Van Cortlandt House Museum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Van Cortlandt House Museum is the oldest building in The Bronx, New York City.

The Van Cortlandt House was built by Frederick Van Cortlandt (1699–1749) in 1748, a mansion for the Van Cortlandt family built in Yonkers, of fieldstone, in Georgian style. He died before its completion and willed it to his son, James Van Cortlandt (1727–1787).

The Van Cortlandts, a merchantile family prominent in New York affairs, established a grain plantation and grist mill on the property.

The house was used during the Revolutionary War by Rochambeau, Lafayette, and Washington.

After 140 years of occupancy by the Van Cortlandt family and their slaves, in 1889 the property was sold to the City of New York and made a public parkland. The house has been operated as a public museum since 1897.

[edit] External links

• http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_van_cortlandt_park/vt_van_cort_01.html
• http://www.vancortlandthouse.org/
• Death in the Bronx The Stockbridge Indian Massacre August 31, 1778 {for reference only}