Greene County—In writing about old family names and old historic houses, I understand that many readers would just as soon forget the whole thing and read something else a little more contemporary. But let me hit a little closer to home. Do Bronck's Manor, Bronck's River, or the Bronck's Borough have any significance for you? What if I change the "ck's" to "x"? We now have the Bronx Manor, the Bronx River, and THE Bronx. Yes, that's where that odd name 'Bronx' came from.



In 1639, Jonas Bronck, well educated and wealthy, sailed on his own private armed vessel, The Fire of Troy, from Hoorn, Holland. He took his family, farmers, female servants, and livestock and sailed for New Amsterdam (New York). He arrived in July 1639. He probably was not Dutch, but Swedish, or possibly a Dane. Jonas secured a "Grond Brief", a tract of five hundred acres of land north of the Harlem River and became the first white settler of that area, which eventually became known as The Bronx.



Why THE Bronx?



A river ran through Jonas Bronck's farm, which became known as THE Bronck's River. Then the area around the river became known as THE Bronck's; eventually the spelling of the name was changed to THE Bronx because of euphony and not because there is more than one Bronx. In fact, it is the only New York State borough using an article in its name.



Jonas Bronx died in 1643 leaving a widow and one son, Pieter Jonassen Bronck. His widow remarried, moving with her son and her new husband, Arendt van Corlear, Sheriff of Rensselaerwick, to Albany.



In 1663, it was Pieter Bronck, Jonas' only son, who built a stone house in West Coxsackie. Today, it is the oldest building still standing in Greene County and part of the Bronck Museum owned and operated by the Greene County Historical Society. The museum itself is a cluster of several building of architectural significance spanning more than three hundred years of upper Hudson Valley history. The Greene County Historical Society maintains the Bronck homestead not only as a museum, but also as its headquarters. The homestead came into their possession by means of the will of Leonard Bronck Lampman. He designated the homestead as a living memorial to his mother Adelaide Ely Bronck Lampman who was a lineal descendant of Jonas and Pieter Bronck. Eight generations of Broncks had maintained the homestead as a working farm until deeded to the historical society.



In 1662 Pieter Bronck came from Albany, where he had lived with his mother and stepfather, to purchase a small patent of land on the New York State frontier. On January 13th of that year, Pieter entered into a contract with the Katskill Indians to purchase a track of land known by the Indian name of Koixhackung. Governor Richard Nicolls confirmed this land, including some 252 acres, on June 11, 1667. Pieter's property boundary ran "Westward to the woods to Katskill Path, and running along the said path southward, it comes to the Stone Kill, from hence it runs eastward over against the said Nutten Hooke, and so northward along the river to the Forest Kill."



At the base of the Kalkberg Ridge, which is a chain of limestone hills running parallel to the Hudson River about three to four miles west of the river, Pieter built a small single room structure with a cellar and a garret for storage. The massive beams, wide floorboards, cellar hatchway, and early Dutch door are still the originals placed there or built by the first Bronck to inhabit the home. The stone structure was expanded in 1685 to accommodate a growing family. The west wing was added which consisted of a hallway, a main room and a loft.



In 1738, Pieter Bronck's grandson, Leendert, built the brick structure, which forms the right side of the present structure. The date is cut into the foundation on the north side of the house. Here, we see how the Dutch architecture was modified by a federal period taste. The four-room dwelling has a large attic and cellar. Its size attests to the growing influence of the Bronck family in New York State. A "hyphen hallway", thus named because its long and narrow shape resembles the punctuation mark and serves the same function, connects the new structure with the original stone dwelling.



The Great Storm of 1792 caused extensive structural damage that required rebuilding. At that time the distinctive paneling was added and the kitchen extension was built.



At the museum, the rooms are furnished with elegant, Federal, Empire, and Victorian furniture. The china and glassware from several generations of Bronck's and other Greene county families are on display. Paintings of several notable artists can be found gracing the walls. Art by Thomas Cole, Ammi Phillips, Nehemiah Partridge, Ezra Ames, John Frederick Kensett, Richard Hubbard and Benjamin Stone, are scattered throughout the museum. The "west wing loft" houses an important collection of regional textiles and displays weaving and spinning paraphernalia.



Three barns are on the museum grounds. The Antiquarium is a converted Victorian Horse Barn, which houses an exhibit of diverse features of early Greene County life. The Dutch Barn retains its massive anchor beams, supported by columns linked together with fifty-foot long purlin beams to support the weight of the roof. The thrashing floor of this wheat barn is intact with its three-inch thick pegged oak planking. The Thirteen Sided Barn, built in the 1830's is the oldest, documented, multisided barn in New York State. The roof weight of this unusual structure rests solidly on the walls with only one central interior pole.



To get to the Bronck House and Museum use the Thruway, Exit 21B, Coxsackie: South on 9W for 3 3/4 miles, at Red Barn turn right on Pieter Bronck Rd. If you'd like to tour this Greene County treasure, it's best to call ahead (518) 731-8862 or (518) 731-6490.



For the history buff and those interested in obtaining more information about Greene County, a visit to the Bronck House is a must. Go to see over three hundred years into the past of Greene County. Step into, see and touch a building three hundred and thirty-eight years old.