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A ride along the Boston Post Road is like a passageway though 10,000 years of history, though the past 300 are the most readily apparent. The area, a National Historic Landmark district, is home to three outstanding examples of early 19th century high style architecture, important natural areas, a 10,000+ year old Paleo-Indian archaeological site, and the oldest human-managed meadow on record in New York State.
The district is particularly significant for its association with John Jay, New York’s only native-born founding father of the United States and the only founding father to serve in every branch of US government. The entire district had been part of the estate where he grew up and often returned to as a refuge from political life. The Greek Revival home that forms the basis for the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) was built in 1838 by Peter Augustus Jay on the footprint of his father and grandfather’s original home “The Locusts”, reusing some of the original timbers and nails.
The house, outbuildings and surrounding property are managed by the not-for-profit Jay Heritage Center for use as an educational facility. The JHC hosts programs in American history, social justice, landscape conservation and environmental stewardship. It is also the site of a well-regarded summer Architecture Camp program.
When purchased by Westchester County after a protracted preservation battle, the property was in a state of neglect. The house had been vandalized and had become an eyesore.
Beginning in 1993, the house has undergone a meticulous and carefully thought out restoration. A conscious decision was made to leave portions of each room in a raw or unrestored state so that the history of the building is readily apparent. This stunning result is the work of several prominent restoration artisans including Bruce MacDonald, who will be leading the workshop with his restoration crew from Ashwood Restoration.
In November 2008, the house became the oldest National Historic Landmark structure in New York State to use an energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling system, serving as a model in sustainability.
The 1907 Van Norden Carriage House, a second building being restored by the JHC, is a Classical Revival masterpiece in its own right; it serves as the JHC Visitor Center and houses both permanent and temporary exhibits.
The Carriage House, as well as the nearby “Zebra Barn”, was designed by Frank A. Rooke for later residents, Warner and Grace Talcott Van Norden. Rooke, known for designing stables, also designed the Claremont Riding Academy, itself the subject of a recent preservation battle, and the Sheffield Farms dairy plant, both in Manhattan.
The most recent project milestone was the return and reinstallation of the original four-faced Seth Thomas clock in the cupola.
The exterior and much of the ground floor of the carriage house have been restored and returned to use; a major component left is the exterior apron and the interior floor. During the building’s use as a retreat center in the 1970s, the floor was covered with a variety of materials. The focus of the work will be removing the mastic, tile and cement layers to uncover the original 1907 features below.
A key additional task will be salvaging brick for use in restoring the brick apron outside the carriage house’s massive doors. Participants will thoroughly document the 1970’s barbeque and 1960’s wood stove surround before dismantling them and cataloging the brick for reuse in the restoration process. While not contributing features to the significance, they are nevertheless part of its history and will be measured, sketched and photographed.
The majority of the work will be conducted inside, so heat and inclement weather will not affect the ability of volunteers to work. However, we will still make time for field trips to explore other parts of the historic district and to explore, in-depth, the restoration work that has been done in the main house.
Participants will have the special opportunity to visit the two other major houses in the district: Lounsberry, a privately owned, Greek Revival masterpiece built in 1831, and Whitby, the Gothic Revival structure designed by Alexander Jackson Davis for William Chapman and completed in 1854. It now serves as Rye Golf Club clubhouse; we will take a behind the scenes tour and have refreshments.
We will also spend time exploring the extensive woodland trails and saltmarshes at the neighboring Marshlands Conservancy, a 137-acre wildlife preserve.
The workshop will be four days in length. The cost of the workshop is US$2,150 which covers lodging, breakfast and lunch, insurance, workshop materials, instruction and field trips. Transportation to the workshop is not included and is the responsibility of the participant.
Workshop participants will be housed in Rye and may check in on Sunday.
Project hours are Monday – Thursday, from 8:30am to 5pm. Lunch is included in the program and will be served at the site. If you are traveling from out of town, you should plan to arrive on Sunday to settle in and be ready for the fun to begin at 8:30 Monday morning. Evenings are free for exploring the area. Rye, New York, is home to Playland, a historic amusement park designated as a National Historic Landmark, and a must-see for fans of wooden rollercoasters.
We will gather at the site Monday morning to meet Bruce MacDonald and his crew, tour the Jay Heritage Center and begin our work. Instruction will be in English. A detailed agenda will be emailed out before the start of the workshop.
If arriving by air, there are three airports serving the New York metropolitan area: Newark International, J F Kennedy International and LaGuardia International. Pick-up from the airport can be arranged if needed. If you are coming from outside the region and would like assistance with travel arrangements, contact Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters, AiP’s partnering travel agency.
Rye, New York is easily accessible by train from New York, making this workshop a great "staycation" for New Yorkers looking for a volunteer getaway that doesn’t require long-distance travel or overnight stays. The "staycation" rate is just US$375 and includes lunches, insurance, workshop materials, instruction and field trips.
Summer in New York can be quite hot and muggy. Temperatures range from daytime highs in the upper 80s F (31 C) to the mid 90s (36 C), to overnight lows in the 70s F (20 C). Bring attire suitable for the weather that will also be comfortable for activities and protective while working. Close-toed shoes are required, and water bottles, work gloves, insect repellant and sunscreen are recommended. Much of our work will be done inside the carriage house where temperatures remain pleasantly cool. Please be conscious that safety is an important issue at any work site.
Sunday
Arrival, if coming from out-of-town.
Monday
Meet Bruce MacDonald and other volunteers at 8:30am at the Carriage House for orientation, followed by instruction. Lunch provided at the site.
Tuesday through Thursday
Work 8-4, with lunch provided at the site.
Half-day field trip.
Friday
Departure if from out-of-town.
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss this project with AiP staff, please contact us at workshops@adventuresinpreservation.org or call +1 303-444-0128.
Attending AiP's workshop at the Jay Heritage Center is a great way to help preserve this National Historic Landmark. If you find this project intriguing, but are unable to attend, you can still make an impact by supporting restoration work at the carriage house with a tax-deductible donation to AiP. Your donation will go directly to workshop planning, scholarships and materials.
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form.
