Today, we had a visit from one of the leading experts in Dutch vernacular architecture, John R. Stevens author of Dutch Vernacular Architecture in North America 1640-1830. It was a fascinating voyage of discovery and new mysteries. Mr Stevens confirmed that the house had two jambless fireplaces, one in the kitchen and one in the dining room. In 1740 there were two doors at the back if the house that have since been blocked up (one in the library and one in the dining room, now a window). This original structure would have been divided into two equally sized rooms, with a jambless fireplace in the current dining room. The stairs in this structure would have been between the two doors, an enclosed staircase where the downstairs powder room is planned. In 1765 the new kitchen was added, building another jambless fireplace on the North wall. Since the new kitchen had a jambless fireplace built in it, Mr Stevens believes this was built between 1750 and 1765 (pre-revolutionary war). Here are some highlights of Mr Stevens' visit:
We arrived at the house this weekend to meet with the contractors who had poured concrete in the basement on Friday. When we arrived we found a family standing in front of the house taking pictures. Being the friendly types we are, we went over to chat. They told us they were on a haunted house tour and were looking at the house because their daughter had been talking about the ghost at our house for the last couple of days. She had bought a book called "Spooky Hudson Valley" and in it was the story of Maria Deyo and a tragic tale of a mother killing all three children and then killing herself. The family were wonderful and excited to be shown the house. They showed us the book and at the beginning of the story was a picture of our house. The book went on to say that Maria sent the men to the fields and then she slit her daughter's throat and the throat of her other two children...then killed herself. All this happened on September 13 th 1801. There was...
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