Mount Gulian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mount Gulian
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Mount Gulian manor house
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| Location | Town of Fishkill, NY |
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| Nearest city | Beacon |
| Built | 1730s |
| Architect | Philip and Guilian Verplanck |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001152 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
Mount Gulian is a historic house located right by the Hudson River in Fishkill, New York. It's a special place because it was once the headquarters for a famous general during the American Revolutionary War. It's also where an important group called the Society of the Cincinnati was started. Today, Mount Gulian is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical site.
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A Look Back: Mount Gulian's Story
People have lived on this land for a very long time. Archeologists have found signs of Native Americans living here as far back as 6,000 BC.
The land where Mount Gulian stands was bought from the Wappinger Native Americans. This happened on August 8, 1683. Two fur traders, Francis Rombout and Gulian Verplanck, made the purchase. They traded goods worth about $1,250 for 85,000 acres (344 square kilometers) of land. King James II of England officially granted this land to them in 1685. After Gulian Verplanck passed away, his land was shared among his family.
Gulian Verplanck II, who was a merchant from New York City, received 2,880 acres. About 400 of these acres were on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. He named his new property Mount Gulian, honoring his grandfather. The first house on the site was built between 1730 and 1740. It was a small building with a simple A-shaped roof. Later, around 1767, the house was made bigger. A special gambrel roof and two porches were added before the American Revolutionary War began.
Mount Gulian During the Revolutionary War
During the American Revolutionary War, Gulian Verplanck's son, Samuel, stayed at Mount Gulian. His wife, Judith Crommelin, remained at their family home in New York City.
In early 1783, Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben made Mount Gulian his main office. At the same time, George Washington had his headquarters nearby. Washington's office was at the Hasbrouck House in Newburgh. This was on the other side of the Hudson River.
On May 13, 1783, a group of officers from the Continental Army met at Mount Gulian. They came together to create the Society of the Cincinnati. This group was formed to honor the officers who fought in the war. Today, Mount Gulian is still the main office for the New York State branch of this society.
In 1803, after Judith Crommelin Verplanck died, the family's New York City home was closed. Many of its furniture pieces were moved to Mount Gulian. The house was made even larger in 1804 by Daniel Crommelin Verplanck. He was the grandson of Gulian Verplanck II. Daniel also designed the garden. When Marquis de Lafayette visited America again in 1824, he stayed in the new part of the house.
The Story of James Brown
James Brown was born into slavery in Maryland in 1793. He escaped to New York City using the Underground Railroad. There, he found work as a waiter at the Verplanck's home on Wall Street.
A story passed down in the Verplanck family tells how a dinner guest recognized James Brown. The guest knew he was an escaped slave and told his owner in Maryland. To protect James, the Verplancks paid his former owner. James was then hired by the family as a coachman in Manhattan. He learned to read and write, likely taught by Mary Anna Verplanck.
From 1826 to 1864, James Brown worked as the head gardener at Mount Gulian. In September 1826, he went back to Maryland. He used money he had saved to buy his wife's freedom. Around 1826, James Brown started writing a detailed journal. This journal describes his daily life. It is one of the very few journals from a Black person in the North during that time.
In 1849, the construction of the Hudson River Railroad changed the property. It cut off access to the Verplanck's boat and bathhouse by the river.
Bringing Mount Gulian Back to Life
The original Mount Gulian mansion was sadly destroyed in a fire in 1931. An arsonist deliberately set the fire. After this, the house's ruins were left alone until 1966. That year, Bache Bleecker, a Verplanck family descendant, and his wife Connie started the Mount Gulian Society. This was a non-profit group.
Their goal was to restore Mount Gulian. The restoration was finished in 1975. The house was rebuilt to look exactly as it did when General von Steuben used it as his headquarters. Any parts added later were not included in this restoration.
Since then, Mount Gulian has been open to the public as a museum. Inside, you can see items that belonged to the Verplanck family. There is also an old Dutch barn from the 1700s on the property. It was moved here from Hopewell Junction. The museum is open from April through October.
Where to Find Mount Gulian
Mount Gulian is located at 145 Sterling Street, Beacon, NY 12508, USA.
See also
