Hendrick I. Lott House facts for kids
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Hendrick I. Lott House
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1940 East 36th Street, Brooklyn, New York |
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| Built | 1720 |
| Architect | Hendrick I. Lott |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004645 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 3, 1994 |
The Hendrick I. Lott House is a very old and important home in Marine Park, Brooklyn, New York City. It is located at 1940 East 36th Street. This house is one of the oldest Dutch Colonial style homes in Brooklyn.
The Lott House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a special New York City designated landmark. The house is still strong and looks much like it did when Hendrick Lott built it in 1800. He even used part of his grandfather's first home, built in 1720, to create the new house.
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History of the Lott House
Early Years: 1700s and 1800s
The Lott family's story in this area began in 1719. Johannes Lott, who was a leader in New York, bought land in a farming area called Flatlands. He wanted to use this land for farming. Johannes made his family's land much bigger, stretching all the way to Jamaica Bay. He built his first home, called a homestead, near where the current house stands. Johannes passed away in 1775, and his son, Johannes Jr., took over the farm until 1792.
The Lott family became very important in the area. When Hendrick I. Lott married Mary Brownjohn in 1792, he felt his grandfather's house was too small. It was also old-fashioned for someone from such a well-known family. So, Hendrick decided to build a bigger, grander house. He mixed Dutch architecture styles with English styles. This created a unique American building.
Hendrick did not get rid of his grandfather's old house entirely. He moved the 1720 house and attached it to the eastern side of his new home. This old part became the kitchen wing. He then added a matching wing on the west side. This made the whole house look balanced. The house has a special roof called a gambrel roof. It also has dormer windows, which are windows that stick out from the roof. Inside, the house has 18 rooms.
At its largest, the Lott farm was huge, covering more than 200 acres (0.8 square kilometers). Like many big farms in southern Kings County, the Lotts used the hard work of enslaved people. These enslaved people grew crops like cabbage, potatoes, and wheat. The Lotts then sold these crops in markets in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Lott family had the most enslaved people in their neighborhood.
By 1803, legal papers showed that older enslaved people were seen as less valuable than children and adults. This was because older people were not as strong for field work. However, after 1799, the value of all enslaved people started to go down. New York State wanted to free enslaved men born after July 4, 1799, once they had worked until age 28. Enslaved women would be freed at age 25 under similar rules.
These state actions made it harder to keep enslaved people. So, the Lotts freed almost all of their enslaved people by 1805. This was long before slavery was fully ended in New York State in 1827. After freeing them, the Lotts hired these same people as paid workers. These actions suggest that the Lotts were against slavery, also known as abolitionists. People also say that the Lott House might have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
By 1825, the 200-acre (0.8 square kilometers) farm had many buildings. These included barns and a separate stone kitchen. In 1998, archaeologists from Brooklyn College dug up the foundation of this old kitchen. It was located between the house and what is now East 36th Street.
The House in Recent Times
For 200 years, members of the Lott family lived in the house and farmed the land. The last family farmer, John Bennett Lott, died in 1923. Most of the land was sold off. Only about three-quarters of an acre (0.3 hectares) around the house remained. The last Lott family member to live there was Ella Suydam. She was a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Johannes Lott. She lived in the house until she passed away in 1989.
Students studying for their Ph.D. degrees, who grew up nearby, found hidden rooms inside the house. These rooms had no windows. They thought that enslaved people might have slept in these rooms. Under the floors of these rooms, they found corncobs shaped like stars or crosses. They also found other special objects. These objects showed that enslaved people and people from West Africa shared similar religious practices. People believed these objects helped connect the living world with the world of the dead.
Today, the Hendrick I. Lott House still stands in its original spot. It sits on about three-quarters of an acre (0.3 hectares) of land. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation bought the house in 2001. The Hendrick I. Lott House Preservation Association now manages it. This association is also part of the Historic House Trust.
Work to fix the house's main structure and roof began in the mid-2000s. Fixing the inside of the house was planned to start in 2019. Many groups are working together to restore the Lott House. These include the City of New York/Parks & Recreation, the Historic House Trust of New York City, the Marine Park Civic Association, and the Hendrick I. Lott House Preservation Association.
While the restoration was happening, the house was sometimes open to visitors. People were encouraged to see a special "closet." Many believe this closet was a temporary safe place for enslaved people escaping on the Underground Railroad.
More to Explore
- Jans Martense Schenck house
- Vander Ende-Onderdonk House Site
- Abraham Manee House
- List of New York City Landmarks
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Kings County, New York
