Author: clermontstatehistoricsite
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Wrong Time
This post is the third in a series dealing with early tourism on the Hudson … John Fitch was laboring away on a river that wasn’t likely to produce a good return on his investment. In contrast, Robert Fulton found an immediate niche to fill as he began to ferry the New York upper class…
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First Lady of Clermont?
During a painting survey last week, one of our experienced painting conservators peered through her goggles and mused, \”I think this painting is a Duyckinck.\” My interest was piqued. I looked up the portrait. For one, I have to admit that I was excited to finally here the name Duyckinck pronounced (it sounds like DIE-kink).…
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Wrong River
This post is the second in a series dealing with early tourism on the Hudson … Last time I wrote about some of the problems that John Fitch – creator of the first steamboat – had with … well, with being John Fitch. Fitch\’s temperament probably made him the wrong person to try and sell…
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Finding Arryl House
Chancellor Livingston was in Kingston with the State Senate while his mansion was going up in flames. On October 17, 1777, British Major General Vaughan drew his boats up to Clermont\’s dock on the Hudson River, sent troops ashore, and burned Clermont to the ground. The old mansion was not the only building worth burning;…
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What did Fulton have that Fitch didn\'t?
This post is the first in a series dealing with early tourism on the Hudson … !– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>If you were visiting Clermont during out Halloween season, you might have encountered the ghost of John Fitch. He was the cranky one watching the…
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"Under the Window" and Under My Nose
Ah the Livingstons\’ historic library: it is always a source for new curiousities. The last time I poked my nose in there, I found Beatrix Potter books. This time, I found… Illustrated children\’s books as we know them today were in their infancy when Alice Livingston was growing up in the last quarter of the…
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Underneath it All
\”What did they wear… under there?\” asks the visitor. The question is tentative and curious, but a little nervous that they are diving into some personal territory. In the process of offering more costumed interpretation at Clermont, I\’ve gotten this question a lot. It\’s because much of historic women\’s clothing requires a complex array of…
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Endgame
This is the sixth and final post in a series on Nicholas van Rensselaer… It\’s been six long and winding posts since Nicholas Van Rensselaer told Charles II that he\’d be restored to the throne. Let\’s recap, shall we? (The following section sounds a lot better if you imagine it being read by James Burke.…
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A Greyhound Named Wagon
Here is another dog story to add to the series on pets that I\’ve been building up. Since I will be absent next week for the holidays, I thought I would double up and post an extra blog this week. I will be back to blogging again before the New Year. I was prodded to…
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Nicholas\' Legacy
This is the fifth post in a series on Nicholas van RensselaerThe death of Nicholas was like the breaking of a mirror: it brought the Rensselaer family seven years of misfortune. Not only had they lost their access to the King\’s ear, but they lost control over some of their property as Nicholas\’ widow now…
Clermont State Historic Site 