Boscobel (Garrison, New York)
|
Boscobel
|
|
View of house from entrance road, 2007
|
|
| Location | Garrison, NY |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Beacon |
| Coordinates | 41°24′40″N 73°56′21″W / 41.41111°N 73.93917°WCoordinates: 41°24′40″N 73°56′21″W / 41.41111°N 73.93917°W |
| Area | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Built | 1804-1808 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP Reference # | 77000971 |
| Added to NRHP | 1977 |
Boscobel is an estate overlooking the Hudson River built in the early 19th century by States Dyckman. It is considered an outstanding example of the Federal style of American architecture, augmented by Dyckman's extensive collection of period decorations and furniture. Today it is a historic house museum and popular tourist attraction.
It was originally located in the Westchester County village of Montrose. Restoration efforts in the mid-20th century moved it 15 miles (24 km) upriver to where it currently stands, on NY 9D a mile south of the village of Cold Spring in Putnam County.
Boscobel's distinguishing feature is the unusual delicacy conveyed by the front facade and its ornamentation. Unique among Federal style buildings, carved wooden swags in the shape of drapery, complete with tassels and bowknots, grace the top of the second-story balcony. One-third of the face is glass, with thinner and larger contemporary panels used in the restoration to enhance the existing lightness. The windows are slightly recessed, and the front clapboards are closely fitted and matched in an apparent effort to suggest masonry.
There have been a few minor alterations since the original construction. A rear entrance and stairway, required by contemporary fire codes, were added in 1958 during reconstruction, and a dirt-floored room in the basement became a visitors' bathroom.
Dyckman, a descendant of early Dutch settlers of Manhattan, had managed to retain his family fortune despite being an active Loyalist and working in the British Army's Quartermaster Corps for most of the war, keeping the accounts of various quartermasters. When Sir William Erskine, Quartermaster General, returned to England in 1779 to face an audit and investigation for war profiteering, he asked Dyckman to accompany him. He remained in England ten years, participating in other investigations of quartermasters and only returned to the newly independent United States in 1789.
...
Wikipedia