Briarcliff Farms facts for kids
Briarcliff Farms was a very large farm started in 1890 by Walter William Law. It was located in Briarcliff Manor, a village in Westchester County, New York. This farm was one of many businesses Law created around the year 1900.
Briarcliff Farms was famous for its milk, butter, and cream. It also made other dairy products, grew American Beauty roses, and sold bottled water. At its biggest, the farm was one of the largest dairy farms in the Northeastern United States. It covered about 8,000 acres and had over 1,000 Jersey cattle.
In 1907, the farm moved to Pine Plains in Dutchess County, New York. Later, in 1918, a New York banker named Oakleigh Thorne bought the farm. He changed it to raise Aberdeen Angus cattle, which are known for their beef. After Thorne passed away in 1948, the farm was sold several times. In 1968, it became Stockbriar Farm, focusing on raising beef cattle. Stockbriar sold the land to its current owners in 1979.
Briarcliff Farms was a very modern and efficient place. It combined American business ideas with the style of a large European estate. Cows were milked all the time. The milk was quickly cooled and bottled within five minutes. Then, it was shipped to stores in New York City every night.
The farm was very advanced for its time. It had super clean conditions to keep everything healthy. Employees received good benefits, and the animals lived in excellent conditions. Vets regularly checked the animals to make sure the herd stayed healthy. The farm also used a system called tenant farming. This meant people lived on the farm and worked the land. There were even shops on the farm, like a blacksmith's shop and a shop for making and fixing wheels (a wheelwright). Many buildings on the farm were built in the Tudor Revival style, which looked like old English homes.
Briarcliff Farms was also the first home for the School of Practical Agriculture and Horticulture. This school was started by the New York State Committee for the Promotion of Agriculture, working with Walter Law. The school taught students about farming, gardening, raising chickens, and other skills related to agriculture. In 1903, the school moved to a farm near Poughkeepsie. The original school building was used as a hotel for two years. After that, it became Miss Knox's School. The building burned down in 1912. Miss Knox's School moved several times after that. Since 1954, the Knox School has been located in St. James, New York.
Gallery
-
Inside one of the cow barns, with Walter Law's sayings overhead
-
The Dalmeny Road barn fire on April 28, 1913
-
The Pocantico Valley, showing Barn A in the front and the school in the back
-
The plasmon factory, which is now a place that restores cars
-
One of the very long greenhouses, measuring 306 feet
-
Greenhouses located near the Briarcliff Lodge
