Michael Salyer Stone House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Michael Salyer Stone House
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South profile and east elevation, 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Blue Hill Rd., Orangetown, New York |
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| Area | 8.3 acres (3.4 ha) |
| Built | 1790 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001654 |
| Added to NRHP | December 31, 2002 |
The Michael Salyer Stone House is an old stone house in Orangetown, New York, in Rockland County. It was built a long time ago, around 1790. This house is special because of its unique roof style.
It has a "gambrel roof," which is a type of roof with two different slopes on each side. The top part of the roof has wooden siding, which is unusual for houses in Rockland County. This style is more common in places farther north, like Ulster County, New York. In 2002, the house and its old well were added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Michael Salyer Stone House is a local history museum.
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Exploring the Michael Salyer Stone House and Grounds
The Michael Salyer Stone House sits on Blue Hill Road. It is about 800 feet (240 meters) south of where Sickletown and Convent roads meet. The house is on an 8.3-acre (3.4 ha) piece of land.
What's Around the House?
From the house, you can see Lake Tappan. This lake is a reservoir that provides water for parts of New York and New Jersey. To the west and south of the house is the Blue Hills Country Club golf course. The land to the north is covered with trees.
The house itself is on a small, clear area next to the road. There's a green lawn around it. A driveway leads to a circular parking area. You can also find the old well and a wooden shed nearby.
Looking at the House's Design
The house is one-and-a-half stories tall. It is made of rough-cut rectangular sandstone blocks. The bottom part of the house, called the foundation, is made of smaller, rough stones. A small kitchen area made of wood sticks out from the back of the house.
The main front door is in the middle of the house. It has a small stone porch with wooden benches. Two doors on the front corners lead down to the basement.
The roof is covered with slate shingles. It has brick chimneys at each end. There are also three small windows, called dormer windows, sticking out from the roof on both sides. The roof edges hang out wide on the front and back. On the sides, the roof is flat with the walls. The top parts of the roof, called the gable apexes, have wooden siding.
On the front of the house, the stone blocks are laid in a special pattern. The two windows next to the front door have wooden shutters. All the windows and the doorway have flat brick tops. On the sides of the house, the stonework looks more random. The north side has two windows on each floor. The south side has one window on the first floor and two on the top floor.
Inside the Michael Salyer Stone House
The main entrance has a wooden door that is set back a bit. Above the door is a window with a sunburst design. This door opens into a central hallway. This hallway goes all the way through the house to the back door. Many of the original parts of the house are still there. These include the wall plaster, wide wooden floors, and decorative moldings.
On the north side of the house is the parlor. This is the largest room and goes from the front to the back of the house. It has a fireplace with a fancy mantel and a built-in cupboard. The parlor on the south side has a similar fireplace. The room next to it is now a bathroom.
Stairs from the north parlor lead to the second floor. This floor also has a central hallway. The western end of this hall was changed into another bathroom. There are two bedrooms on each side of the hall.
History of the Michael Salyer Stone House
In 1783, a large piece of land, about 380 acres (150 ha), was owned by Jeremias Mabie. He had a house on the property and four daughters. That year, one of his daughters, Elizabeth Mabie, married Michael Salyer. People believe that the stone house was being built as a wedding gift for them.
The Gambrel Roof Style
Gambrel roofs first became popular with English settlers in New England. Later, in the 1760s, Dutch settlers in the Hudson Valley started using them. These roofs could cover a house that was two rooms deep. They also gave more space in the attic than a regular pointed roof. The Michael Salyer House has a "Flemish roof" style. This is a local type of gambrel roof found closer to New York City.
The house also has wood and siding in the top parts of its gambrel roof. This is rare for stone houses in Rockland County, New York. It is much more common in Ulster County, New York, farther north. This might be because Jeremias Mabie was of Huguenot (French Protestant) background, not Dutch. The early settlers of New Paltz (village), New York were also Huguenots.
Owners and Museum Life
Michael Salyer passed away in 1810. He left the house to his wife. When she died the next year, it went to their daughter Mary and her husband, David Bogert. Over the years, the house had many different owners. These included the Blauvelt family. Eventually, it became the property of the United Water Company.
In 1992, the water company gave the house to the Town of Orangetown, New York. The town now uses it as a local history museum. The Orangetown Historical Society helps to manage the museum.
After the house was donated, volunteers worked hard to restore it. The museum officially opened in 1996 with exhibits for visitors. In 2007, the house closed again for more updates. These included a new roof and a special drainage system. It reopened in 2008 with new exhibits. One exhibit was about Maj. John André, a British spy from the American Revolutionary War.
See also
