Thomas Cole National Historic Site facts for kids
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Thomas Cole House
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Thomas Cole House in 2018
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 218 Spring Street, Catskill, New York |
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| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1812 |
| Website | Thomas Cole National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000522 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | June 23, 1965 |
| Designated NHS | December 9, 1999 |
The Thomas Cole National Historic Site, also known as Cedar Grove, is a special place. It was once the home and art studio of a famous painter named Thomas Cole. He was the founder of the Hudson River School, a group of artists known for painting beautiful American landscapes.
This historic site is located in Catskill, NY, in the United States. Thomas Cole lived and worked here from 1833 until he passed away in 1848.
Because of its importance, the property was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Later, in 1999, it became a National Historic Site. This means it's a protected place that helps tell the story of America, and it's connected to the National Park Service.
Contents
The Story of Cedar Grove
Before Thomas Cole Lived Here
The land where Cedar Grove stands has a long history. In 1684, a man named Gysbert uyt den Bogaert bought about 460 acres from Native Americans. This land was near the mouth of Catskill Creek, close to the Hudson River.
Over time, the land was divided and sold many times. By the mid-1790s, the area started to grow quickly, and the town of Catskill began to form.
One of the first important landowners was Dr. Thomas Thomson. He arrived in 1787 and bought land. His family built a large Federal-style house, finishing it in 1816. This house became their main home. It was around this time that people started calling the property 'Cedar Grove'.
After Dr. Thomson's son, Thomas T. Thomson, passed away in 1821, his brother, John A. Thomson (known as "Uncle Sandy"), took charge. Cedar Grove was a working farm with animals like oxen, cows, and hogs. They grew crops like barley and corn, but fruit orchards were their main source of income. A large family, including four of Uncle Sandy's nieces, lived there.
Thomas Cole's Time at Cedar Grove
When Thomas Cole first came to Cedar Grove in the early 1830s, it was a well-kept farm. Cole wanted a permanent home in the Catskill area but also kept a studio in New York City. He rented space from the Thomson family to live and paint.
In November 1836, Cole married Maria Bartow, one of John A. Thomson's nieces. They were married in the West Parlor of the Cedar Grove house. Maria was 23, and Thomas was 35.
Cole painted many beautiful scenes of the Catskill landscape around Cedar Grove. Some of his famous works include Lake with Dead Trees and Kaaterskill Falls. Even today, Cedar Grove offers amazing views of the Catskill mountains. Cole loved the area and wrote about it in his poems and letters. In 1834, he wrote about how much he would miss Cedar Grove if he ever left.
Cole bought two and a half acres of land from John A. Thomson. He planned to build a separate house for his family, but he never did. Instead, he lived in the main house and raised his children there.
In late 1839, Cole moved into a new studio. It was part of a barn that John A. Thomson had built. This studio is still standing today. It has an extra window that was added to give Cole more northern light for his painting. Here, he created many important artworks, including The Voyage of Life.
After John A. Thomson died in 1846, Cole built another studio on the property. This second studio was taken down in the 1970s but has since been rebuilt. In February 1848, Thomas Cole became sick and passed away in the master bedroom at Cedar Grove. He left behind his wife and four children.
After Cole's Time
After Cole's death, his student Frederic Edwin Church became a close family friend. Many artists visited Cedar Grove, some even renting Cole's studio to paint. Artists like Jasper Francis Cropsey and Charles Herbert Moore came to visit. Stories and descriptions of the site began to appear in magazines. Because Cole was such an important artist, there was always interest in his home and studio for many years after he passed away.
However, by the 1880s, the family faced financial difficulties. Frederic Church even helped them in 1882. The size of the property slowly became smaller. Some land was used for public projects like a road, and other parts were sold to help the family. In 1933, the building of the nearby Rip Van Winkle Bridge almost led to the house being demolished. But thanks to the Cole family's efforts, only a small part of the land was taken.
In 1964, Cole's last living descendant held an auction to sell some of his paintings and furniture. During the 1960s, the historic flower beds were no longer cared for, and the old cottage Cole first rented was torn down.
After New York State decided not to preserve the property, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development bought it. They sold it in 1981 with rules to protect its history. In 1982, four art lovers bought the property and started restoration work. The National Park Service did not acquire the site, but a grant helped the Greene County Historical Society buy it in 1998. Serious restoration began, and Cedar Grove opened to the public in 2001.
In 2016, Cole's "New Studio" was rebuilt and opened to the public. This studio was originally built in 1846 based on Cole's own design but was demolished in 1973. The reconstruction used old photographs, sketches by Frederic Church and Jasper Cropsey, and a painting by Charles Herbert Moore to make it look just like the original.
In 2019, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site teamed up with Olana State Historic Site and the New York State Bridge Authority. Together, they opened the Hudson River Skywalk. This is a special walkway across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge that connects these two important historic sites.
See Also
- Historic Artists' Homes and Studios
- Olana State Historic Site
