Chichester's Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chichester's Inn
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Front (south) elevation and west profile, 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 97 Chichester Road, West Hills, New York |
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| Area | 2.3 acres (0.93 ha) |
| Built | 1680 |
| Architect | Chichester Family |
| MPS | Huntington Town MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002508 |
| Added to NRHP | September 26, 1985 |
Chichester's Inn is a very old building located on Chichester Road in West Hills, New York. It is a special example of a 17th-century inn that still looks much like it did hundreds of years ago. Even though it was once a busy inn, it is now used as a private home.
Many famous people visited this inn. These include Walt Whitman, a famous poet who grew up nearby, and Theodore Roosevelt, who later became a U.S. President. Because of its history and unique style, Chichester's Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
What the Inn Looks Like
The main house is one and a half stories tall. It has 11 sections, or "bays," and is covered in clapboard, which are overlapping wooden boards. The building has many different windows and shapes, showing how it was changed and made bigger over its first 100 years.
Entrances and Inside Details
There are three doors on the front of the house. Two of them have old 19th-century paneled doors. The main entrance has a small porch with a shed roof. Inside, many original parts are still there. This includes old door handles, moldings (decorative strips), and wood panels.
A very unique feature is a 17th-century wall that can be removed. It still has its original hinges! You can also see the old taproom, which is where drinks were served, and winding stairs.
The Grounds and Springhouse
The inn sits on a 2.3-acre piece of land. This land also has another old building called a springhouse. This small building was built in the 19th century. It has a stone foundation, clapboard sides, and a sloped roof. The springhouse is located behind the main house.
History of Chichester's Inn
A place for travelers to stop and rest, called an "ordinary" or tavern, was first built on this spot around 1660. The town leaders gave permission to Thomas Brush to build it in the wooded area of West Hills. This area was not very settled back then.
Building the Current Inn
About 20 years later, the first building burned down. The Chichester family then bought the land. They started building what is now the current inn in 1680. It began as a small one-and-a-half-story cottage with two rooms. Over the 18th and early 19th centuries, the family kept adding to the building. This is why it has its unique, varied shape today.
The springhouse was also built during this time. It helped meet the inn's needs. The inn stayed a popular place for people to gather for most of the 1800s.
Famous Visitors and Later Years
Many people visited Chichester's Inn. Two of the most frequent visitors were Walt Whitman and Theodore Roosevelt. Walt Whitman grew up in the area, so he knew the inn well.
The Chichester family sold the inn in the early 1900s. Since then, it has been a private home. In 1980, a part of the roof caught fire. However, the inn was carefully repaired and looks almost exactly as it did before the fire.
