where it was originated.  The Koster Blue Spruce is grafted on a young Norwegian Spruce the size of a pencil.  It has short, irregular, round, bushy leaves, but its most distinctive feature is its silvery color.  The nurseries remained open until well after Herman Baruch's death.

And with the death of Herman Baruch's wife, the next chapter of his life begins, and it leads to the Bagatelle estate getting a new life. 

Come back next week for more!