HOME
During the life of this house, the original three to four acre
property was subdivided for resale, leaving The Outlook with
two-thirds of an acre. It was then that the address of the house
changed from Pompton Avenue to Bartholf Avenue, and what
was technically the front of the house became the back. Erika
explains, “We’ve done a lot of landscaping over the years, but
not now. All the deer come here to eat my roses, hydrangeas
and tulips.”
The house has a reputation for being haunted. One apparition was identified as Albert Payson Terhune himself, who
some say returns because of his attachment to that big painting
in the main hall. Although infrequent, there are still unexplainable occurrences to this day. Bill recounts, “If you listen, you
can still hear creaking and strange sounds as if someone is
rummaging around in the house. My German Shephard who
usually stays by my side, would never follow me up to the attic
which used to be the maids’ room with servants’ stairs down to
the kitchen.”
In the 1960s, Bill worked as a writer/researcher for WCBS
when they did a segment for Eye on New York entitled, “Who’s
In the Attic, Mommy?” Pictures of this house and Sunnybank
are what first drew Erika and Bill to The Outlook when they
were looking to relocate to an old house with a history. “Our
grandchildren love this house,” says Erika, “even though they
find it spooky.” ■
46 WAYNE MAGAZINE MAY 2016
BILL AND ERIKA HERZ