Thomas Paine Cottage facts for kids
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Thomas Paine Cottage
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 20 Sicard Avenue, New Rochelle, New York, USA |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Architectural style | Saltbox with Greek Revival elements |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000920 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
The Thomas Paine Cottage in New Rochelle, New York, was the home of Thomas Paine from 1802 to 1806. Thomas Paine was a very important person in American history. He wrote a famous pamphlet called Common Sense. He was also one of the Founding Fathers and a hero of the American Revolutionary War.
Paine was buried near the cottage after he died in 1809. However, his body was later moved in 1819. The cottage was part of a large 300-acre farm. The State of New York gave this farm to Paine in 1784. This was to thank him for his help in America's fight for independence. In August 1805, Paine wrote his last pamphlet here. It was about "Constitutional Reform" and was for the people of Philadelphia.
The "Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association" now owns the cottage. It has been a historic house museum since 1910. You can visit the cottage most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many fun events happen there all year. These include a Colonial Fair in spring and a Colonial Tavern night in October. They also have a Toys for Tots drive in December. The cottage is a popular place for school field trips.
Contents
Exploring the Cottage's Design
The cottage is a two-story building made of wood. It is built in a style called saltbox. It started as a simple building, about 16 feet (4.9 m) wide and 31 feet (9.4 m) deep. In 1804, a new section was added. This part was about 18 by 23 feet (5.5 by 7.0 m) and had a porch.
Around 1830, a new front door and porch pillars were added. These were in the Greek Revival style. The main part of the house has three rooms. The kitchen is in the front, a common room is in the middle, and a bedroom is in the back. The new section on the right has a parlor. There are four bedrooms upstairs.
Today, the rooms look like they did in the late 1700s and early 1800s. There are also exhibits about New Rochelle's history. You can learn about the local Siwanoy Indians and the Huguenots.
The front door opens right into the main room. This room is called the "Huguenot Room." The desk in this room is said to have belonged to Jacques Flandreau. He was an early Huguenot settler in the town. Above the desk is a picture of King Henry IV entering Paris.
The back room on the first floor is the "Paine Room." Something exciting happened here on Christmas Eve, 1805. Someone fired a gun into this room! It was an attempt to harm Paine. He wrote about it in a letter:
Whatever the gun was charged with passed through about three or four inches below the window making a hole large enough to (allow) a finger to go through -the muzzle must have been very near as the place is black with powder, and the glass of the window is shattered to pieces.
There are many interesting things in this room. Two chairs were used by Paine when he stayed at Bayeau's Tavern. This tavern was almost directly across North Avenue. Another special item is a stove in the chimney. Benjamin Franklin gave this stove to Thomas Paine. It is one of the few real Franklin stoves still around! There is also a warming pan that belonged to Mrs. Sarah Bache. She was Benjamin Franklin's daughter.
Restoring the Cottage
In 2009, the cottage went through a big restoration project. This helped the museum tell the story of the building better. It showed how it looked when Thomas Paine lived there. The people who take care of the cottage are from the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association. They raised money to fix the building, which is over 200 years old.
They wanted to make the building look as it did originally. They used old photos and clues from the building itself. With a $50,000 grant and donations, they hired an architect and a restoration company. The New Rochelle Historical and Landmarks Review Board checked all the plans.
The work included taking off the asphalt roof. They replaced it with wood shingles. This also uncovered two original windows on the upper floor. Other big changes included rebuilding a separate roof over the porch. They also replaced the wood shingles on the whole house with Weatherboard. Gutters and wood trim were repaired or replaced too.
The Cottage's History
From Farm to Famous Home
The park where Paine's Cottage stands today is a small part of what was once Thomas Paine's farm. This farm was part of a much larger piece of land. It was bought in 1690 by Andre Thauvet. He was one of the first Huguenot settlers in New Rochelle.
Later, the land was owned by Frederick DeVeaux. He was a Loyalist during the American Revolution. This meant he stayed loyal to the British crown. Because he helped the British, the State of New York took his property. DeVeaux then moved to Nova Scotia.
The farm was given to Thomas Paine in 1784. This was a gift from the New York State Legislature. It was to thank him for his "distinguished merit" and "eminent services" during the war. The original stone farmhouse on the property burned down in 1793. This happened while Paine was away in France.
The farm was about 277-acre (112 ha) and was given to Paine for his service.
The Huguenot Association's Role
The Huguenot Association bought the house from Charles See. He wanted to divide the land for new buildings. In 1908, the cottage was moved about 440 yards (400 m) west to its current spot at 20 Sicard Avenue. This is the last part of the original farm that Paine owned.
The current cottage was built in 1793. It was built near where the old Davoue house stood. It was built in two parts. The western part was built soon after 1793. The eastern part was probably added around 1804. Paine owned the property for 25 years. He often leased it out. He wasn't really a farmer. His letters show that writing was his main job. Farming was not as important to him.
In 1804, he described the farm to Thomas Jefferson:
Saving the Cottage
After the Thomas Paine Monument was built in 1839, people tried to save the cottage. They wanted it to be another memorial to Paine. In 1850, they even bought the cottage and a large part of the farm. But this plan didn't work out, and the property was sold.
It wasn't until 1908 that the efforts to save the cottage worked. The owner, Charles W. Seer, generously gave it to the New Rochelle Huguenot Association. They bought the park where the cottage now stands. This park was part of Paine's farm. The cottage was moved to its new spot. It was repaired and turned into a museum and historical center. It officially opened to the public on July 14, 1910.
Around the Cottage Grounds
Paine's Burial Site
Paine died in Greenwich Village, New York on June 8, 1809. He wanted to be buried in a Quaker cemetery. But because of his writings, they said no. His friends brought his body back to New Rochelle. They buried him on his farm, just as he asked in his will:
I know not if the Society of People called Quakers admit a person to be buried in their burying Ground, who does not belong to their Society, but if they do or will admit me, I would prefer being buried there my father belonged to that profession, and I was partly brought up in it. But if it is not consistent with their rules to do this I desire to be buried on my farm at New Rochelle. The place where I am to be buried to be a square of twelve feet, to be enclosed with Rows of Trees, and a Stone or Post & rail fence, with a headstone with my name and age engraved upon it, Author of 'Common Sense'.
His grave was in the northwest corner of a field. It was near the old Davoue Farm lane. A marble headstone marked the spot. A low stone wall surrounded it.
In 1819, an English writer named William Cobbett moved Paine's remains to England. He wanted to build a bigger memorial there. But Cobbett died before he could finish, and the remains disappeared. Later, in 1905, someone claimed to have found a piece of Paine's brain. It was buried under the monument on October 14, 1905. People are still looking for other parts of Paine's body. In 2001, scientists even suggested DNA tests for a piece thought to be his skull.
The Paine Museum
Next to the cottage is a museum built in 1925. It is dedicated to Thomas Paine. The Thomas Paine National Historical Association created this museum. This group started in 1905. It is separate from the cottage and the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association. In 2005, the association sold some of its valuable items. This included a first edition of Common Sense. They did this to pay for repairs to the museum building.
The Paine Monument
The Thomas Paine Monument was created by Gilbert Vale. He was a writer and publisher from New York. John Frazee, a sculptor, made the marble monument. Later, in 1881, a bronze statue of Paine was added. The monument was moved next to the cottage's current location in 1905. The city of New Rochelle owns it.
The Brewster Schoolhouse
The Sophia Brewster One-Room Schoolhouse was also moved to the property. This was the oldest private school in New Rochelle.
