Canajoharie in Montgomery County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Van Alstyne Homestead
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, October 22, 2006
1. Van Alstyne Homestead - Canajoharie, NY
16 of 31 Meetings of Tryon County
Safety Committee Held Here 1774-75
General Nicholas Herkimer Received
Commission As Brig. Gen Here 1775
Erected 1940 by New York State Education Department.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1749.
Location. 42° 54.269′ N, 74° 34.27′ W. Marker is in Canajoharie, New York, in Montgomery County. Marker is on Moyer Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is not roadside, but rather mounted right in front of the Van Alstyne building. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Canajoharie NY 13317, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Canajoharie/Canalway Trail/Pathway Through Mountains (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Site of Johannes Reuff's Tavern (about 400 feet away); Northeastern Terminal (about 500 feet away); Canajoharie Academy (about 600 feet away); Sullivan-Clinton Campaign (about 600 feet away); Routes of the Armies (approx. 0.2 miles away); Chester B. Hoke (approx. ¼ mile away); Shaper Quarry (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Canajoharie.
this page online
Regarding Van Alstyne Homestead. The Van Alstyne Homestead at 4 Moyer Street is the oldest building in Canajoharie, N.Y.
Goshen Van Alstyne built the original smaller section of this house around 1738. It was demolished in the late 19th century when the building was being refurbished. The much larger gambrel roof section was constructed in the 1760’s with a southernmost addition being added in the 1770’s. There is no evidence that the house was ever palisaded during either the French & Indian or Revolutionary Wars.
Philip Van Alstyne owned the house during the American Revolution. At this time the house functioned as a tavern and became a frequent meeting place for the Tryon County Committee of Safety. General Nicholas Herkimer received his commission here to command the Tryon County Militia in 1775. Later Colonel Clyde, who commanded at Fort Plain/Fort Rensselaer, is known to have moved his family there after the Cherry Valley Massacre. This may have contributed to the building erroneously being called Fort Rensselaer in some historical texts.
Owned by the Van Alstyne Society, it plays host to the Rensselaer Club. Concerts, meetings and receptions are held here.
Artist & Historian, Rufus Grider, was instrumental in saving the abandoned Van Alstyne house. Later Grider's own research along with historians
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, October 22, 2006
2. Fort Rensselaer
Rufus Grider transformed the house into the area's first museum. In the early 1900s, it became the home of the historic Fort Rensselaer Club. There is no evidence that General Washington ever visited the site.
Also see . . . Additional Information from the Historic American Building Survey. The Historic American Building Survey, based on a letter from W. Scott Van Alstyne Jr. of Madison, Wisconsin dated July 16, 1953, identifies this building as having been Fort Rensselaer, aka the Van Alstyne House. The letter states:
My great-great-great-great-great (5) grandfather Martin J. Van Alstyne built the stone house in Canajoharie. Most books and the marker in front of the house state that it was constructed in 1749. This is probably not true. My ancestor (with another man, Henry Scrmbling) purchased a large tract at Canajoharie of about 700 to 1000 acres in the winter of 1729-30. They bought this land from Cadwallader Coldern sometime lieutenant governor of colonial New York. Colden was the original patentee from the crown. Colden recorded the transaction in question in his diary which, in turn, has been published by the New York Historical Society. My ancestor procede to the site of Canajoharie immediately and from family data we have strong
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, March 9, 2019
3. Van Alstyne Homestead
Additional keywords. Canajoharie Van Alstyne Homestead Tryon County Nicholas Herkimer George Washington
Historic American Building Survey
4. Van Alstyne Homestead
Historic American Buildings Survey, COPY OF OLD PHOTOGRAPH
Historic American Building Survey, 1936
5. Fort Rennselear / Van Alstyne Homestead
Historic American Buildings Survey, N. E. Baldwin, Photographer 1936, GENERAL VIEW.
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, March 9, 2019
6. Fort Rensselaer Club
meeting place since 1898
Credits. This page was last revised on August 6, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 9,230 times since then and 215 times this year. Last updated on September 17, 2009, by Norm Bollen of Amsterdam, New York. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 20, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 3. submitted on March 12, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. 4, 5. submitted on April 20, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 6. submitted on March 12, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
