Peterboro Land Office facts for kids
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Peterboro Land Office
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Peterboro, New York |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1804 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Gerrit Smith Estate (ID97001386) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002498 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 7, 1984 |
| Designated NHLDCP | January 30, 2001 |
The Peterboro Land Office is a very old building in the small town of Peterboro. It is located in Madison County, New York. This historic office was built in 1804. It played a big part in how land was bought and sold a long time ago.
Contents
A Look Inside the Historic Building
This small building was made in the Federal style. It was built using bricks made right there in the area. The bricks were laid in a special pattern on the front.
The main room inside is about 24 feet by 28 feet. The walls and ceiling are smooth plaster. The floor is made of bricks laid over planks.
The main door is in the middle of the south wall. There are two windows next to it. You can also find one window on the east wall and one on the west wall.
On the north wall, there are built-in shelves and drawers. These were used to store important papers. There is also a strong iron vault door, about 4 feet tall, on this wall.
The Smith Family's Legacy
The story of the land office begins with Peter Smith. He arrived in Utica, New York in 1784. Back then, Utica was called Fort Schuyler. Peter Smith became good friends with the local Oneida Native American tribe.
In 1794, Peter Smith leased a huge amount of land from the Oneidas. He later bought it all. This land was about 50,000 acres. It covered much of what is now Madison County and parts of Oneida County.
The Peterboro Land Office was used for many years. More than 100,000 acres of land were bought and sold there. This continued until the late 1800s.
Peter Smith's son, Gerrit Smith, took over the land business. Gerrit Smith was also very active in his community. He started the Peterboro Academy in 1853. He also opened an orphanage in 1871.
Gerrit Smith was a strong abolitionist. This means he worked hard to end slavery. His grandson, Gerrit Smith Miller, was also important. He helped many people and supported the women's suffrage movement. This movement worked to get women the right to vote.
A Protected Historic Site
The Peterboro Land Office is a very important historical place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it is recognized as a special building that should be preserved.
The land office is also part of a bigger area called the Gerrit Smith Estate. This estate was named a National Historic Landmark in 2001. This is an even higher honor for historic places in the United States.
Images for kids
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West wall
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Built in shelves and drawers for land transaction ledgers on north wall
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Vault door on east side of north wall
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Smokehouse on west side of north wall of the land office
