Locust Grove (Samuel F. B. Morse House)

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Locust Grove
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
House in 2007
House in 2007
Location: Town of Poughkeepsie, NY
Nearest city: Poughkeepsie
Coordinates: 41°40′23″N 73°55′54″W / 41.67306, -73.93167Coordinates: 41°40′23″N 73°55′54″W / 41.67306, -73.93167
Area: 180 acres (72 ha)[1]
Built/Founded: 1851
Architect: Alexander Jackson Davis
Architectural style(s): Italianate
Designated as NHL: January 29, 1964 [2]
Added to NRHP: October 15, 1966[3]
NRHP Reference#: 66000515
Governing body: Private trust

Locust Grove, also known as the Samuel F. B. Morse House, is located on US 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York, USA, on a small hill overlooking the Hudson River. It was designed for Morse, the inventor of the telegraph, by Alexander Jackson Davis in an Italianate style and completed in 1851.

[edit] History

The property had acquired the name Locust Grove long beforehand. Henry Livingston Jr. had given it the name in 1771, when he purchased it from his own father, who had farmed it since 1751. After his death, his heirs sold the property to a wealthy New York City couple, John and Isabella Montgomery. They moved farming operations to the lower-lying lands closer to the river and built a cottage at the present house site.[4]

Morse in turn bought the land from them in 1847, three years after his breakthrough with the telegraph. He hired Davis in 1851 and began working with him to remodel and expand the Montgomerys' cottage into an Italianate villa. He continued to improve the landscape around the house for the rest of his life.[4]

After his death in 1872, his family continued to live there for a few more years, but eventually moved elsewhere and rented out the estate. One of their tenants, William Young, bought the property from the Morses in 1896. He and his wife Martha realized its historic importance and began to preserve it in 1901, redecorating it as it had been in Morse's lifetime. They also added the large dining room at the north end, the last significant renovation to the building.[5] They also had a large art collection, which they displayed in many of the house's 40 rooms.

The Youngs' efforts continued through their lifetime. Their daughter, Annette, also worked to preserve and restore the house, an effort rewarded when it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964[2][6], the first estate in the Hudson Valley to be so designated.[5]

Annette Young died in 1975, establishing in her will a trust so that the house and property could be opened to the public. Four years later, it was. Today the site offers guided tours, lectures and other special events. A visitors' center[7] was opened in 2001[4], where paintings, sculptures and other artwork by Morse, and some of the Youngs' collection, is on display.[8] Three miles (5 km) of trails have been built in the woods around the house.[9] Admission to the grounds is free; there is a fee for guided tours of the mansion.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Locust Grove — The Samuel F.B. Morse Historic Site. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  2. ^ a b Samuel F. B. Morse House. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved on 2007-09-15.
  3. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
  4. ^ a b c History of the Locust Grove estate. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  5. ^ a b The Estate. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  6. ^ Richard Greenwood (January 28, 1976), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Locust Grove, the Samuel F. B. Morse HousePDF (375 KiB), National Park Service  and Accompanying 2 photos, exterior, from 1962 and 1975.PDF (440 KiB)
  7. ^ Visitor Center. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  8. ^ The Collection at Locust Grove. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  9. ^ About the trails. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  10. ^ Hours & Fees. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.

[edit] External links

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