Insider’s Guide: Historic Houses

HISTORIC SITES

 

COLUMBIA

CLERMONT STATE HISTORIC SITE

Clermont. 518-537-4240

www.friendsofclermont.org

Home of Chancellor Robert Livingston: a drafter of Declaration of Independence, negotiator of Louisiana Purchase. Erected 1740, rebuilt 1778; reflects seven generations of family. Carriage trails for hiking, riding; picnic area, garden tours, visitors center. Mansion tours: Apr. 1-Oct. 31: Nov. 1-Mar. 31: weekends only. $6, $4 seniors and students, children under 12 free; group rates. Grounds free year-round (parking fee on weekends & Mon. holidays Apr.-Oct.), 8:30 a.m.-dusk. Groups by appt.

 

LUYKAS VAN ALEN HOUSE

Kinderhook. 518-758-9265

Restored 1737 Dutch farmhouse; mid 18th–century Dutch furniture, decorative art. Tour includes visit to 1850 Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse. Little-known fact: Washington Irving’s tale of Ichabod Crane was based on Jesse Merwin, school’s first teacher. Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day weekend, Thurs.-Sun. Groups by appt. $3, $2 seniors & children, free under 12.

 

MARTIN VAN BUREN NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE (LINDENWALD)

Kinderhook. 518-758-9689. www.nps.gov/mava

Tours 7 days a week, by appt. May 21st-Oct. 31st, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. every hour on the hour.

 

DUTCHESS

BRINCKERHOFF-PUDNEY-PALEN?HOUSE

Hopewell Junction. 845-227-4136

Circa 1750 Dutch-style house restored by E. Fishkill Historical Society. Carriage house displays two local sleighs. Recently moved an 1820, one-room schoolhouse to the site. Tours June-Aug., Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

 

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE (VAL-KILL)

Hyde Park. 845-229-9115; www.nps.gov/elro

Primarily used as a recreation site, Val-Kill became Eleanor Roosevelt’s permanent residence following her husband’s death. Guided tour, video, self-guided tour of gardens available. Nov.-Apr.: Thurs.-Mon. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; May 1-Oct. 31: daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $8, free under 15.

 

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Hyde Park. 845-229-9115; www.nps.gov/hofr

FDR’s lifelong home decorated as it was at time of his death in 1945. Nearby FDR Library & Museum and Rose Garden with graves of President and Mrs. Roosevelt. Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Library/museum/house $14, free under 16. Shuttle-bus access to FDR’s Top Cottage retreat, Thurs.-Mon. 10 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. Handicapped accessible. Advance reservations suggested; 845-229-5320. $8.

 

GLEBE HOUSE

Poughkeepsie. 845-471-1630

Circa 1767 brick Georgian; home to loyalist Rev. John Beardsley until 1777. By appt. $2. Call for free open house.

Historical Society of Quaker hill and pawling/JOHN KANE HOUSE

Pawling. 845-855-9316; www.pawlinghistory.org

Washington’s HQ during Revolution. Exhibit on Lowell Thomas, Pawling resident, and replicas of Main Street in 1948. Mid-May­–mid-Oct., Sat.-Sun. 2-4 p.m. Other sites include Oblong Quaker Meeting House on Quaker Hill and exhibit of Quaker memorabilia at the Akin Library.

 

THE SAMUEL MORSE HISTORIC SITE

Poughkeepsie. 845-454-4500

Home of painter and inventor of the telegraph. Georgian house redesigned by A. J. Davis into spacious Tuscan villa circa 1850. W.H. Young purchased home in 1901. Young family furnishings and Morse memorabilia. 150 acres of riverfront, hiking trails, picnic facilities, restored gardens. Tours: May-Nov. Grounds: year-round, 8 a.m. to dusk. $9 adults, $5 children 6-18.

 

MADAM BRETT HOMESTEAD

Beacon. 845-226-4717

Built in 1709; oldest house in county. 17th-century furnishings, paintings; dolls, gowns of 18th-19th centuries. May-Dec., first Sun. of every month, 1-4 p.m. $3.