The Friends of John Jay Homestead in partnership with the
State of New York are working on several important initiatives in 2011.
CARRIAGE BARN PROJECT
More than 200 years after it was built, John Jay’s Carriage
Barn is being reborn as an Education and Visitors Center. In addition to saving
the c.1801 structure that occupies a central place on the grounds, this ambitious
project will create a welcoming space for visitors to learn about John Jay’s
accomplishments as well as the exhibits and attractions available at the Main
House and throughout the Homestead property. Most importantly, the revitalized
Carriage Barn will offer flexible space for school groups and families to participate in
hands-on learning projects, view multimedia presentations and actively engage
in discovering the lessons of history.
HISTORIC COLD FRAME The Friends of John Jay
Homestead have initiated restoration of the historic cold frame on the
property, located south of the Herb Garden. The original cold frame,
built in the late 1800s, is a cement structure set in the ground for the
purpose of protecting less hardy plants in colder months. A newly restored cold
frame will allow for a range of horticultural activities, from forcing bulbs
for winter bloom to starting our vegetable seedlings early. More information.
BEEKEEPING SCHOOL In December 1823, John Jay recorded
paying Ira Clark $4.50 for a hive of bees. Bees provided honey used for
sweetening and wax used for candles, but their main job was pollinating
orchard trees. This spring Bedford Bee Honeybee Service is bringing bees back
to John Jay's farm with the establishment of a 12 colony apiary, and
will be hosting a series of workshops for beginner beekeepers. More Information.
InterGenerate
VEGETABLE GARDEN
John Jay Homestead and
InterGenerate are partnering for the second year to bring a community vegetable garden to
the Homestead. InterGenerate is bringing agriculture back to the Jay's Bedford farm and in the traditional farming spirit, this plot of land will provide food
for 10-12 people who will work the land together. This group will plant
and harvest together in community and will have help from experienced gardeners
from InterGenerate who will serve as guides and teachers.
In addition, we'll have
harvest suppers in the garden and possibly classes in food preservation,
freezing, canning, pickling and drying encouraging greater intradependence for
residents of Westchester County.
InterGenerate HERITAGE EGG CO-OP Our Heritage and our Future, in an Eggshell Join InterGenerate's new Heritage Egg Co-op at John Jay Homestead; learn the basics of backyard farming, enjoy lots of fresh eggs and support breed diversity. More details about the Egg Co-op and how to get involved.
Summer Kitchen The newly furnished historic summer
kitchen located on the basement level of the Main House at John Jay Homestead
will be opening in April 2011, adding to the growing list of things to do during
a visit to the Homestead. Furnished entirely with reproduction
furniture and objects, visitors to
the kitchen may immerse themselves in the early 19th century
experience, learning through hands-on interaction with the objects and space. More Information.
JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD HISTORY QUEST A Quest is an
environmental treasure hunt for children and families to enjoy. Each Quest
is based on a “story” of the park or preserve where it is installed
and reflects the special characteristics of that site. A Quest booklet contains
clues and directions to approximately a dozen and a half clue boxes along the
trail, many of which are interactive. Everyone learns about the site and
the environment as they go along, and are later able to extrapolate on what
they have learned by applying it to their own backyards and neighborhoods. Each
Quest takes approximately an hour to complete. The Grand Opening of the John Jay Homestead History Quest, sponsored by Westchester Land Trust, is expected to be in early June. Check back for more details on this project.
THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN The newest
garden at the Homestead is the Butterfly Garden. Cameron
Krane, a local Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 129, designed and built the
garden as his Eagle Scout project. The garden is located by the historic
Ice Pond, and was designed to attract and nurture native butterflies and
hummingbirds. The garden will be maintained by Boy Scout Troop
129. See pictures of the garden.
What's New When You Take a House Tour NANCY JAY'S BEDROOM
This
room on the second floor of the historic Jay house was formerly depicted
as the Farm Manager's. It has been reinterpreted as that of John Jay's
daughter, Nancy. During the last two years, the space has been completed
transformed with custom millwork, textiles, and prints from a rustic 1790s
appearance indicative of an employee's quarters, to an elegant, feminine, 1820s
room, fitting for the woman of the house.
Previously,
the tour of the historic house focused on the lives of John Jay and his son,
William Jay. With the bedroom's official re-opening in November, the tour
now includes a discussion of Nancy ’s role in the management of the household,
her life as a single woman in her 30's living in 1820's Bedford, her
involvement in the anti-slavery movement and other reform movements and her
relationships with family and friends. The restoration also
gives the staff and docents the platform to expand on important broad concepts such as the role
of women in society and the education of girls in the 18th and 19th
centuries. Learn more about Nancy Jay's bedroom restoration.View the Nancy Jay Timeline.
CURRENT EXHIBIT Slaves, Slavery & the Jay Family
The
latest exhibit to open in the Back Parlor is Slaves, Slavery and the Jay
Family, which chronicles the transition of the Jay family from
slave-owners (and likely traders) to manumissionists and abolitionists; it
additionally traces the tortuous process of New York State toward emancipation.
The exhibit describes the slaves and servants who lived with different members
of the Jay family, including some who were enslaved for part of their lives and
then freed. From stories in Jay family papers, attendees can sample the breadth
of individual experiences, speculate about the nature of slavery in this part
of the country, and try to understand the lives of people who left no primary
record themselves. Among the historic treasures displayed in this
exhibit is a meticulously kept account book, entirely in John Jay's
handwriting, The exhibit will run through February 2012. Learn more about this exhibit.
WHAT'S NEW on our Historical Essays page? See the newest addition, by our own curator, Allan Weinreb: The Jays and Religion: A Talk Given For the 200th Anniversary of the Construction of St Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bedford, New York.
Seasons/Hours:
John Jay Homestead
State Historic Site is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Historic house tours
are available by appointment. Please call the site at 914.232.5651 for
reservations. Non-reserved tours are available on an hourly basis according to
the schedule below. Historic house tour admission is $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for
seniors and students, and free for children up to age 12 and Friends'
members.
