Hart-Cluett Mansion facts for kids
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Hart-Cluett Mansion
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front (east) elevation, 2009
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Troy, NY |
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| Built | 1827 |
| Architect | Martin E. Thompson |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Central Troy Historic District (ID86001527) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001256 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
| Designated CP | August 13, 1986 |
The Hart-Cluett Mansion is a historic house located at 57 Second Street in Troy, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The mansion is also part of the Central Troy Historic District, a special historic area created in 1986.
Since the 1950s, this house and the Carr Building next door served as the main office for the Rensselaer County Historical Society. This group later changed its name to the Hart Cluett Museum at Historic Rensselaer County in 2019. Today, the house is open to the public as a historic house museum.
Built in 1827, this house was likely designed by architect Martin E. Thompson from New York City. It is a Federal style townhouse with beautiful marble and limestone on its front. Many people consider it one of the best and most complete examples of this style in Troy.
John Bard Colgrove built the house as a gift for Betsey Howard Hart, his only child, and her husband, Richard P. Hart. William Howard, a rich merchant and banker from New York City, paid for it. The house was built in a style similar to grand mansions in New York City from that time. Most of those mansions have been torn down, making the Hart-Cluett Mansion a rare example of early 19th-century New York City architecture.
Later, in the late 1800s, another local businessman named George Cluett owned the house. He made some additions to it in the early 1900s. In 1910, his nephew Albert Cluett and his wife Caroline bought the property. Caroline Cluett later gave the house to the Historical Society in 1952.
Contents
What Does the Mansion Look Like?
The Hart-Cluett Mansion has an L-shape. It is two and a half stories tall and has a full basement. The shorter side faces the street to the east, and the longer side wraps around a brick house next door.
The Front of the House
The front of the house, called the facade, has four sections, or bays. The side facing south has nine sections, showing the full depth of the house. All other sides of the house are made of brick.
The main entrance is a bit off-center. The door is set back in a small porch, or portico. It has an oval window above it, called a fanlight, and windows on the sides. Small columns support the fanlight. Around the portico, there is a marble frame with a special stone in the middle, called a keystone. This type of marble house is unique in Troy. The marble likely came from a quarry in Massachusetts.
Roof and Inside Features
The roof is made of tin and has a pointed shape, called a gable. There are two dormer windows on the east side of the roof. Two chimneys rise from both the north and south ends of the house. Behind the main building, there is also a former carriage house.
Inside, the house follows a common design for Federal-style homes. It has a central hallway, high ceilings, and tall, narrow windows. Many of the original furniture pieces and decorations are still there. The plaster walls and woodwork are mostly unchanged. You can still see a marble mantelpiece and a large mirror in the dining room. The original kitchen is in the basement, and there is also a kitchen from the late 1800s on the first floor.
A Look at the Mansion's History
Richard P. Hart, one of Troy's first important businessmen, was a close friend of William Howard. Hart earned his money by supplying the Army during the War of 1812. He then made more money from trade using the Erie Canal and Champlain Canal. He later became the president of the Schenectady and Troy Railroad. He also helped many local charities.
Hart was also involved in politics. He served as a state assemblyman and as the mayor of Troy.
Building the Mansion
John Colegrove, who was 29 years old, was hired to build the house. He moved to Troy from New York City in 1826 to oversee the project. He stayed in Troy and built many other important buildings in the city. When he died in 1860, his obituary mentioned the Hart-Cluett Mansion as his first big success in Troy.
The original house was just the square main part. It was first made larger in 1836, when Richard Hart was the Mayor of Troy. Richard Hart passed away in 1843. Betsey Hart continued to live in the house until her death in 1886. Her daughter, Sarah Wool Hart, was the last Hart family member to live there. She died in 1892.
Changes by the Cluett Family
After Sarah Hart's death, the house was sold to George B. Cluett. He was the founder of Cluett, Peabody & Co. Inc., which made famous Arrow Shirts. George and his wife Amanda added a new section to the house. This moved the kitchen from the basement to the first floor. In 1910, George sold the house to his nephew, Albert E. Cluett.
Albert and Caroline Cluett made changes to the third floor, raising the roof to make more space for their four sons. They added new oak floors, picture moldings, and chair rail moldings in the two parlors and the entrance hall. The old wallpaper was removed, and the walls were painted ivory. A beautiful scenic wallpaper from Zuber & Co. of Paris, France, was put up in the Entrance Hall on the first floor.
Albert Cluett died in 1949. Before he passed, he and his wife Caroline encouraged the Rensselaer County Historical Society (RCHS) to raise money to help preserve the house. Caroline lived in the house until 1952. Then, she officially gave the house to the RCHS. The society has kept it as a historic house museum. They use the building next door, the Joseph B. Carr Building, as their main museum headquarters. This building holds changing exhibits, a research library, storage for collections, and offices.
Visiting the Museum
You can visit the Hart-Cluett Mansion for a guided tour on the second Saturday of each month at 2 PM. These tours are available from May through December. You can also arrange tours at other times by making an appointment. Tours on the second Saturday cost $10.00 for adults.
Images for kids
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Floor Plan Hart Cluett Mansion, Historic American Buildings Survey, 1934
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Elevation Hart Cluett Mansion, Historic American Buildings Survey 1934
