Whenever we think of Manhattan, all one imagines are industrial lofts and exposed bricks full of overpriced furniture. But if you know where to look, nestled between high-rise buildings is a 230-year-old farmhouse which is anything but the stereotypical manhattan home.
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Built-in the 1700s, the old farmhouse looks like it belongs in a different world. Please scroll down and look inside this perfectly preserved masterpiece which finally sheds light on what life in New York City was like before it became a concrete jungle.
Hidden Gem
It is proudly situated in the Inwood area of Manhattan on Broadway and 204th Street, surrounded by modern commercial buildings and stacked apartment blocks and offices. The farmhouse quietly watches as traffic whizzes in front of it.
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While locals don’t think twice about the building, anyone interested in history and exploring the area’s authentic culture should visit the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum. A place that has been quietly hiding secrets for hundreds of years.
History
The property was constructed and built by Dutch immigrants in 1784 and has held its ground for over 230 years. The Dyckman clan left their home in the Netherlands in the 17th century to make a new life for themselves in America.
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While the farmhouse nowadays is priceless, it was once considered a humble abode, but even then, it wasn’t easy constructing the home. The family moved around quite a bit before they settled in what is now known as Manhattan.
Fleeing
Meredith Horsford is the historian responsible for conducting in-depth research on the family’s roots and has managed to find out the exact details of why the family left and what happened when they arrived in America. “The Dyckman family came to America from the Netherlands in the 1600s.”
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She continued,” They were in what’s now called Harlem but then built their first home just northeast of the current farmhouse, But the family fled the house when the Revolutionary War broke out.”
A Spacious Estate
Horsford also oversees the everyday operations of the farmhouse as an executive director. In addition, the historic property now serves as a museum. Sadly, we only have the main building left standing, but initially, the estate spanned 250 acres of land.
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As well as the farmhouse, three more homes were peppered throughout the land. And you would have also found a barn, cider mill, stable, and a few corn cribs. All in all, then, it was a bustling space.
Small Community
The immigrant family had humble beginnings but soon grew their family and business. Jacobus Dyckman is believed to be why the family and its farmhouse remained intact even after 200-something years.
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Jacobus had three children. Their names were Isaac, Michael, and Jacob. And asked his niece and grandson to join them on the property. Plus he also allowed ten locals to live on the estate. This meant that the farmhouse became a small town hosting its fairs and social activities.
Motivated
While Jacobus ensured that the family business was strong and blossoming, his personal life was anything but. From 1809 to 1822, Jacobus lost five of his 11 children, his spouse Hannah, and one of their grandchildren.
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That’s seven family deaths in 13 years. But, while many would have let all these personal tragedies deter them from working, Jacobus was determined to do the opposite. He was resolved to turn their humble farm into a flourishing business.
His Vision
The only way to do that was to overcome northern Manhattan’s less-than-ideal landscape. Jacobus wanted to grow high-yield crops like apple and cherry trees. Apart from that, he also diversified his crops and planted vegetables and fruits.
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He also expanded the Dyckmans’ ownership of the land, and when Jacobus passed away in 1832, he had already taught his sons Micheal and Isaac all the tricks to see his vision complete. By the late 1860s, it spanned well over 300 acres in Manhattan.
Strange Turn
The brothers worked together for two decades and had kids and even their grandkids. Both of them lived in the farmhouse until their passing. But things turned odd when the estate was willed to James Frederick Smith, one of Jacobus’ grandsons through Isaac.
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The Dyckman clan was deeply invested in keeping the land in the family, so Isaac’s last will and testament forced James to choose. He would have to change his name to inherit the farmhouse, or it would be auctioned off.
New Owners
And with an estate that was 340 acres big with multiple buildings, it was an easy and straightforward decision for James Frederick Smith, who changed his legal name to Isaac Michael Dyckman.
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The newly named Isaac Michael Dyckman had two children, Fannie Fredericka Dyckman Welch and Mary Alice Dyckman Dean. The sisters grew up in the farmhouse we see today and described their childhood as idyllic.
Back Home
Though Isaac had changed his name and tried his best to grow the farm, unfortunately, he wasn’t as adept at it as the previous owners, and in 1915, the sisters returned home to protect the farmhouse as it was on the verge of being torn down.
