One of the most magnificent estates to grace the North Shore, Pemrboke was built for Joseph Raphael DeLamar by Charles P.H. Gilbert c. 1916. Demolished in 1968, all that remains are the stables and the front gate (above). Below is what the front gate looked like in its heyday. Click HERE to see where Pembroke used to stand on google earth. Gilbert gave the house two distinct faces, one on its public side (the Sound side), and a much more subdued one on its garden side. DeLamar was an incredibly wealthy man, and built Pembroke towards the end of his life as his country retreat. One side of the house contained the "tropical house", or winter garden. Encased in glass, this building featured an abundance of wildlife, rare birds that flew freely around the interior, and one of the most impressive swimming pools on the East Coast. Below the structure was the entertainment portion of the house, which included a rifle range and a movie theatre. Below is an old picture of the interior of the tropical house. The gazebo is out in the middle of the pool with a bridge that connects it to the rest of the walkways inside the conservatory. Click below to see 'Pembroke' intact and still standing in a 1966 aerial shot.
