Germantown in Columbia County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Clermont Cottage
Constructed between 1790 and 1800, this story-and-one-half cottage was the residence of Margaret Beekman Livingston's farm manager and later generations of farm workers, gardeners, and servants. Alice Delafield Clarkson Livingston (1872-1964), Clermont's last resident moved here from the mansion shortly after World War II to conserve heating fuel. After the war, Clermont Cottage remained her full-time residence until her death.
The mid-1940s garage addition had an upstairs apartment for Alice's daughter Janet. The south wing, erected in the early 1950s, housed an expanded kitchen and guest bedroom. Both additions utilized building materials scavenged from other Clermont buildings. Restored in 2012 by The Friends of Clermont, the cottage now includes a research library, meeting and performance space, and offices.
[Captions:]
Alice in 1906. She donated Clermont to the State of New York in 1962 and died in Clermont Cottage in 1964.
As seen in this 1958 photograph, Alice remained an enthusiastic and active gardener, taking special delight in the garden beds around the cottage.
In this 1950s photo, Alice's daughters Honoria and Janet, and son-in-law Rex McVitty, gather on the back steps. Janet stayed at Clermont Cottage on weekends and holidays away from her Wall Street job.
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Location. 42° 5.322′ N, 73° 55.005′ W. Marker is in Germantown, New York, in Columbia County. It is on Clermont Avenue west of Farm Road Trail, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 87 Clermont Ave, Germantown NY 12526, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Hudson Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Family Crypt (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Children's Playhouse (about 600 feet away); Cutting Garden & Greenhouse (about 700 feet away); The Wilderness Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Walled Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away); The South Spring Garden
Credits. This page was last revised on July 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
