Germantown in Columbia County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Children's Playhouse
John Henry Livingston, great-grandson of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, converted this 19th-century garden shed into a playhouse for his young daughters in 1911. It was here that Honoria and Janet Livingston kept all of their "pet possessions." Directly across a path from the building, their mother Alice Delafield Clarkson designed a children's garden to teach the girls the joys of horticulture. By 1930, the playhouse was again being used to store garden tools and materials. The playhouse was restored in 1996.
[Captions:]
The pull-toy horse and blackboard seen in the above 1912 photograph of the playhouse interior are preserved in the collections of Clermont.
In this ca. 1916 photograph, Honoria, Janet, and the family dog Rufus stand in the door of the playhouse with their Christmas Tree visible just inside.
The large 1913 photograph shows Honoria and Janet Livingston along the path to the playhouse under the watchful eye of their aunt, possibly Julia, seen at the top right. The shed to the right of the playhouse included an enclosure for the girls' ducks and rabbits (inset photographs). The shed was demolished sometime after 1918.
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Location. 42° 5.237′ N, 73° 55.051′ W. Marker is in Germantown, New York, in Columbia County. It can be reached from Clermont Avenue near Clermont State Park, on the right when traveling north. 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: Cutting Garden & Greenhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wilderness Garden (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Walled Garden (about
Credits. This page was last revised on June 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
