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| Guest bedroom with furnishings - by Marie C. Dimino |
The Lansing Manor is a history buff's dream come true. This tourist attraction, located in Blenheim, NY, is free and open to the public.
Try to imagine: It is 1819. You and your family have traveled for several days by horse and buggy. You are tired and weary and just want to finally relax. At last you have reached your destination. When the carriage pulls over and halts, your eyes are immediately drawn to the magnificent country estate in front of you. The next thing you know, you are surrounded by a butler and servants. They rush over and eagerly greet you while unloading your heavy trunks from the wagon. You are welcomed with the highest respect and regard.
You have just arrived at the Lansing Manor in Blenheim-Gilboa, New York. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is now operated and located by the New York State Power Authority in cooperation with the Schoharie County Historical Society.
John Lansing served on the New York State Supreme Court from 1790 to 1801. In 1787, he represented New York as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. In 1788, he was a delegate at the New York State Ratification Convention. In 1801, he was appointed Chancellor of New York State until 1814, when he reached the retirement age of sixty. In 1817, he was appointed a regent of the University of the State of New York.
In 1819, The Lansing Manor was built as a wedding gift for his daughter and son-in-law, Jacob Livingston Sutherland. Since that time, it has had several other occupants.
The house is filled with antique furnishings hand-carved by fine furniture makers of the 19th century. Every room is filled with interesting items from the late 1800s and early 1900s, and set up as though someone is still living there. The china and silverware are laid out, giving the feeling that you were just invited to dinner. The informative and very cordial tour guides walk you through every room describing in detail the history of every object and what it was used for. There are fireplaces in every room.
The Lansing Manor has four stories: the cellar, main floor, upstairs bedrooms and attic.
The Cellar
In the cellar there are many pantries, a wine storage room, a huge wooden, country kitchen table for preparing the food, an informal breakfast room, servants' dining area, and a sunken alcove for root vegetables. Original household items are on display, including the servants' dishes and cooking utensils. An old butter churn for making butter and cream sits in the corner. Large barrels and washboards for doing laundry are set near the back door. Off to the side, there is an inconspicuous room that contains wine-making artifacts.
Many servants lived on the premises where they worked and resided in the cellar. Each had separate jobs to do. Some men had the unpleasant task of shoveling coal into the fire hearth, which was used to cook and bake bread. Others chopped and stacked wood for the fireplaces, which kept the house warm. The women baked and cooked all day, cleaned the house, took care of the laundry, and looked after the children.
The Main Floor
When you first walk into the house, there is a huge foyer which was converted into a formal dining room when guests were entertained. The servants would set up a large dining table and chairs. Several original portraits of former occupants are hung on the wall. The tour guide describes the history behind each person.
The tour guide also explains every room detail. There are separate parlors for social gatherings. Men and women never sat together in the same room unless they were dining. When there were visitors, the men would sit together and discuss politics or play chess, while the women worked together on needlepoint and chatted in the tea room. The library contains a desk and books from the early part of the 18th century, including an ancient Bible, still on original shelving.
The adults and older children ate together in a small dining room on the main floor. The younger children ate and slept upstairs with their nanny.
The Second Floor
Upstairs you will find the master bedroom, children's bedrooms, and a separate room reserved for the seamstress, who came to the house twice a year to sew new clothes for the family. Original clothing is hung and displayed revealing the styles of early 1900s American fashion. Outside of each room are a small, private dressing room and a wash basin, as there were no bathrooms or running water during that time. There is still an outhouse outside.
The Attic
The attic was used for storage and the children frequently played there. It is closed to the public.
Where It's Located and Visiting Hours
If you head up to the Catskills in New York for vacation and enjoy historical places, you do not want to miss a trip to The Lansing Manor.
The museum is opened to the public from May through October. Visiting hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and closed on Tuesdays.
No appointment or reservation is necessary unless you plan to attend with a large group. There is ample parking, public restrooms and picnic tables on the premises.
The Lansing Manor Museum, 1378 State Route 30, North Blenheim, NY 12131, Phone: 800-724-0309.
