Learning about history doesn’t only happen in school classrooms. New York City dates back to 1624, so why not experience a living history at several historic houses that remain intact and restored around our city? Kids can travel back in time, learning how their great-great-great-plus! grandparents lived in years past.
Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
4881 Broadway at 204th Street
dyckmanfarmhouse.org
Perched above Broadway at 204th Street in upper Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood, this Dutch Colonial style farmhouse was built in 1784, and opened as a museum in 1916. Nestled in a small garden, this charming reminder of early New York is the last farmhouse in Manhattan.
Gracie Mansion
Carl Schurz Park, 88th Street and East End Avenue Street
nyc.gov
Built in 1799 by shipping merchant Archibald Gracie, the Federal style home serves as the official Mayor’s residence. It is one of the last of the elegant homes that once lined Manhattan’s East River shore.
Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island
historicrichmondtown.org
NYC’s only historic town and farm museum complex dates back to the 1600’s, with over 30 original structures and thousands of artifacts, photographs, and archival collections about early American life.
Little Red Lighthouse
Fort Washington Park, 178th Street and the Hudson River
nycgovparks.org
Built in 1880, Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse gets its nickname from the 1942 classic children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge about the friendship between the tiny beacon and the looming giant George Washington Bridge. Visitors can climb the long iron staircase to the top of the tower, where the lantern room has a working lens that still blinks at passing ships.
Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park
queensfarm.org
Dating back to 1697, this is one of NYC’s last operating farms. The 47-acre parcel has an historic farmhouse and barn, livestock, farm vehicles and equipment, planting fields, an orchard, herb garden and vineyard. Farm staff plants, harvests, and sells the crops—and cares for cows, sheep, goats, chickens, and pigs. There are hayrides, a petting zoo, demonstrations of farming techniques, open hearth cooking, and animal care.
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Central Park, 79th Street and West Drive
cityparksfoundation.org
Built in 1876 as a Swedish one-room schoolhouse, the cedar and pine structure was moved to Central Park and later became home to the children’s marionette theatre troupe. Original 19th-century materials remain intact, including patterned shingles, simple hardware, and hand-rubbed interior paneling.
