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Locust Lawn: An American Homestead Farm
In a valley filled with historic house museums, Locust Lawn stands out. It is a rare treasure filled with the furnishings, clothing and possessions of three generations of the prosperous 19th century Hasbroucks. Alongside their treasures, the Dutch Terwilliger homestead sits undisturbed by the passing of time.
Today, at what was first the site of pioneering family's prosperous mill and later the hub of a 1,000 acre gentleman's farm created in the Jeffersonian ideal, there is the striking 1814 Federal-style mansion of Josiah Hasbrouck. Colonel Hasbrouck served as a United States Representative during the Jefferson and Monroe administrations, a time of great optimism and change in the young republic. Josiah took it all to heart. The home and farm he developed on his return to the Hudson Valley represent both the height of fashion and the Jeffersonian ideal of pride in the rural, agricultural tradition.
The Hasbrouck family "mothballed" the house in 1885, leaving behind 70 years of finery and furnishings, along with many documents and ephemera. These collections sat largely undisturbed until 1958, when the site was given to Historic Huguenot Street. Curators have inventoried over 500 articles of clothing (many in remarkable condition), stunning portraits by 19th century artist Ammi Phillips and furnishings from the finest Manhattan retailers. All told, the collections tell a remarkable story of success and affluence in the 19th century.
Today, Locust Lawn is open for special tours and programs from May through October. Group tours for parties of six or more can be arranged by appointment.
Locust Lawn is located at 400 Route 32 South, New Paltz, NY 12561
845 255-6070 or 1889
Owned and operated by Historic Huguenot Street
18 Broadhead Avenue, New Paltz, NY 12561 • 845 255-1660