Stony Kill Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Stony Kill Farm
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Verplanck Tenant Farmhouse in 2007
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| Location | Town of Fishkill, NY |
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| Nearest city | Poughkeepsie |
| Area | 756 acres (3 km²) |
| Built | 18th and 19th centuries |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002601 |
| Added to NRHP | 1980 |
Stony Kill Farm is a large working farm located in the Town of Fishkill, New York. It covers over 1,000 acres (about 4 square kilometers). The farm is owned and managed by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). It serves as a special center where people can learn about the environment.
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What is Stony Kill Farm?
Stony Kill Farm is a place where you can learn about nature and farming. The DEC runs the farm. They use it to teach visitors about important environmental topics. You can explore the farm on your own. There are several trails for hiking. You can also visit the library in the old Manor House. The DEC also offers many programs and events. These programs help people learn more about the natural world.
A Look Back: The Farm's History
Stony Kill Farm has a long and interesting history. It dates back hundreds of years.
How the Land Was First Used
In 1683, two settlers named Gulian Verplanck and Francis Rombout bought a huge piece of land. This land was about 85,000 acres. They bought it from the Wappinger Native Americans. The price was goods worth about $1,250.
Later, in 1708, this large area was divided. The land where Stony Kill Farm now stands went to the Verplanck family. The Verplancks did not farm the land themselves. Instead, they rented it out to tenant farmers. These farmers lived on the land and worked it. This helped keep the land productive.
Early Buildings and Homes
The Verplanck family built a stone farmhouse. This house is near the main entrance of the farm. It was built in four parts over many years. Construction started in the late 1600s and finished in the early 1800s.
In 1836, the property was divided again. About a thousand acres, including the current farm, went to James DeLancy Verplanck. He was a descendant of the original family. James DeLancy Verplanck built a new home in 1842. This house is known as the Manor House today. It was built in the Greek Revival style. This style uses designs from ancient Greek buildings.
From Teaching Farm to Environmental Center
About 100 years after James DeLancy Verplanck built the Manor House, his family gave the farm to the state. They gave it to the Education Department (SED). The SED used it as a teaching farm. Students from SUNY Farmingdale learned there.
In the late 1960s, the college no longer needed the farm. So, in 1973, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took it over. The DEC changed the farm into what it is today. It became a center for environmental education. In 1980, Stony Kill Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Images for kids
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Verplanck Tenant Farmhouse in 2007
