From House to Museum

From House to Museum. . , Today Fenimore Art Museum stands on this property, but two centuries ago a small wooden farmhouse stood in its place. James Fenimore Cooper lived here for four years in the mid-1810s with his wife, Susan, shortly after the two married., The house changed after 1829, as future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Nelson enlarged it during his nine-year residency. Edward Severin Clark enacted a more drastic change in the early 1930s when he replaced the old farmhouse with a Colonial Revival mansion, later known as "Fenimore House." The new wing, constructed in 1995, plus extensive interior renovations, transformed Clark's home into the museum you see today., 1915 , Fenimore Farmhouse, ca. 1915 , Edward Severin Clark acquired the Greek Revival farmhouse through his grandfather's will. Clark lived here for several decades before deciding to build a new home., 1930 , Fenimore House, 1930 , In early planning and construction, the farmhouse was attached to the new house as a southern wing. The farmhouse was replaced by a new wing before the house's completion in 1933., 1943 , Fenimore House, ca. 1943 , Edward Severin Clark died in 1933, the same year the house was completed. In 1944, his brother, Stephen C. Clark, offered it to the New York State Historical Association., Art is Good for the Mind , Studies have shown that creating art is beneficial to our mental health and can help people suffering from dementia, depression, and anxiety. These grounds are a great place to lift your mood through outdoor sketching, painting, and photography. , Excellus [Blue Cross Blue Shield]