John Kane House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Kane House
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Front (south) elevation, 2008
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| Location | Pawling, NY |
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| Nearest city | Danbury, CT |
| Built | 1740, renovated and expanded 1810s |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002603 |
| Added to NRHP | 1980 |
The John Kane House is a historic building in Pawling, New York. It is also known as Washington's Headquarters. This means George Washington, a famous leader, stayed here during the American Revolutionary War. The house was built a long time ago, in the mid-1700s. It has been home to interesting people who faced challenges.
A later owner added a large main part to the house. The original house is now just a small kitchen area. Today, the house belongs to the Historical Society of Quaker Hill and Pawling. They use it as their main office and to show exhibits about local history. You can learn about Lowell Thomas, a famous radio broadcaster, who lived nearby. The John Kane House became a protected historic place in 1980.
Contents
What the House Looks Like
The oldest part of the house is called the kitchen wing. It is on the east side. This part is one and a half stories tall. It has a stone base and a low, sloped roof with shingles. A brick chimney sticks out from the roof. The front of this wing looks like one story because of windows and columns added later.
The main part of the house was built later. It is two stories tall and made of wood, covered with brick. A special feature is the front door. It has windows on the sides and a rectangular window above it. These are framed by decorative flat columns. Above the door, there is a large, fancy window with three parts. All other windows are rectangular and have small decorative tops. A porch with columns runs along the first floor. This style is called Greek Revival.
On the west side, there is another fancy window with a rounded top. The back door is a Dutch door, which means it opens in two halves. It looks similar to the front door but without the top window. Three chimneys rise from the main roof.
Inside the House
The inside of the two parts of the house looks very different. The kitchen wing is simple. It only has a carved wooden fireplace mantel for decoration. The main part of the house is much fancier. It has marble mantels around two of its four fireplaces.
All the windows and doors inside are decorated with carved wood. The rooms also have carved wood panels on the lower part of the walls. The ceilings have decorative borders. The upstairs has bedrooms, many with fireplaces. These fireplaces also have detailed wooden frames and mantels. The attic, which is the space under the roof, is not finished.
Other Buildings on the Property
There are three other buildings on the property. These include a small brick smokehouse, a wooden woodshed, and a two-story wooden barn. We don't know exactly when these buildings were built. They have also been changed over the years.
History of the John Kane House
The land where the house stands was first settled in the late 1730s. A farmer named William Prendergast rented a large piece of land from the Philipse family. They owned most of the land in the area. In 1740, Prendergast built the small house that is now the kitchen wing. He added other buildings later.
The Anti-Rent War
In 1766, William Prendergast became a leader in a protest. This was called the Dutchess County Anti-Rent War. Farmers were upset about "quit-rents," which were fees left over from an old system. These fees made it hard for farmers to buy their own land. Soldiers were called in to stop the protest. Prendergast was arrested and faced serious consequences. However, his wife asked the colonial governor for help. He was saved at the last minute and later received a special pardon. The Prendergast family then moved away.
George Washington's Headquarters
Later that year, an Irish immigrant named John Kane bought the house. When the American Revolution began, Kane first supported the American side. He was even elected to a local government group in 1775. But after a year, he changed his mind and supported the British. He thought the American cause would fail.
Because he supported the British, the New York State government took his house and property. In September 1778, George Washington moved into the house. His army, the Continental Army, stayed in the area for the winter. This location was good because they could quickly move to attack either New England or New York City. John Kane went to live in British-controlled areas for the rest of the war. His family moved to Nova Scotia. After the war ended in 1783, Kane received money from the British government for the rest of his life. He returned to the Pawling area but could not get his house back. He lived with his children instead.
The House in Later Years
In the early 1800s, a new owner tore down most of the original house. Only the kitchen wing remained. They then built the larger, main part of the house we see today. Over the years, the house was used for different things. It was an inn and a rental property. Later, it became a single-family home again. In 1946, electricity was added. We don't know exactly when modern heating and plumbing were put in.
In the late 1900s, after it was listed as a historic place, the Historical Society of Quaker Hill and Pawling bought the house. They turned it into the museum it is today.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Dutchess County, New York
- List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War
