John Blake House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Blake House
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Front (south) elevation and west profile, 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Maybrook, NY |
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| Nearest city | Newburgh |
| Area | 2.4 acres (9,700 m2) |
| Built | 1794 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000521 |
| Added to NRHP | 1984 |
The John Blake House is a very old brick house located in Maybrook, New York. It sits on Homestead Avenue, which is also known as NY 208. Built in the late 1700s, it is one of the oldest homes you can find in the village.
A well-known local leader named John Blake built this house. He built it around an even older log cabin that was already there. Later, in the mid-1800s, a new section was added to the house. Other than that, it has stayed mostly the same over the years.
In 1984, the John Blake House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building recognized for its history. It is a great example of the homes built by early English settlers in America. It also shows the early style of American architecture called the Federal style.
Contents
Exploring the John Blake House
The John Blake House is a one-and-a-half-story building. It sits on a large, tree-filled area of about 2.4 acres (1 hectare). Many trees help to hide the house from the road.
What the House is Made Of
The house is built with bricks and has a stone basement. The roof is shaped like a gable, which means it has two sloping sides that meet at the top. It is covered with asphalt shingles. Two brick chimneys stick up near the ends of the roof.
The way the bricks are laid is interesting. On the front (south) and west sides, the bricks are in a pattern called Flemish bond. This pattern makes the house look very neat. On the other sides, the bricks are laid in a simpler pattern. The windows have flat, arched brick designs around them.
Inside the House
A small wooden porch is at the main entrance. The front door is made of wood panels. It has a small window above it, called a transom, and windows on the sides, called sidelights.
When you go inside, you enter a large central hallway. This hall leads to two rooms on either side, which are about the same size. Most of the mantelpieces (the shelves above fireplaces) inside the house are in the Federal style. However, one mantelpiece in the northwest living room is in the Greek Revival style.
A special kind of door, called a double Dutch door, used to be the back entrance. Now, it connects the main house to the kitchen section. This kitchen section was added later. Upstairs, you will find the bedrooms. There is also a third level that was made from the unused space in the attic.
The basement is under the eastern half of the house. It is thought to have been built for the older log cabin. The basement has a large, arched base for a chimney.
Old Buildings Around the House
Two of the original small buildings that were once part of the property are still there. These are a shed and a privy (an old-fashioned outdoor toilet). You can also still see the foundations, or bases, of three other buildings. These include a barn that was south of the house, a smokehouse to the northeast, and a buttery that was once attached to the east side of the house.
The Look and Style of the House
The John Blake House has a traditional design. It looks more like older English country homes, similar to other houses in the Hudson Valley. Its low, square shape is different from most Federal style buildings, which are usually taller. The Federal style is more noticeable in the way the rooms are laid out inside and in the decorations.
The different ways the bricks are laid show that the bricklayer was very skilled. However, it seems the builder was not trying to follow any specific new design trend. Instead, they built a strong, practical home.
A Glimpse into History
John Blake was one of the first people to settle in this area. He built the house around 1794. It was the main building on his father's large 200-acre (81-hectare) farm, which was called "The Blake."
John Blake's Public Service
At the time he built the house, John Blake was working as a deputy sheriff for Ulster County. Back then, Ulster County included parts of what is now Orange County. Later, he became the sheriff of Orange County. This happened after the county line moved north when Rockland County was created in the early 1800s.
In between these roles, he served in the New York State Assembly, which is part of the state government. He also served two terms in the U.S. House, which is part of the national government. He even worked as a judge. John Blake finished his long career by serving fifteen terms as the Montgomery town supervisor. No other person in Orange County history has held so many different jobs at so many levels of government!
Changes Over Time
As Maybrook grew, the large Blake farm was divided into smaller and smaller pieces of land. These smaller pieces were then owned by different people. The house itself was updated in the 1820s and again in the 1840s. The updates in the 1840s included adding the kitchen section to the back of the house.
In the late 1800s, Maybrook became a busy railroad town. During this time, the John Blake House was home to workers who were building a new railroad track. This track connected to the Erie Railroad main line and was later used by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The front porch that you see today was added sometime in the 1900s.
