Storm–Adriance–Brinckerhoff House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Storm–Adriance–Brinckerhoff House
|
|
South elevation, 2008
|
|
| Location | East Fishkill, NY |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Poughkeepsie |
| Area | 5.4 acres (2.2 ha) |
| Built | 1759 |
| Architectural style | Dutch Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000581 |
| Added to NRHP | July 3, 2008 |
The Storm–Adriance–Brinckerhoff House is an old wooden house in East Fishkill, New York. It is located on Beekman Road in Dutchess County. The oldest part of the house was built in the mid-1700s.
Many important people have lived in this house. One famous owner was Thomas Storm. He was a captain in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Later, he became the Speaker of the New York State Assembly. Even George Washington once stayed overnight as a guest! The Brinckerhoff family, who lived in the area for a long time, owned the house until 1930.
The house is a great example of Dutch Colonial architecture. It has been changed and added to over the years. These changes show how building styles changed while the Storm family lived there. In 2008, the house and other buildings on the property were added to the National Register of Historic Places. Many people call it the "most historically significant house" in East Fishkill. This is mainly because of its connection to George Washington.
Contents
Exploring the House and Its Land
The Storm–Adriance–Brinckerhoff House sits on a 5.4 acres (2.2 ha) piece of land. It is on the north side of Beekman Road. The area around it has many trees and some farms or homes. The house is set back about 200 feet (61 m) from the road. There is a small pond behind the house.
What the House Looks Like
The main house is made of strong wood frames. Its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboard. It sits on a stone foundation. The spaces inside the walls were filled with a mix of clay and straw. Three chimneys stick out from the roof. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles.
The house has two main parts: an east section and a west section. The east section has two stories. The west section has one and a half stories. There is also a kitchen area added to the west side.
Inside the East Section
A porch with wooden columns leads to the main entrance of the east section. This door is a traditional Dutch door, which can open in two halves. Inside, you find part of the original main room. It still has its wide floorboards and wooden ceiling beams.
Further inside, there is a modern kitchen and mud room. These were added later. To the east, an old cooking shed has a large stone fireplace. It even has a special oven built into it.
The Portaal (a type of entry hall) in the east section has a Federal style fireplace. It has fancy columns and a built-in shelf. Some of the original wallpaper is still on one wall. Upstairs, there are bedrooms. One bedroom has its original floor and a secret compartment hidden in the floor!
Inside the West Section
Three dormer windows stick out from the front roof of the east wing. A small porch with columns leads to another original Dutch door. This door has windows on the sides. It opens into a central hallway with the original staircase.
To the east of the hall are a living room and a library. Both rooms have their original details. The library's fireplace has its original stone sides and raised hearth. The living room's fireplace has original Delft tiles. It also has fancy borders and moldings.
The second floor of the west wing has a large landing. It leads to a master bedroom and two smaller bedrooms. All these rooms have their original wide wooden floors. The roof's wooden frame can be seen in the master bedroom. It uses a special type of support called king post trusses.
Other Historic Features
At the far ends of the house, there is an old well and a cistern (a tank for collecting water). Both of these are important parts of the house's history. A monument in front of the house also has an old Native American mash bowl. This bowl was found on the property.
Behind the house, about 100 feet (30 m) away, are the remains of an old silo with a stone wall. These are also historic features. The garage and storage shed are newer additions and are not considered historic.
A Look Back: The House's History
The land where the house stands was once part of a huge area called the Rombout Patent. This land was bought from local Native American tribes in 1682. Later, in 1685, King James II officially approved the sale. This allowed the land to be divided and sold.
Early Owners and Builders
In 1759, a man named Derick Hageman bought 108 acres (44 ha) of this land. He bought it from Catheryna Rombout Brett, a descendant of one of the original buyers. She carefully chose buyers who had useful skills, like farmers or blacksmiths. This helped the area grow. Hageman, who was a blacksmith, built the west wing of the house. He probably even made the door hinges himself!
Ten years later, in 1769, Garret Storm bought the property. The nearby village of Stormville is named after him. He gave the house to his son, Thomas Storm, as a wedding gift. Thomas Storm then added the eastern section to the house. He also ran a tavern and a store there.
The Revolutionary War Connection
During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Storm was a captain in the Continental Army. He allowed the army to camp on his property. It's thought that the cistern might have even been used as a prison. Thomas Storm once wrote a letter to the Continental Congress. He asked for money to pay back a miller whose flour the army had taken. George Clinton, a famous leader, called Thomas Storm "the most honest man in Dutchess County."
In 1778, George Washington himself spent a night at the house. He even had the house marked on one of his maps. The next morning, local people gathered to see him. Washington came out to speak to them. When they took off their hats out of respect, he told them to put them back on. He said he was just an ordinary man like them.
After the War
After the war, Thomas Storm was elected to the New York State Assembly. He served two terms, then moved to New York City. He became a successful merchant. Later, he returned to the Assembly and became its Speaker in 1802–03. He even ran for lieutenant governor.
In 1785, Thomas Storm sold the house to John Adriance. The Adriance family was well-known in Dutchess County. The public library in Poughkeepsie is named after them. When John Adriance died in 1794, George Brinckerhoff bought the house. He added the columns and other fancy decorations to the house.
The Brinckerhoff Family Era
The Brinckerhoff family and their descendants lived in the house throughout the 1800s. In 1880, when the floor in the Portaal was replaced, a secret trap door to the basement was found. Inside, they found a cap, a knapsack, and a book. These might have belonged to a British prisoner of war from the Revolutionary War. The Brinckerhoffs also kept a special desk in the house. This desk was brought to the colonies in 1638 by Joris Brinckerhoff. It is now in the Museum of the City of New York.
T. Van Wyck Brinckerhoff, one of the Brinckerhoff family members who owned the house, was the East Fishkill town historian. He found a lost map of the Rombout Patent. This map is now in the New York State Library. His daughter, Julia, kept the house in the family until 1930. That year, the state and a local group called the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a monument in front of the house. It included an old Native American millstone found on the land.
The Storm–Adriance–Brinckerhoff House has been a private home ever since. Later owners have worked to restore it. It has also been part of historic tours in the county.
