Historic House Trust facts for kids

The Historic House Trust of New York City was created in 1989. It's a special team-up between private groups and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Their main job is to protect old, important houses located inside New York City parks. Many of these houses were not owned by the city at first.

The Trust works with each house to fix them up and share their stories. This helps people living in New York City and visitors learn about the city's past. They teach about how people lived, worked, and made decisions long ago. The Trust looks after 23 historic places. Out of these, 18 are open as museums, welcoming over 729,000 visitors every year.

Exploring New York City's Historic Homes

The Historic House Trust cares for properties in all five boroughs of New York City. There's a house from almost every time period in the city's long history. Some of these special homes even have people living in them. These "caretakers" help keep the houses safe and prevent problems like damage.

Amazing Homes to Visit

Here are some of the fascinating homes you can explore:

• Alice Austen House Museum (Staten Island): Built around 1690, this was the home of a famous photographer, Alice Austen. Now it's a museum where you can see her work and learn about her life.
• Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum (The Bronx): This beautiful mansion, built in 1836, shows what country living was like in the early 1800s in the Pelham Bay Park area.
• The Conference House (Staten Island): This house, from 1675, is very important! In 1776, a meeting was held here to try and end the American Revolutionary War. It's the only old manor house left in New York City from before the Revolution.
• Dyckman Farmhouse Museum (Manhattan): Built in 1784, this farmhouse gives a peek into what farming life was like in Manhattan centuries ago.
• Gracie Mansion (Manhattan): From 1799, this grand house is now the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.
• Historic Richmond Town (Staten Island): Starting in 1670, this isn't just one house, but a whole collection of historic buildings. It's like stepping back in time to an old village.
• King Manor Museum (Queens): Built around 1750, this was the home of Rufus King, an important person in early American history.
• Kingsland Homestead (Queens): This house from 1785 was once home to a very old and famous weeping beech tree.
• Lewis H. Latimer House (Queens): Built in 1889, this was the home of Lewis Latimer, an inventor who worked with famous people like Thomas Edison.
• Lefferts Historic House (Brooklyn): From 1777, this house helps visitors learn about colonial farm life.
• The Little Red Lighthouse (Manhattan): Built in 1889, this charming lighthouse is famous from a children's book.
• Hendrick I. Lott House (Brooklyn): This house, built in 1720, is one of the oldest Dutch colonial farmhouses in Brooklyn.
• Merchant's House Museum (Manhattan): Built in 1832, this museum shows how a wealthy merchant family lived in New York City in the 1800s.
• Morris-Jumel Mansion (Manhattan): From 1675, this is Manhattan's oldest house. It has a rich history, even serving as a headquarters during the Revolutionary War.
• The Old Stone House (Brooklyn): This house, originally from 1699, was rebuilt in 1930 using some of the original parts. It was part of the Battle of Long Island during the American Revolution.
• Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (The Bronx): Built in 1797, this was the home of the famous writer Edgar Allan Poe.
• Queens County Farm Museum (Queens): Dating back to 1750, this is one of the longest continuously farmed sites in New York State. You can see farm animals and learn about farming.
• Seguine Mansion (Staten Island): This grand mansion was built in 1838.
• Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Manhattan): Built in 1877, this unique building in Central Park is home to a puppet theater.
• Valentine-Varian House (The Bronx): From 1758, this house played a role during the Revolutionary War.
• Van Cortlandt House Museum (The Bronx): Built in 1758, this is the oldest house in The Bronx.
• The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (Brooklyn): Dating back to 1652, this is the oldest house in New York City! It shows what life was like for early Dutch settlers.

A Look Back at History

In 1988, the City Parks department started an office just for historic houses. This office aimed to protect the 23 historic house-museums owned by the city and located in its parks. This led to the creation of the Historic House Trust of New York City in 1989. The Trust gets money from private donations and special grants. Its goal is for each house to become a top-notch museum, recognized by experts.

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 a house. 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 organizes special events, like the Historic Houses Festival. During this festival, all the houses are open, and each one has different activities. This helps more people discover these amazing places. New properties are added to the Trust if they become city-owned and if private groups can no longer take care of them.

Images for kids

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  Alice Austen House Museum

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  Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum

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  The Conference House

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  Dyckman Farmhouse Museum

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  Gracie Mansion

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  Historic Richmond Town

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  King Manor Museum

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  Kingsland Homestead

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  Lewis H. Latimer House

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  Lefferts Historic House

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  The Little Red Lighthouse

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  Hendrick I. Lott House

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  Merchant's House Museum

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  Morris-Jumel Mansion

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  The Old Stone House

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  Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

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  Queens County Farm Museum

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  Seguine Mansion

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  Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre

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  Valentine-Varian House

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  Van Cortlandt House Museum

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  The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum