PREVIEW: THE BENJAMIN TEN BROECK HOUSE  

At the southern end of Flatbush, at the junction of Route 32 with Route 199, is   the Benjamin Ten Broeck house, one of the historically important houses in the Hudson Valley.  Built in three phases, the earliest center section holds a date stone from 1751.  The first expansion was added to the west in 1765 and the final kitchen addition to the east predates the Revolutionary War.  This stone house, filled with period furnishings, has been carefully restored and is an excellent example of new world Dutch vernacular architecture.   

This one and a half story stone house, so typical of Dutch homesteads, spreads low across the flatlands. When you walk through the house as part of the Historic House Tour on May 12^th you will begin to sense how the early inhabitants of old Flatbush ordered their homes and lives around long standing customs from their homeland.

Set in the middle of a once fertile and
productive farm it is easy to imagine rows of tasseled corn and dancing heads of amber grain glistening in brilliant sunlight. Blazing fires glow in the hearths and warm the simple living spaces on the main floor. Boldly dimensioned beams support the tons of grain stored in the garret above and steeply pitched rafters create an ark-like roof, sheltering the rewards of the family labor.  The Ten Broeck house continues after more than 260 years its enduring legacy of hospitality and welcome to all who pass through the community of Flatbush.

The rest of the tour sites, some with interesting settings and spectacular views will be revealed on the day of the tour.