Nathaniel Hill Brick House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Nathaniel Hill Brick House
|
|
The house in 2007
|
|
| Location | Town of Montgomery, NY |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Newburgh |
| Built | 1768 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001893 |
| Added to NRHP | 1978 |
The Nathaniel Hill Brick House is a very old and special home located in the Town of Montgomery, Orange County, New York. People in the area often just call it the Brick House. It was built way back in 1768 by Nathaniel Hill, who was one of the first people to settle in that part of New York. His family has lived in the house for many, many years.
Nathaniel Hill was born in 1705. He moved to America from Ireland around 1725. He passed away on May 5, 1780. When he died, he owned a large amount of land, about 700 acres (which is about 2.8 square kilometers). Before building the Brick House, Nathaniel Hill had another home in the town of Crawford, New York. He only lived there for two years. He then gave that first home to his son, James. James used that house to make a type of apple brandy called Applejack. Nathaniel Hill's name first appeared in public records in 1738 when he joined Captain Bayard's local militia group.
Contents
A Family Home for Generations
The Brick House stayed in the Hill family for seven generations. It was passed down from Nathaniel Hill to his son, Captain Peter Hill. After Peter, it went to Nathaniel Peter Hill, then to Augustus Hill. Next, it was owned by Charles Borland Hill, then C.B. Hill, Jr., and finally C.B. Hill III. Nathaniel Hill originally built this house as a place to live after he retired.
From Private Home to Public Museum
The Nathaniel Hill Brick House was featured in a popular magazine called Good Housekeeping. It appeared in their December 1968 issue.
On December 26, 1975, C.B. Hill, Jr. gave the house to Orange County. This was a very generous gift! A few years later, on January 5, 1978, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. The house officially opened as a museum on June 22, 1978, so people could visit and learn about its history.
Inside the Historic House
Even today, much of the house's original design and special features are still there. This includes some beautiful old furniture made in the style of Thomas Chippendale, a famous furniture maker. Over the years, some improvements have been made to the house. In the 1830s, the Hill family added a large section to the back of the house. They also updated some parts of the inside. Almost a hundred years later, modern indoor plumbing was added, which was a big change!
Visiting the Brick House and Park
The Hill family has worked with Orange County to allow the land around the house to be used as a park. There is also the Orange County Farmers' Museum nearby. Both the Brick House and the Farmers' Museum are open to visitors. You can visit them on weekends between mid-May and early October. They are usually open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The exact dates they are open can change each year. There is a small fee to enter: $3 for adults and $2 for children.
