Washington Irving Tribute. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

''It was the very witching time of night that Ichabod, heavyhearted and crestfallen, pursued his travels homewards, along the sides of the lofty hills which rise above Tarry town, and which he had traversed so cheerily in the afternoon. All the stories of ghosts and goblins that he had heard in the afternoon now came crowding upon his recollection. The night grew darker and darker; the stars seemed to sink deeper in the sky, and driving clouds occasionally hid them from his sight. He had never felt so lonely and dismal. He was, moreover, approaching the very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories had been laid”. -Irving, Washington, 1783-1859, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820).

A Brief History: Washington Irving was one of the most famous and well-known authors of the 19th century. He was born on April 3rd,1783, in Manhattan, New York in the village of Tarry Town on the east side of the Hudson where he lived at his home of Sunnyside. On March 15th,1820, while living in Brimingham, England; Washington Irving published The Legend of Sleepy Hollow which stands as one of his most famous works alongside others such as Rip Van Winkle. The story was first released as part of a collection of short stories and essays titled 'The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon Gent'.

Design/Primary Influence for the Model: This model was designed first and foremost as a tribute to Washington Irving as an author and the cultural legacy and impact of his work.

The overall design is based off of the real-life location of Sleepy Hollow located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. Several of the film adaptations of the story also served as a central source of inspiration. The base of the build is meant to represent the actual book while the rest of the model incorporates various scenes and locations onto it in attempts to create the effect of the story coming off/out of the pages.

Model Details: W-116.6cm. L-139.5cm. H-30.1cm. 360' access.

Piece Count: 4,509.

Locations in the model include:

The Van Tassel Family Farm: The house is fully modular and features a removable roof which separates into a lower and upper section with fully detailed interiors. The lower being the interior of the home which includes dining tables, a fireplace, and various pieces of furniture. The upper serves as an attic/hay loft in which some of the harvest and family wealth is stored. The Farm is surrounded by a stone boundary wall housing a corn field and pumpkin patch behind which are a few gravestones.

The surrounding Hollow: This portion of the hollow features one of the roads used by residents living in the countryside and along the banks of the Hudson, like the Van Tassel's, to travel to the nearby town of Sleepy Hollow and back. It passes through the wooded hollow and a swamp before connecting to the covered wooden bridge which leads into town. The trees in the hollow can be swiveled left to right to allow for different positions. The spook tree in the center has pivoting arms which can be raised/lowered to frighten passing travelers.

The Covered Wooden Bridge: This iconic bridge which spans the Pocantico river acts as both an exit from the forest and entrance into the town of Sleepy Hollow. It also serves as a barrier the Headless Horseman cannot cross. On the ground at the end of the bridge Ichabod's hat can be seen alongside a shattered pumpkin.

1. Ichabod Crane with his horse Gunpowder.

2. The Headless Horseman with his black steed.

3. At the front of the model to the left and right of the title there are two stands which can be pulled out to display these two minifigures with their mounts.

Reason for Submission: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2020. Since its release it has had millions of copies published and dozens of movie, Tv, and comic book adaptations made over the years. It stands as Americas first popular ghost story and early example of fiction with its cultural impact remaining just as influential and enduring in America and the world to this day, especially during Halloween. I believe there is a genuine interest among Lego fans both young and old for Halloween themed sets with prime examples of this being the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus set, and the recently released Lego Ideas Nightmare before Christmas set.

It is my hope that Washington Irving's tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is recognized for the ongoing place it holds in America and around the world and receives an adaptation of the story in Lego form.

Outro: Thank you so much for your time. The release for this project was delayed from its intended October 31st release but, with your help, it is my hope that this project remains alive by next Halloween to mark the 205th anniversary of this story. If you would like to both help and see it become a reality; please support the project and share it with others as this is currently the only platform I have to promote the project. Your help and support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!