Boscobel features furnishings, decorative arts of Federal period

After the war, using his brother as an agent, States Dyckman acquired lands near Peekskill and adjoining areas along the Hudson River, until he held nearly one thousand acres. In 1789, after amnesty had been declared, he returned to New York. He married Elizabeth Corné, the granddaughter of another prominent Hudson River Valley Tory, at Trinity Church in New York City in 1794. In 1800, States Dyckman again journeyed to London to improve his straightened financial situation, and finally returned to New York in 1804, with his affairs in order.

Influenced by the life that he saw in England, States Dyckman's dream was to build an elegant country home to be called Boscobel. He had already bought china, crystal, and silver in London, as well as a sizable number of books, all of which he had shipped home to his wife, Elizabeth. Soon after his return to the Hudson Valley, States began ordering stone and other construction materials for Boscobel. The foundation had barely been laid when States died in 1806. The inventory taken at the time of his death listed quantities of shingles, planks, and window glass. His widow completed the construction of Boscobel with the help of States' cousin, master builder, William Vermilyea.

Elizabeth Dyckman lived at Boscobel with her son, Peter Corné Dyckman, until her death in 1823. The house remained in the hands of heirs and collateral descendants until 1888. In 1924, after a succession of owners, Boscobel and its surrounding farm land was acquired by Westchester County for the development of a park.

The structure of Boscobel faced future threats to its existence. In 1941, the Crugers Park Administration announced plans to demolish Boscobel. The hastily-formed organization, called Boscobel, Inc., provided funds for maintenance and insurance, and the building was saved from destruction.

In 1945, the Veterans Administration purchased the property as a location for a hospital. By 1955, the VA had found no use for the building, and it was declared excess property. A bid of $35 was accepted for its demolition.

A dramatic rescue operation ensued. Demolition was delayed until the house could be purchased by supporters. The house was then taken apart in sections that were numbered and stored in barns and garages in the nearby area. Additional funds were raised for the reconstruction of the building on a site, similar to the original, in Garrison, New York.

Mrs. Lila Acheson Wallace, who, with her husband, Dewitt, founded the Reader's Digest, was an enthusiastic early supporter of efforts to save Boscobel. Mrs. Wallace provided financial assistance for the reconstruction and furnishing of the house and for the landscaping of the new location. Boscobel was formally dedicated and opened to the public on May 21, 1961.

In 1975, detailed research revealed that the interiors of Boscobel inaccurately reflected the originals as planned by Elizabeth Dyckman. Mrs. Wallace funded a study which led to the acquisition of a collection of New York Federal furnishings. Extensive documentary research into all available historical records also provided the basis for interior and exterior paint colors, floor coverings, and wall papers .

The mansion was closed for six months while the refurnishing was in progress, and Boscobel reopened to the public in June of 1977.

A Museum of the Decorative Arts of the Federal Period

Originally saved because of its architecture, Boscobel is now a museum showing a collection of the decorative arts of the Federal period. Both the architecture and the furnishings reflect the neo-classical style, popular in the early 1800s.

At Boscobel, graceful wooden swags on the facade of the building are repeated on chair backs, a looking glass, and a wardrobe. Swags of laurel are incorporated in the designs of china and the base of a Sheffield candlestick. Graceful details of this kind, illustrated by William Pain in England and Asher Benjamin in America, decorate the mantels and the moldings within and without the Mansion.

Boscobel's beautiful rooms contain examples of the finest cabinet making of the nineteenth century. Included are pieces attributed to Duncan Phyfe, Michael Allison, and Charles Honore Lannuier. Paintings by Benjamin West and John Watson, English prints, and period silver, china, and crystal are also used in the rooms.

Unusual examples of lighting fixtures are exhibited at Boscobel. Among them are a George III silver lucerne lamp made in England about 1800, a gilded wood and metal English chandelier attributed to William Holland, and a pair of glass table candelabra purchased by Dyckman from John Blades of London in 1803.

Boscobel Restoration provides an opportunity for a visitor to see the furnishings and decorative arts of the Federal period used properly within the correct setting.