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The Hofstras bought the land for their home in 1903 in Hempstead, New York. The estate was approximately fifteen acres and was bordered by Fulton Avenue, a tree-lined thoroughfare that took them to the heart of Hempstead. Large estates and farms lay north and south of the avenue. While the house was being built, the Hofstras resided in the Garden City Hotel. 
The Hofstra house had large hand-split shingles and a slanted roof. It was considered to be an elegant and gracious country home and was set well back from the road. Completed in 1904, it was designed by H. Craig Severance and it is possible that it was Severance's first residential design. The architect went on to design the Bank of Manhattan, the Hotel Taft, and Nelson Tower in New York City. The Hofstra mansion was referred to as "The Netherlands" for William Hofstra's ties to his Dutch ancestry. 
In a local publication that appeared after the Hofstras moved in to their new home, the fine furnishings and elegant decorations were noted. The house, completed in 1904, included a breakfast room, butler's pantry, servants' sitting room, a small reception room, a large living room with windows that opened to a rose garden, as well as a drawing room, sun parlor, and sleeping porch. 
The estate included stables and garages. Mr. Hofstra was a member of the Automobile Association and had several cars, such as a Rolls Royce and a Packard. The Hofstras traveled extensively, visiting at home and abroad. They attended the opera at the Met on Monday nights and often stayed in New York for several days afterward. They had a room at the Plaza or the Sherry-Netherlands Hotel and entertained there as well. 
The chauffeur lived above the garages with his family. He took the Hofstras to Schroon Lake each summer and often accompanied them on their trips south to Florida. The Hofstra staff also included four or five house servants such as a parlor maid, and housekeeper, as well as grounds men, as Mr. Hofstra cultivated the estate as an arboretum. |
