Thomas Cole House
Encyclopedia
The Thomas Cole House, also known as Cedar Grove or the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, is a National Historic Landmark
that includes the home and the studio of painter Thomas Cole
, founder of the Hudson River School
of American painting. It is located at 218 Spring Street, Catskill
, NY, USA. The site provided Thomas Cole with a residence and studio from 1833 through his death in 1848.
The property was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1965. It was declared a National Historic Site
in 1999.
In 1684, Gysbert uyt den Bogaert purchased about 460 acres (186.2 ha) of land from Native Americans, an area at the mouth of Catskill Creek that was bounded on the east by the Hudson River
. After the death of his last descendent the land was subsequently divided and sold by a speculator in the middle of the 18th century. The land was further subdivided during the Revolutionary War, but the development of the area (including the foundations of the town of Catskill
) only began in the mid-1790s when growth is described in historical sources as “very rapid.”
One of the first landowners was Dr. Thomas Thomson (1750–1805), who arrived in 1787 to practice medicine, speculate in land, and live with his family. After his death and the return of his son Thomas T. Thomson from South America in 1815, the doctor and his family purchased and leased neighboring lots until their property encompassed 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) at its apex. During this period, the family built a Federal-style house as their primary residence, finishing construction in 1816. The first documented references to the property as ‘Cedar Grove’ date to this time.
In 1821, Thomas T. Thomson died. His brother John A. Thomson, known familiarly as “Uncle Sandy,” assumed duties as head of the household. The Cedar Grove property was a working farm, with oxen, cows, beef cattle, hogs, and one horse. Barley, oats, corn, and hay were cultivated, though orchards produced the primary cash crop of the farm. A large extended family lived with Uncle Sandy, including four of his orphaned nieces.
Thomas Cole’s Residency
When Thomas Cole arrived in the early 1830s, Cedar Grove had become “a viable gentleman’s farm.” Looking to secure a more permanent residence in the Catskill area while maintaining a studio in New York City
, Cole rented space from the Thomson family to live and paint. In November 1836 he formally entered the family, marrying John A. Thomson’s niece Maria Bartow in the West Parlor of the Cedar Grove house. She was 23 years old to his 35.
Cole painted numerous scenes of the Catskill landscape around Cedar Grove, including such well-known paintings as ‘Lake with Dead Trees,’ and ‘Kaaterskill Falls.’ Cedar Grove continues to offer views of the Catskill mountains, and Cole expressed his feelings for the site and its proximity to the wilderness in poetry and letters. In 1834 he wrote,
Cole purchased two and a half acres of land outright from John A. Thomson, intending to construct a separate house for his wife and himself, but never did so. Instead, he lived in the master bedroom formerly occupied by John A. Thomson, and raised his children in the main house.
Late in 1839 Cole moved into a new studio, using part of a barn that John A. Thomson had constructed. The studio still stands today, replete with an extra window built to give the artist more northern light. Here Cole painted a number of important works, most notably The Voyage of Life. After John A. Thomson’s death in 1846, Cole erected another studio on the property, which was demolished in the 1970s. In February 1848 Cole caught pneumonia and died in the master bedroom at Cedar Grove, leaving behind his wife and four children.
Post-Cole Years
Cole’s student Frederic Edwin Church
became a close friend of the family and sketched much of Cedar Grove in 1848. Following Cole’s death, a number of artists traveled to visit Cedar Grove, with some renting his studio and making paintings and sketches of the houses and grounds. Jasper Francis Cropsey
and Charles Herbert Moore were among those who visited, and descriptions of the site began to appear in magazines and newspapers. Cole’s privileged position in American art during the mid-19th century ensured constant interest in his place of work by the artistic community until many years after his death.
In the 1880s, however, the family had fallen on hard financial circumstances, with Frederic Church forced to assist them in 1882. The size of the property gradually diminished due to a combination of public works (including a road and reservoir) and sales to help the family’s financial situation. In 1933 the construction of the nearby Rip Van Winkle Bridge
at first threatened to demolish the house, but after concerted efforts by the Cole family only took a portion of land.
In 1964 the last surviving descendent of Cole held an auction to sell a number of Cole’s paintings and furnishings. During the 1960s, the historic flower beds were abandoned, and the old cottage that Cole had initially rented was demolished. After New York State declined to preserve the property, it was purchased by the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development who listed it for sale with restrictive deed covenants in 1981. In 1982 it was purchased by four art enthusiasts who began restoration work. After the National Park Service
declined to acquire the site, a grant from the Beecher Trust helped the Greene County Historical Society purchase the site in 1998. Restoration began in earnest and Cedar Grove opened to the public in 2001.
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
that includes the home and the studio of painter Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole was an English-born American artist. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century...
, founder of the Hudson River School
Hudson River school
The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
of American painting. It is located at 218 Spring Street, Catskill
Catskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
, NY, USA. The site provided Thomas Cole with a residence and studio from 1833 through his death in 1848.
The property was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1965. It was declared a National Historic Site
National Historic Sites (United States)
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
in 1999.
