The first section of the Bronck Estate was built in 1663. It was a single room, 20' x 20' stone dwelling with a cellar and attic. That one-room home provided an area for all of the Bronck's living needs. Seven generations of Pieter's descendants would pass the family dwelling from father to child...276 years of tradition. Pieter died in 1669 but the home was passed down the generations until 1939 when the last family owner, Leonard Bronck Lapman, willed the property to the Greene County Historical Society. It has remained open to the public as a museum ever since. What remains today is a collection of buildings, barns, out buildings each unique and reminiscent of a time gone by.
This is the Kitchen Dependency - a detached kitchen behind the main house. It featured a cellar and loft and was used for cooking and storing food. (Photos were not allowed inside the buildings.)
1738 brick-covered house on the right - Hudson Valley Dutch architecture |
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One of the most interesting stories we heard during our tour.....you all may remember that Coxsackie means 'hoot of the owl' or 'place of the owl' according to the native American Mahican Indians. Back when this home was first built, it wasn't all secure like today. The roof was thatched and the home was often the home to various critters and rodents along with the Bronck family. Owls were encouraged to take up residence to help rid the home of unwanted four-footed visitors and these large openings in the facade would be a welcome entry for owls and other large birds to enter. Later windows were added but the openings are large enough that they still accommodate nesting birds and sometimes even owls. Look closely through the openings and you'll see the glass on the inside of the very thick walls.
There's so much to see and do in Greene County. I hope this short series encourages you to take a drive to explore for yourself. Between the Coxsackie owls, the Catskill cats, the Cairo bears, the Bronck House and my next two upcoming posts featuring 'Think Big - A Tiny House Resort' and the 'Mahayana Buddhist Retreat', I promise you'll be heading there soon. If you happened to miss our blog post about lunch at Frank Guido's Port of Call.....it's a good place to fuel up before visiting the Bronck House:
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