Gerrit Smith Estate facts for kids
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Gerrit Smith Estate
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5304 Oxbow Rd., Peterboro, New York |
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| Area | 7.78 acres (3.15 ha) |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001386 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1997 |
| Designated NHL | January 3, 2001 |
The Gerrit Smith Estate is a special historic home in Peterboro, New York. It was once the home of Gerrit Smith (1797-1874), a very important person in the 1800s. He was a social reformer, which means he worked to make society better. He was also a strong abolitionist, fighting to end slavery. His wife, Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, lived there too.
Gerrit Smith's estate was a famous stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. He also started one of the first hotels that didn't serve alcohol, promoting a movement called temperance. Because of its important history, the estate was named a National Historic Landmark in 2001. Today, a group manages the estate, and you can visit it for tours from June to August.
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Exploring the Gerrit Smith Estate
The Gerrit Smith Estate is located in Peterboro, New York. It sits on about 8 acres of land. This is a small part of what was once a much larger 30-acre property. In its busiest times, the estate was like a small village. It had many buildings, including a large mansion, other homes, and a hotel.
What Happened to the Mansion?
Sadly, the original mansion, built in the Federal style, was destroyed by a fire in the 1930s. The hotel that Gerrit Smith built also had a short life. It operated from 1827 to 1859 before he had it torn down. Many other buildings on the estate have also disappeared over time.
What You Can Still See Today
Even though some buildings are gone, important parts of the estate still remain. These include the Peterboro Land Office, which has a smokehouse attached to it. This office is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places by itself. You can also see a barn from the 1800s and another building that was likely the laundry.
Gerrit Smith's Amazing Legacy
The estate was first started by Peter Smith, Gerrit's father, in the early 1800s. Peter Smith was one of the first white settlers in Madison County, New York. He bought a lot of land from the Oneida people. He managed huge amounts of land from this estate. The town of Peterboro and the area of Smithfield, New York are even named after him.
Fighting for Important Causes
In 1819, Gerrit Smith took over the family business. He used his family's wealth to support many important causes. Two of his main passions were ending slavery and promoting the temperance movement. The temperance movement encouraged people to avoid alcohol. Gerrit Smith even tried to make Peterboro a "dry community," meaning no alcohol was sold there. He opened what might have been the first temperance hotel in the country on his estate. However, the hotel didn't succeed, and he tore it down in the late 1850s.
A Safe Place on the Underground Railroad
The Gerrit Smith Estate was also well-known as a safe place for enslaved people. They were traveling north to Canada on the Underground Railroad to find freedom. The estate was also a meeting spot for groups working for women's right to vote, known as suffragist organizations. Gerrit Smith's home was a hub for change and progress in the 19th century.
See also
- List of Underground Railroad sites
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, New York
Images for kids
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Peterboro Land Office
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Smokehouse attached to the Peterboro Land Office
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19th century barn and adjacent building thought to have been the laundry
