Van Cortlandt Manor is the still-standing estate of a prominent patriot family following the American Revolution. Pierre Van Cortlandt founded the manor and served as New York’s first lieutenant governor. The impressive historical site is located in the town of Croton-on-Hudson, New York. Explore historical issues like emancipation, the rising evangelical movement, and debates over the initial drafting of the Constitution of the United States. Adult tickets cost $12, senior citizen tickets are $10, and children under 17 can enter for $6.
Things to See
The Van Cortlandt Manor estate includes a large stone manor house, a brick ferry house, and outdoor gardens. A large collection of colonial furniture and decorations adorns the inside of the manor house, as well as a well-equipped 18th-century kitchen. The ferry house contains a rural tavern that served travelers of the Albany Post Road food, drink, and shelter. Visitors strolling through the heritage gardens of the Van Cortlandt Manor will discover several species of plants that are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. A quiet country road winds around the scenic Croton River. Every Halloween, the Great Jack O’lantern Blaze showcases hundreds of illuminated pumpkins on the Van Cortlandt Manor lawn. It has quickly become a Fall staple in the Hudson Valley.
Programs
The Van Cortlandt Manor routinely holds guided tours. Tour guides inform about the everyday life of this important family during the Federalist period. Historic Hudson Valley presents special summer tours that showcase three specific themes of early American life, titled “Uncertain Times: the Politics of Early America”, “Natures Bounty: From Farm to Table”, and “Colors of the Past.” The tours combine the displaying of historical objects, presentations, and special activities. Visitors can make their own candles, write letters with contemporary quill pens, and cook celebratory patriotic dishes. The Historic Hudson Valley also runs several school programs grounded by the Common Core system.
