Selling Harmon

Clifford B. Harmon was a prolific real estate developer who created 256 subdivisions across 26 American cities during the early 1900s. One of his most notable projects was the section of Croton originally branded as Harmon-on-Hudson.

The marketing materials employed hyperbolic language, declaring that "All New York is Amazed!" at what was claimed as "the Quickest and Most Successful Real Estate Development in the History of New York."

The ads appealed to families, urging them to "Think of Your Children" growing up in what promoters characterized as "the Highest, Healthiest, Most Beautiful, Most Accessible, and Most Aristocratic Part of Westchester County."

Harmon's marketing approach prioritized sales over accuracy. One advertisement promised that "Every Lot" offered "a River View," despite this claim being impractical for all properties in the development.