Historic House Trust facts for kids
The Historic House Trust helps take care of old, important houses in New York City. It started in 1989. They work with the city's Parks Department to keep these special homes safe. Even though many houses were not owned by the city at first, the Trust now helps look after them.
The Trust works to fix up these houses and share their stories. This teaches people about New York City's social, economic, and political past. It helps everyone, both people living in New York and visitors, learn about the city's history. The Trust looks after 23 historic places. Out of these, 18 are open as museums, and about 729,000 people visit them each year.
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Historic Houses in New York City
The Historic House Trust looks after special homes in all five boroughs of New York City. There is a house from almost every time period in the city's long history. Some of these houses even have people living in them. These caretakers help protect the homes from damage or other problems.
Here are some of the amazing houses the Trust helps protect:
Manhattan Houses
- Dyckman Farmhouse Museum: This old farmhouse was built in 1784. It shows what farm life was like in Manhattan a long time ago.
- Gracie Mansion: Built in 1799, this beautiful house is now the official home of the Mayor of New York City.
- The Little Red Lighthouse: This small, red lighthouse was built in 1889. It's famous from a children's book and stands under the George Washington Bridge.
- Merchant's House Museum: This house, built in 1832, is like a time capsule. It shows how a wealthy family lived in New York City in the 1800s.
- Morris-Jumel Mansion: This mansion was built in 1675. It is the oldest house in Manhattan. George Washington even stayed here during the American Revolutionary War.
- Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre: Built in 1877, this charming cottage in Central Park is home to a puppet theater. It was originally a Swedish schoolhouse.
Bronx Houses
- Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum: This mansion was built in 1836. It shows what country living was like in the early 1800s in the Pelham Bay Park area.
- Edgar Allan Poe Cottage: Built in 1797, this small cottage was the home of the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe. He lived here during the last years of his life.
- Valentine-Varian House: This house was built in 1758. It is one of the oldest houses in The Bronx.
- Van Cortlandt House Museum: Built in 1758, this grand house is one of the oldest in The Bronx. It played a role during the American Revolutionary War.
Brooklyn Houses
- Lefferts Historic House: This house, built in 1777, is located in Prospect Park. It teaches visitors about Brooklyn's farming past.
- Hendrick I. Lott House: Built in 1720, this is one of the oldest Dutch farmhouses in Brooklyn. It shows early colonial life.
- The Old Stone House: This house was rebuilt in 1930 using some original parts from a house built in 1699. It was part of the Battle of Long Island during the American Revolution.
- The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum: Built in 1652, this is the oldest house in New York City. It was the first home built by European settlers in Brooklyn.
Queens Houses
- King Manor Museum: Built in 1750, this house was once home to Rufus King. He was an important person who helped write the United States Constitution.
- Kingsland Homestead: This house was built in 1785. It is known for being home to a very old and special weeping beech tree.
- Lewis H. Latimer House: Built in 1889, this house was the home of Lewis Latimer. He was an important inventor who worked with Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell.
- Queens County Farm Museum: This farm museum has buildings from 1750. It is one of the longest continuously farmed sites in New York State.
Staten Island Houses
- Alice Austen House Museum: This house, built in 1690, was the home of Alice Austen. She was a pioneering photographer who took many pictures of New York City life.
- The Conference House: Built in 1675, this house is very important to American history. A meeting was held here in 1776 to try and end the American Revolutionary War. It is the only pre-Revolutionary manor house left in New York City.
- Historic Richmond Town: This is a whole village of historic buildings, with some dating back to 1670. It shows what life was like in Staten Island from the 1600s to the early 1900s.
- Seguine Mansion: This grand mansion was built in 1838. It is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture on Staten Island.
History of the Trust
In 1988, the City Parks Department started an office to help save 23 historic house-museums. These houses were owned by the city and located in its parks. This office soon became the Historic House Trust of New York City in 1989. The Trust gets money from private donations and grants. Its main goal is to make sure each house becomes a professionally run museum.
To help more people learn about the houses, the Trust started a "passport program" in its first year. Visitors would get a stamp each time they visited one of the houses. If someone visited all 23 properties, they would get to meet the Mayor! This passport program was brought back in 2008 to celebrate the Trust's 20th birthday.
The Trust also holds special events, like the Historic Houses Festival. During this festival, all the houses are open, and each one has different fun activities. This helps more people discover these amazing historic places. New houses are added to the Trust if they come under city control and need help being cared for.
Images for kids
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The Alice Austen House on Staten Island
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The Bartow-Pell Mansion in The Bronx
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The Conference House, where a peace meeting was held during the American Revolution
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The Dyckman Farmhouse in Manhattan
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Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor of New York City
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A building at Historic Richmond Town
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King Manor in Queens
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The Kingsland Homestead, home to a famous weeping beech tree
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The Lewis H. Latimer House
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The Lefferts Historic House in Brooklyn
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The Little Red Lighthouse in Manhattan
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The Hendrick I. Lott House in Brooklyn
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The Merchant's House Museum in Manhattan
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The Morris-Jumel Mansion, the oldest house in Manhattan
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The Old Stone House in Brooklyn
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The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in The Bronx
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A barn at the Queens County Farm Museum
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The Seguine Mansion on Staten Island
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The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park
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The Valentine-Varian House in The Bronx
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The Van Cortlandt House Museum in The Bronx
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The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, the oldest house in New York City
