WILLIAM AUGUSTUS BATES William Bates, Bronxville's earliest architect of renown, is best known for his role in the creation of Lawrence Park, Bronxville's turn-of-the-century artists' colony. Bates was brought to Bronxville by William Lawrence in the 1890s to help with the creation of Lawrence's "model suburb" and to design a house for Elizabeth Custer, the widow of General George Custer. The historic home on Park Avenue is typical of Bates' architectural style in the Park, and exemplifies the naturalistic approach to development that was envisioned by Lawrence. His meandering, simply detailed yet substantial homes were planted into the rocky terrain. The Century Association best described this in a memorial to Bates: "In his country houses.his buildings were so admirably adjusted to their surroundings as perhaps to symbolize the grace and harmony of his own unspoken meditations." From Monroe, Michigan, Bates studied architecture in the offices of Herter Brothers in New York City. Though his taste was eclectic, the Lawrence Park houses Bates designed before 1905 reflect his enthusiasm for Shingle Style design. Bates' three decades of design also produced Georgian, English Manor, Colonial, Spanish Mission and, occasionally, Arts & Crafts houses. To optimize natural light, Bates ensured the majority of living spaces faced south, with east-west arrangements planned according to their use during the day.the living room and entertainment space were often on the southwest side, where the setting sun would add a gentle glow to the evening's activities. Interiors were organized in a rational and generally efficient manner with grouped windows in a combination of sizes, styles and shapes to provide a pleasing pattern and ample daylight, main staircases descending in a central entry hall, and bedrooms of almost luxuriant size. One of the most typical motifs that recurs in Bates' Lawrence Park houses is a rounded or octagonal form used for a bay, turret or tower. At least 35 of Bates' homes are still standing in Bronxville's historic district. Many can be seen in the book, "Lawrence Park, Bronxville's Turn-of-the-Century Art Colony." While Lawrence commissioned much of his Bronxville work, Bates frequently drew plans for individual homeowners as well.   This architect was also responsible for several important early Village landmarks: the Gramatan Inn, the Hotel Gramatan, the Casino social club, the 1906 Village Hall and the 1906 Village school. "Westlands," the mansion Bates built as a home for Sarah and William Lawrence in Lawrence Park West, is now the administration building of Sarah Lawrence College. Around 1910 Kenneth G. How joined Bates' New York City office. In the mid-1910s, the firm designed Bronxville's early community house groups, a multifamily-living concept imported from England and virtually unknown at the time in this country. Most of the early apartment houses in the Village were also Bates' & How's work.   Although Bates owned Village land jointly with his brother Charles and made Bronxville his home, he never married nor designed a house for himself. By his 1922 death, his Bronxville legacy included more than 50 private homes, more than a half-dozen community house groups and several large apartment houses. Chapter List • Next>>