Madam Brett Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Madam Catharyna Brett Homestead
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Front side of the house in 2006
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| Location | 50 Van Nydeck Ave., Beacon, NY |
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| Built | 1709 |
| Architect | Robert Dengee |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001212 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Madam Brett Homestead is a very old house in Beacon, New York. It was built in the early 1700s and is the oldest building still standing in southern Dutchess County. This historic home has been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. It is also part of the New York State Independence Trail, which highlights important historical sites.
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Who Was Madam Brett?
Catheryna Rombout Brett (1687–1764) was a remarkable woman who played a big part in the history of this area. Her father, Francis Rombout, was a successful merchant and even served as the Mayor of New York in 1679. He teamed up with Gulyne Verplanck to buy a huge piece of land, about 85,000 acres, from the Wappinger Native Americans in 1683.
This land purchase was officially approved by King James II in 1685 and became known as the Rombout Patent. When Francis Rombout passed away in 1691, Catheryna, his only surviving child, inherited this vast estate.
Catheryna's Marriage and Early Life
In 1703, when she was just sixteen, Catheryna Rombout married Roger Brett. Roger was a respected lieutenant in the British Royal Navy who had come to the New World with the governor of New York. After they married, the Bretts lived in the Rombout family home in New York City.
The Homestead's History
Around 1708, the large Rombout Patent land was divided among the families who owned it. Catheryna and Roger Brett received about 28,000 acres along the Fishkill Creek.
The house we now call the Madam Brett Homestead was built around 1709. After Catheryna's mother passed away, the Bretts moved from New York City to this new home in the wilderness of southern Dutchess County. Sadly, Roger Brett drowned in the Hudson River, leaving Catheryna a widow at age 31 with three young sons.
Madam Brett's Leadership
Catheryna Brett was an amazing leader. As a widow, she worked with twenty-one men to create the first group for farmers to sell their goods together in the Hudson River highlands. This was a very important step in developing the area. Her family continued to live in the homestead for seven generations, until 1954.
The Homestead During the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, the homestead was still owned by Madam Brett's family. Her granddaughter, Hanna Brett Schenck, and her husband, Major Henry Schenck, lived there. The building was used by American soldiers for shelter and to store supplies. Famous leaders like George Washington, the Marquis de La Fayette, and Baron von Steuben are said to have visited the house.
Later Years and the Teller Family
In 1800, Catheryna Rombout Brett's great-granddaughter, Alice Schenck Teller, bought the house. She and her husband, Isaac Teller, remodeled it. After Isaac's death, the house became a boarding house called "Teller's Villa." People from New York City would stay there, especially during times when diseases like cholera were spreading. Many members of the Teller family were important in politics, and the house was known as the "Teller Mansion" for a long time. Teller Avenue in Beacon, New York, was once the path to the family's barns.
What the Homestead Looks Like
Today, the Madam Brett Homestead sits on nearly 6 acres of land from Catheryna's original inheritance. It has a beautiful garden, woodlands, and a small stream. The house itself has special features like hand-carved cedar shingles, sloped windows, and Dutch doors. Its foundation is made of local stone.
Inside, you can see original furniture from the 1700s and 1800s, including a collection of porcelain from China. The wide wooden floors, hand-carved beams, and the large fireplace in the kitchen show how old the house is.
The Homestead Today
In 1954, there was a plan to tear down the building to build a supermarket. But the Melzingah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution bought it instead. They turned it into a museum to preserve its history. Today, you can visit the Madam Brett Homestead at 50 Van Nydeck Avenue, Beacon, New York. It has seventeen rooms that are open for visitors to explore.
Madam Brett Park
Madam Brett Park is a 12-acre park located along Fishkill Creek. This creek was very important to the development of Beacon. Catheryna Rombout Brett and her husband Roger owned a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) along the creek. This mill was a busy place where farmers and Native Americans would gather.
In the 1800s, the creek's power was used by many hat factories, which gave Beacon the nickname "New York's Hat-Making Capital."
Wildlife at Madam Brett Park
Fishkill Marsh, within the park, is home to many different animals. You can find amphibians and aquatic mammals like muskrats there. Birds of prey, such as ospreys and bald eagles, hunt in the marsh. It's also a resting spot for birds that migrate (travel long distances). There's a boardwalk and viewing platforms that let you get a closer look at these creatures. At the eastern end of the park, you can see a waterfall, which is especially impressive in the spring or after heavy rains.
See also
