DeFreest Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Defreest Homestead
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | RPI Tech Park, U.S. 4 and Jordan Rd., Troy, New York, USA |
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| Area | 22 acres (8.9 ha) |
| Built | c. 1765 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000978 |
| Added to NRHP | August 2, 1977 |
The DeFreest Homestead is a really old house and barn located in the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush, New York, United States. This special place and the land around it are owned and managed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). It was once the home of Philip DeFreest, one of the first Dutch settlers who arrived in the mid-1700s. The homestead has historic buildings that show what a working Dutch farm looked like a long time ago.
A Glimpse into the Past
The DeFreest House was built around 1765. Parts of it were made with European bricks. These bricks were used as heavy weights (called ballast) in Dutch ships. These ships sailed up the Hudson River to trade furs.
The Unique Dutch Barn
Between 1630 and 1850, Dutch barns were very common in the Hudson Valley. You could tell them apart by their special H-shaped wooden frame inside. The DeFreest barn was built around 1820. It has thick, 50-foot long beams made from hemlock wood. Some of this wood was already over a hundred years old when it was cut! Plus, some wood from even older buildings on the site was used again.
The DeFreest House and the land around it were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This means they are officially recognized as important historical sites.
A New Purpose for the Homestead
The DeFreest Homestead has been very important to C. Sheldon Roberts and his wife, Patricia. C. Sheldon Roberts was a special trustee at RPI and one of the people who started a famous company called Fairchild Semiconductor.
Thanks to a generous gift from the Roberts family, the old barn got a big makeover. It was turned into a modern classroom! Now, local schoolchildren can visit and learn there.
Patricia Roberts shared her thoughts about the homestead: "I remember seeing the DeFreest House for the first time. It was at the end of a muddy path. I knew it had to be saved to protect our history. But also, it could become the main part of the Technology Park. We also realized the nearby Dutch barn could do something similar. It could keep some of its history but get a new job – to help launch our children's future."
