Tobias Van Steenburgh House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tobias Van Steenburgh House
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| Location | Kingston, NY |
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| Built | ca. 1700 |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001493 |
| Added to NRHP | 1999 |
The Tobias Van Steenburgh House is a cool old stone house in Kingston, New York. It was built a long time ago, around the year 1700! You can find it on Wall Street.
Guess what? This house is super special because it was one of the only buildings in Kingston that the British didn't burn down during the American Revolution in 1777! There's even a big sign on the front that tells this amazing story. In 1999, it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
Exploring the Old House
This historic house is on the west side of Wall Street. It's in a neighborhood with other homes, but this one stands out! Behind the house, there's a modern garage and a swimming pool. These newer parts aren't considered part of the original historic building. An iron fence separates the property from the sidewalk.
What the House Looks Like
The house has a full basement and is one and a half stories tall. It's made of limestone rocks, giving it a strong, old look. The roof is very steep and has a pointy shape, with a big window sticking out in the middle.
On the back of the house, there's a wooden part that was added later. It's a bit wider than the stone house itself.
The Front of the House
The front of the house has five window sections, but they aren't perfectly even. The main front door is right in the middle. The windows have thick, strong frames.
Near the front, there's a large stone sign. It explains that the house "suffered no injury" when British soldiers burned Kingston on October 16, 1777. It also says that the Van Steenburgh family lived here for 200 years!
Inside the House
When you walk through the main door, you enter a hallway that goes all the way through the original stone part of the house. On one side, there's a living room (called a parlor back then), and on the other, a big dining area.
Both rooms have cool wooden beams on the ceiling. The living room has a fancy fireplace mantel with a sunburst design. The dining room has a large, simple fireplace that was used for cooking. Doors at the back lead to the newer parts of the house, which now have an office and a modern kitchen.
A Glimpse into History
The owner of the house in the late 1930s said the house was built around 1700. The first owner was Jan Janisse, who later took the name Van Steenburgh after he got married in 1660.
Why It Wasn't Burned
During the American Revolution, a man named Tobias Van Steenburgh owned the house. No one knows for sure why this house wasn't burned down by the British in 1777. There are a few fun stories about it:
- One story says that a woman named Mrs. Hammersly lived there. She was friends with the British, and some say she was even in love with a British officer who decided to spare her home.
- Another story says the British started to burn the house, but then they got an order to leave quickly. Slaves who were hiding nearby supposedly put out the small fire after the soldiers left.
- A different version of that story says the house was an inn at the time. The slaves rolled out a barrel of rum and gave free drinks to the soldiers until the order came for them to leave!
Later Years
The Van Steenburgh family owned the house for a very long time, until the mid-1800s. In 1897, on the 120th anniversary of Kingston being burned, a local group called the Daughters of the American Revolution put the special plaque on the front wall.
In 1930, an architect named Henry Graiser added the back part of the house. He made sure it looked like it belonged with the old stone building. The house hasn't changed much since then, keeping its historic charm!
