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Van Cortlandt Manor, situated
on the banks of the Croton River in Croton-on-Hudson,
New York, is a working estate and elegant country
house that brings the new nation period vividly to
life. The history of the estate is richly documented
and the manor house contains primarily original furnishings,
which provides an element of authenticity rarely seen
in house museums.
A National Historic Landmark,
the 18th-century stone manor house is the centerpiece
of the property. It features a fine collection of
Georgian and Federal period furnishings, many original
to Van Cortlandt Manor. Of particular note is an extraordinary
kitchen on the ground floor, with original hearth,
beehive oven, and extensive collection of cooking
equipment and utensils. Also on the grounds is a an
18th-century tavern situated on the historic Albany
Post Road at the site of a ferry crossing over the
Croton River. The tavern showcases an extraordinary
collection of vernacular Hudson River Valley furnishings
and evokes fascinating tales of travel and transport
in the post-revolutionary period.
Adjacent to the tavern
is a reconstructed tenant house where cooking, spinning
and weaving demonstrations occur frequently. During
the summer months, bricks are manufactured by hand
and a blacksmith practices his trade. Visitors to
the site learn about the people who lived and worked
here during the New Nation era: Van Cortlandt family
members, enslaved Africans, tenant farmers, and ferry
keepers. |
