HISTORIC JACOB BLAUVELT HOUSE RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORK STATE DESIGNATION; FREE TOURS ANNOUNCED

This summer the Jacob Blauvelt House in New City received official designation as a New York State “Paths through History” site, joining the Stony Point Battlefield and the DeWint House in Tappan as the only sites in Rockland County to receive the designation. To celebrate, the Historical Society of Rockland County (HSRC), which owns and operates the Jacob Blauvelt House, will offer guided tours of the restored circa 1832 farmhouse to the public free of charge. The tours will take place at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. on the Sundays of August 10, August 24, September 7 and September 21, 2014. Group tours are also available by appointment.

The architectural style, furnishings, and decorative elements of the Jacob Blauvelt House reflect those of a typical family of Rockland County and the Hudson Valley region in the first half of the nineteenth century. Members of the Blauvelt family lived in the house from its construction in 1832 until 1970, when it was given to the HSRC. During their more than 100 years living in the house, the Blauvelts made many changes to it; when the HSRC gained ownership, it was restored to its original period and furnished with Blauvelt family pieces, as well as Rockland County and Lower Hudson Valley pieces from the Society’s collection.

“The Path through History will highlight the rich history that exists in New York State by showcasing more than two hundred of our most significant sites and historic milestones,” Governor Cuomo said when the program was launched in 2012. The designation includes listing on the Path through History website (http://www.paththroughhistory.ny.gov), which provides an interactive trip-planning tool that connects historic sites statewide in a variety of ways. Overall, the initiative is “designed to raise the profile of New York State’s unparalleled network of museums, historic sites, and other cultural institutions,” according to the Governor’s Office.

Through the Path through History program, the Jacob Blauvelt House has received brand-new attraction signs to direct visitors to the site. They are located at Exit 11 on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, northbound and southbound, as well as within New City.

“We are proud to receive this important recognition,” says Clare Sheridan, past president of the Historical Society of Rockland County. “The Path through History Program is an important statewide initiative designed to draw attention to the vast amount of history throughout the Empire State. We hope that the addition of the Jacob Blauvelt House to this program will help raise awareness about the wealth of historic resources here in Rockland County.”