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THE BLAKENEY ESTATE
The Blakeney Estate is surely another of the fine properties that stood out in River Vale. It was located on the east side of Rivervale Road with the property boundary starting at the easterly end of Cleveland Avenue and running south for several hundred feet, all the way to what was then the Spencer's house. The property ran back to the Hackensack River and was one of the nicest parcels of property in the entire town.

The house was a majestic looking place, always with very well maintained grounds with a big white stone driveway that went back to a couple of well-kept barns or garages. The house itself was a three story place of masonry construction. It was a place that anyone passing by would certainly notice and be impressed. For as many years as I can recall, the place was maintained by a Steve Bickoff, who was a former Russian soldier in World War I. About 1960, the place was razed to make room for "progress"... needless to say, some of us "natives" did not consider this "progress". Was kinda sad to see it being demolished.

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