Madam Brett Homestead

The original portion of the Madam Brett Homestead was built in about 1709 by Catheryna and Roger Brett, who had settled on land inherited from father, Francis Rombout, one of the three patentees of southern Dutchess County.

Widowed at a young age, Madam Brett remained in the "wilderness" to raise three young sons. She became a successful businesswoman, operating a mill and forming a trading cooperative for local settlers.

During the American Revolution, the homestead was visited by George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and the Baron von Steuben.

Notable features of the house include handmade scalloped shingles, sloped dormers and a native stone foundation. Also noteworthy are the wide- floors, hand-hewn beams and the kitchen fireplace. Original furnishings include a large China-Trade Porcelain collection and 18th and 19th century furniture.

The oldest building in Dutchess County, the homestead was occupied by seven successive generations of Madam Brett's descendants before it was saved from demolition and purchased by the Melzingah Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution in 1954.

The Madam Brett Homestead is an outstanding bit of American history, and the people of Beacon are fortunate to have in their vicinity this important link with the past:

Madam Brett Homestead is the oldest home in Dutchess County.

- Built in 1709.

- Home of the first white woman to establish her residence in the highlands Hudson's River -- and the patron of this entire area.

- Storehouse for supplies and shelter for American soldiers during the Revolution

- Favorite visiting spot of Washington, Lafayette, von Steuben and other distinguished patriots.

- Occupied for nearly 250 years by seven generations of the same family.

- Is one of the oldest standing buildings in Dutchess County -- this house merits the veneration of all who pass its door.

A strange coincidence in history places its construction midway between the discovery of the river by Hendrik Hudson in 1609 and the first successful application of steam to navigation by Robert Fulton on that same river in 1807: Hudson in 1609, Brett in 1709, Fulton in 1807. Fulton's name is directly linked to the house, for his eldest grandson, Reverend Robert Fulton Crary, married the great-great-great-granddaughter of Madam Brett and raised his family there.

The Melzingah Chapter, NSDAR is, proud to preserve this chapter of Hudson Valley history and welcomes you to step back in time through your visit to the home of this remarkable woman.