Lyndhurst’s Hudson River-adjacent bowling alley building was the site of Helen Gould’s sewing school for women. The north parlor houses a small exhibition highlighting the work of Helen Gould and her neighbor Madam C. J. Walker who both used their neighboring homes to economically empower women. Both women shared similar activities and attitudes. Both were philanthropists coming out of religious backgrounds. Each endowed YMCAs for their respective communities, Gould for Naval soldiers and railroad workers, and Madam Walker for the African-American community in Indianapolis. Both used their estates to give less fortunate women greater opportunities. Both enjoyed fancy automobiles. The exhibition can partially be seen from the veranda of the bowling alley when the building is closed and can be visited on the Lyndhurst lower landscape tour. Here, we present some of the main images from the exhibition.
Courtesy of A'Lelia Bundles.
Madam C.J. Walker
A c. 1907 photograph of Madam C.J. Walker.
Helen Gould
Helen Gould standing under a Lyndhurst magnolia tree c. 1900.
Courtesy of A'Lelia Bundles.
Villa Lewaro
Villa Lewaro in 1924 with Madam Walker’s hair care convention participants.
Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst with picnic participants posing on the back lawn c. 1905.
Courtesy of A'Lelia Bundles.
Madam Walker in her Model T
Madam Walker poses in her Ford Model T, one of three cars she owned. Here she is with family and friends c. 1913.
Helen Gould and Her Family
Helen Gould poses in her Locomobile with her husband, children, and family pets, c. 1920.
Madam C.J. Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower
A tin of Madam Walker’s famous hair grower that started her hair care empire.
Scrapbook on loan from Westchester County Historical Society.
Lyndhurst Sewing School Scrapbook
A c.1909 sewing scrapbook by Sarah H. Elliot, age 17. Elliot’s scrapbook holds samples of her hand stitching required to master each of the three courses of sewing instruction offered at the Lyndhurst Sewing School. Students were required to keep the samples and were graded on them.
Courtesy of A'Lelia Bundles.
Madam Walker outside the Senate Avenue Y.M.C.A
Madam C.J. Walker stands with Booker T. Washington, her attorney, and Y.M.C.A. officials at the dedication of the building in 1913. She donated money to and helped raise funds for the commissioning of Senate Avenue Y.M.C.A.
The St. Louis, Missouri Railroad Y.M.C.A Building
A 1905 postcard of the St. Louis Railroad Y.M.C.A that was commissioned by Helen Gould for the railroad workers. She received a clock in the form of the Y.M.C.A as a wedding gift from the Railroad as a thank you for her patronage.
Courtesy of A'Lelia Bundles.
Madam Walker School of Beauty Graduation
The graduating class of The Madam C.J. Walker School of Beauty Culture, March 26th, 1939.
Sewing in the Orchard
The Lyndhurst Sewing School pupils practice their sewing in the orchard behind the Bowling Alley, where the school held classes c. 1905.
