Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site

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An official Path Through History Site! Frederick Philipse III and his family resided in this elegant mansion until his Loyalist beliefs resulted in his arrest in 1776, on orders from General George Washington. The oldest house in Yonkers, Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site was built in three stages between the 1680s and 1750s by the Philipse family and the Africans they enslaved. The Philipses were Dutch colonists who built their wealth through fur trade with the Munsee Lunaape, a global shipping empire, and the slave trade. As the fur trade declined, they expanded their land holdings to include much of what is today Westchester and Putnam counties, populated by European tenant farmers and enslaved Africans. Once the wealthiest family in New York, the Philipses were Loyalists during the American Revolution and fled to England following the war, his land and mansion were confiscated and sold at public auction. Today the Hall serves as a museum of history, art and architecture, and a community center. Highlights include its 18th century Georgian architecture, a 1750s papier mache Rococo ceiling, and a collection of presidential portraits. Two floors of interactive, ADA-accessible exhibits tell the story of the confluence of cultures between the Munsee Lunaape, enslaved Africans, and European colonists on the Philipse lands. The museum also features a gift shop, community gallery, and park grounds in the heart of downtown Yonkers

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