Riverby facts for kids
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John Burroughs' Riverby Study
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Burroughs standing in front of Riverby, 1919
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 Location in New York
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| Location | West Park, New York |
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| Area | 14.5 acres (5.9 ha) |
| Built | 1881 |
| Architect | John Burroughs |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000035 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | October 18, 1968 |
Riverby was the home of John Burroughs, a famous American naturalist (someone who studies nature). He lived from 1837 to 1921. Burroughs was known for his essays about nature. Riverby is located on the west bank of the Hudson River in West Park, Ulster County, New York.
John Burroughs built the main house and a special study building here. He wrote many of his most important works in this study. Riverby was named a National Historic Landmark in 1968. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States. Riverby is still private property, owned by Burroughs's family, so it's not open for public visits.
Contents
Exploring Riverby: John Burroughs's Home
Riverby is a large property, about 14.5 acres (about 5.9 hectares). It sits on the west side of the Hudson River, near United States Route 9W. The land is mostly covered with trees and slopes steeply down to the river.
The main house Burroughs built is on the highest part of the land. It's a three-story building made of stone. A fire in 1947 damaged the house, so its inside looks different now.
A Special Place for Writing
The most important part of Riverby is Burroughs's study. It's on a lower part of the property. This study is a square-shaped building made of chestnut wood slabs. The outside still has the bark on it!
The study faces east, looking out over the beautiful Hudson River. This was a perfect spot for Burroughs to write. He wrote many books there, including Fresh Fields (1884), Signs and Seasons (1886), Indoor Studies (1889), and Riverby (1894). He also worked on other writings in this special place.
John Burroughs had other writing spots too. He used Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury, New York, starting in 1908. He also had a cabin called Slabsides, about a mile (1.6 km) west of Riverby. He used Slabsides during the summers from 1895.
Visiting John Burroughs
Many important people visited John Burroughs at his Riverby study. One famous visitor was Theodore Roosevelt, who later became president of the United States.
Riverby Today
In 1968, Riverby was recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Only the study building was included in this special designation. The study is filled with books and was kept almost exactly as Burroughs left it, at least until 1975.
The Burroughs Society helps take care of the home. The buildings at Riverby are now owned by different members of Burroughs's family. They prefer that people do not visit the site because it is private property.
Images for kids
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Burroughs standing in front of Riverby, 1919