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Isaac had also been forced to sell much of the land, and it was only with the sister’s help was the farmhouse saved. Both of them were married to respectable and wealthy partners, and with their help, the duo was able to bring the farmhouse back to life.
New Role
The sisters, Mary and Fannie, were the ones who came up with the idea of turning the farmhouse into a museum, and after it was restored to its original state, they opened it up to the public.
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Dyckman Farmhouse Museum focused on the family’s legacy and celebrated the clan’s time in New York. It chronicled how they have come to own one of the giant farms in the state and their plans to continue their legacy.
New York Officials
Running the museum was more work than expected, and in 1916, the keys to the farmhouse were given to New York Officials. They were given complete control of the building and became responsible for its preservation.
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And thanks to this, we still enjoy the beauty of the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum. This somewhat controversial decision at the time is why this family farmhouse survived in the middle of Manhattan, where others crumbled.
Changes Through The Years
It is expected that any building standing for more than 200 years will encounter significant changes, but the Dyckman Farmhouse is unique. It hasn’t changed much, but its surroundings are nearly unrecognizable.
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As far back as 1885, the sidewalk was built to be level with the farmhouse. But those pavements were eventually lowered by about 15 feet in the following years. As a result, the building is much higher, with paved walls and greenery filling the lower sections.
Exterior Changes
This drastic height difference between the pavement and the house allowed the family to build a secure garden, and to this day, it remains amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City.
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While the garden is impressive in its own right, the true star is the small cannon that can be dated back 200 years. The entire garden is held together by fieldstone, wood, and bricks, a nice contrast to the surrounding concrete and red brick.
Front Porch
After visitors are done marveling at the charm of the garden, they are greeted with a bright and inviting front porch which was once level with the street but now overlooks the busy road from above.
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This is the original front porch of the property. This only makes us wonder at all the guests that have come through the doors of the Dyckman farmhouse. If walls could talk, this porch would be the first one we would run for answers.
Inside
The front porch opens up to a cozy room that contains a couple of desks, a fireplace, and a grandfather clock in the corner. “This room was like a living room for the Dyckman family,” the guidebook explains. “They would use this room for spending time together, reading, writing, and even telling stories.”
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While our modern-day eyes might think the rooms are decorated, considering the time period in which it was constructed, the Dyckman Farmhouse is leaps and bounds ahead. It was furnished extensively with direct attention to comfort and relaxation in mind.
Small Details
And the farmhouse caretakers have ensured that their love and affection for the property are conveyed to visitors by styling the desks with old newspapers and notes. As a result, no detail is forgotten, and even cubby holes are filled with old letters.
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Our favorite detail is a quill and ink pot in the corner. While most of the farmhouse remains as it was when used by the family, the addition of one room by New York officials is anything but traditionally and historically accurate.
The Relic Room
But it is necessary. Called the “Relic Room,” this space is filled with family memorabilia extending back generations. It gives visitors a fascinating snapshot of the past while also allowing them to create a personal connection with the Dyckman family.
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The Relic Room holds some of the family’s old possessions, safely stored in glass cabinets. Then, after you finish marveling at them, you can head straight to the ground-floor bedroom where Jacobus Dyckman was supposed to have slept.
Upstairs
While downstairs looks much like a modern-day home, it is when they reach upstairs do they start noticing the differences. The stairs lead to a landing surrounded by four doorways. The landing was once a single bedroom 200 years ago.
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All of the bedrooms were installed in the 1820s and are relatively small. Only one has a fireplace, while others used blankets to stay warm during the cold New York winter. The original kitchen, which was separated from the main house, was sadly destroyed, but the winter kitchen, situated in the basement, is still intact.
Modern-Day Life
While the Dyckman Farmhouse draws in visitors interested in the last surviving farmhouse in New York City, it also holds a special place for the surrounding community.
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“Throughout the year, we host public programming for the community. We do history lectures, bilingual reading aloud, and a summer camp for children where we talk about what it’s like to live on a farm.” The guide continued” “It’s a great opportunity to teach kids where their food comes from. In addition, we work with local artists and display their art inside the house. It’s kind of cool to have contemporary art among historical furnishings. We also do kids’ art workshops and conduct a math workshop in the summer.” It is heartwarming to know that while the Dyckmans might not live at their ancestral farmhouse anymore, the space is still maintained as a communal space for the community.
