Valentine-Varian House
Encyclopedia
The Valentine-Varian House, built in 1758 by Isaac Valentine and located in the Norwood
section of the Bronx
is the borough
's second oldest house and oldest remaining farmhouse. The house remained in the Varian family, which included Isaac Varian
, New York's 63rd Mayor
until 1905, when it was sold. It is currently a part of the Historic House Trust
and houses the Museum of Bronx History and the offices of the Bronx County Historical Society. It is a two story, five bay fieldstone
residence with a gable roof. It was moved to its present site in 1965 and restored between July 1965 and May 1968.
During the American Revolutionary War
, the House was occupied by Hessian, British
and American troops and survived the war despite a series of battles fought nearby. The House's role in the Revolutionary war was documented in a book published in 1983. The house withstood significant vandalism in the 1960s when it was being converted for use into a museum
. Since its conversion to a museum it has held a number of exhibits about The Bronx and the borough's history.
The Bronx River
Soldier, sometimes called Bronx River Sentry statue is located on the grounds of the House.
Norwood, Bronx
Norwood is a working class residential neighborhood in the northwest Bronx, New York City. As of the census of 2000, the seven census tracts that make up the neighborhood have a population of 40,748...
section of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
is the borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
's second oldest house and oldest remaining farmhouse. The house remained in the Varian family, which included Isaac Varian
Isaac Varian
Isaac Leggett Varian was a New York state legislator and a Mayor of New York.-Political career:Varian was a prominent Democrat and led Tammany Hall from 1835 until 1842...
, New York's 63rd Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
until 1905, when it was sold. It is currently a part of the Historic House Trust
Historic House Trust
The Historic House Trust of New York City was formed in 1989 as a public-private partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to preserve the historic houses located within New York City parks, although most of the houses were not originally city-owned...
and houses the Museum of Bronx History and the offices of the Bronx County Historical Society. It is a two story, five bay fieldstone
Fieldstone
Fieldstone is a building construction material. Strictly speaking, it is stone collected from the surface of fields where it occurs naturally...
residence with a gable roof. It was moved to its present site in 1965 and restored between July 1965 and May 1968.
During the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the House was occupied by Hessian, British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and American troops and survived the war despite a series of battles fought nearby. The House's role in the Revolutionary war was documented in a book published in 1983. The house withstood significant vandalism in the 1960s when it was being converted for use into a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. Since its conversion to a museum it has held a number of exhibits about The Bronx and the borough's history.
The Bronx River
Bronx River
The Bronx River, approximately long, flows through southeast New York in the United States. It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck. The Bronx River is the only fresh water river in New York City....
Soldier, sometimes called Bronx River Sentry statue is located on the grounds of the House.
External links
- Isaac Varian House, 277 Van Cortlandt Avenue, Bronx, Bronx, NY: 7 drawings, 2 photos, 6 data page, and supplemental material at Historic American Building Survey
- The Historic House Trust of New York City :: Valentine-Varian House