Site History
Pre-Cole YearsIn 1684, Gysbert uyt den Bogaert purchased about 460 acres (186.2 ha) of land from Native Americans, an area at the mouth of Catskill Creek that was bounded on the east by the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. After the death of his last descendent the land was subsequently divided and sold by a speculator in the middle of the 18th century. The land was further subdivided during the Revolutionary War, but the development of the area (including the foundations of the town of Catskill
Catskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
) only began in the mid-1790s when growth is described in historical sources as “very rapid.”
One of the first landowners was Dr. Thomas Thomson (1750–1805), who arrived in 1787 to practice medicine, speculate in land, and live with his family. After his death and the return of his son Thomas T. Thomson from South America in 1815, the doctor and his family purchased and leased neighboring lots until their property encompassed 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) at its apex. During this period, the family built a Federal-style house as their primary residence, finishing construction in 1816. The first documented references to the property as ‘Cedar Grove’ date to this time.
In 1821, Thomas T. Thomson died. His brother John A. Thomson, known familiarly as “Uncle Sandy,” assumed duties as head of the household. The Cedar Grove property was a working farm, with oxen, cows, beef cattle, hogs, and one horse. Barley, oats, corn, and hay were cultivated, though orchards produced the primary cash crop of the farm. A large extended family lived with Uncle Sandy, including four of his orphaned nieces.
Thomas Cole’s Residency
When Thomas Cole arrived in the early 1830s, Cedar Grove had become “a viable gentleman’s farm.” Looking to secure a more permanent residence in the Catskill area while maintaining a studio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Cole rented space from the Thomson family to live and paint. In November 1836 he formally entered the family, marrying John A. Thomson’s niece Maria Bartow in the West Parlor of the Cedar Grove house. She was 23 years old to his 35.
Cole painted numerous scenes of the Catskill landscape around Cedar Grove, including such well-known paintings as ‘Lake with Dead Trees,’ and ‘Kaaterskill Falls.’ Cedar Grove continues to offer views of the Catskill mountains, and Cole expressed his feelings for the site and its proximity to the wilderness in poetry and letters. In 1834 he wrote,
"O Cedar Grove! Whene’er I think to part / From thine all peaceful shades my aching heart / Is like to his who leaves some blessed shore / A weeping exile ne’er to see it more…”
Cole purchased two and a half acres of land outright from John A. Thomson, intending to construct a separate house for his wife and himself, but never did so. Instead, he lived in the master bedroom formerly occupied by John A. Thomson, and raised his children in the main house.
Late in 1839 Cole moved into a new studio, using part of a barn that John A. Thomson had constructed. The studio still stands today, replete with an extra window built to give the artist more northern light. Here Cole painted a number of important works, most notably The Voyage of Life. After John A. Thomson’s death in 1846, Cole erected another studio on the property, which was demolished in the 1970s. In February 1848 Cole caught pneumonia and died in the master bedroom at Cedar Grove, leaving behind his wife and four children.
Post-Cole Years
Cole’s student Frederic Edwin Church
Frederic Edwin Church
Frederic Edwin Church was an American landscape painter born in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters...
became a close friend of the family and sketched much of Cedar Grove in 1848. Following Cole’s death, a number of artists traveled to visit Cedar Grove, with some renting his studio and making paintings and sketches of the houses and grounds. Jasper Francis Cropsey
Jasper Francis Cropsey
Jasper Francis Cropsey was an important American landscape artist of the Hudson River School.-Biography:Cropsey was born on his father Jacob Rezeau Cropsey's farm in Rossville on Staten Island, New York, the oldest of eight children. As a young boy, Cropsey had recurring periods of poor health....
and Charles Herbert Moore were among those who visited, and descriptions of the site began to appear in magazines and newspapers. Cole’s privileged position in American art during the mid-19th century ensured constant interest in his place of work by the artistic community until many years after his death.
In the 1880s, however, the family had fallen on hard financial circumstances, with Frederic Church forced to assist them in 1882. The size of the property gradually diminished due to a combination of public works (including a road and reservoir) and sales to help the family’s financial situation. In 1933 the construction of the nearby Rip Van Winkle Bridge
Rip Van Winkle Bridge
The Rip Van Winkle Bridge is a cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Hudson, NY and Catskill, New York. The structure carries NY 23 across the river, connecting on the west side, US 9W and NY 385 with NY 9G on the east side. The bridge was built by the newly created New York State...
at first threatened to demolish the house, but after concerted efforts by the Cole family only took a portion of land.
In 1964 the last surviving descendent of Cole held an auction to sell a number of Cole’s paintings and furnishings. During the 1960s, the historic flower beds were abandoned, and the old cottage that Cole had initially rented was demolished. After New York State declined to preserve the property, it was purchased by the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development who listed it for sale with restrictive deed covenants in 1981. In 1982 it was purchased by four art enthusiasts who began restoration work. After the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
declined to acquire the site, a grant from the Beecher Trust helped the Greene County Historical Society purchase the site in 1998. Restoration began in earnest and Cedar Grove opened to the public in 2001.