Van Cortlandt House Museum

Van Cortlandt House Museum. Broadway at West 246th Street. , About the House , Built of native fieldstone in the vernacular English Georgian style in 1748, Van Cortlandt House is the oldest surviving building in The Bronx. van Cortlandt House was the centerpiece of a large provisioning plantation. Established circa 1691 by Jacobus Van Cortlandt, the plantation was built and improved upon by enslaved people. Five generations of the Van Cortlandt family lived here through the late 1880s, when the plantation was sold to the City of New York for use as public parkland. The Museum was opened to the public in 1897 by The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York, which owns and interprets the collections. Van Cortlandt House retains much of its original character, including unique brownstone gargoyle-like keystones over the front windows and an ornate carved mantel in the East Parlor. The Van Cortlandt House Museum is a member of the Historic House Trust., National Historic Landmark (1967) , National Register of Historic Places (1967) , New York State Register of Historic Places (1980) , New York City Landmarks (Individual-1966, (Interior-1975), For operating hours and more information, call (718) 543-3344 or visit vchm.org.