Van Cortlandt House Museum

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Van Cortlandt House
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
The mansion
The mansion
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx, New York City, NY
Coordinates: 40°53′24″N 73°53′47″W / 40.89, -73.89639Coordinates: 40°53′24″N 73°53′47″W / 40.89, -73.89639
Built/Founded: 1748
Architect: Frederick Van Cortlandt
Architectural style(s): Georgian
Designated as NHL: December 24, 1976[1]
Added to NRHP: December 24, 1967[2]
NRHP Reference#: 67000010
Governing body: New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

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. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1967 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1976.[1],[3] The house has been operated as a public museum since 1897.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Van Cortlandt House. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service (2007-09-22).
  2. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
  3. ^ National Park Service, National Historic Landmark Survey, New York, retrieved June 3, 2007.

[edit] External links

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U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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