Bevier House Museum

History :

Built in the 1680s as a one-room settler's dwelling, the Bevier House today reflects the history of the Hudson Valley and its inhabitants.

Constructed on land purchased from the Esopus Indians by A. P. Van Leuvan, the house was sold in 1715 to the Louis Bevier family of the New Paltz Patent.

The house remained in the Bevier family for 223 years, until 1938. During this period, it was enlarged with a second floor, porches, a widow's walk and interior improvements, converting it to the stately structure that we enjoy today.

As you enter the house, you can feel the warmth of the kitchen which was the main living area in Colonial times. A unique brass clockjack, figured andirons and indigenous 18th century Hudson Valley Dutch furnishings are to be found here.

In the adjoining scullery, there is a large collection of early tools used to harvest crops, prepare food and for construction. The inventiveness of the early settlers is evident in every piece.

Housed on the second floor is an extensive Civil War collection. Arms, uniforms, field drums photographs and documents remind visitors of the Civil War's impact on Ulster County residents.

Late 19th century Victorian furnishing fill the parlors of the main floor. They evoke the style and elegance of the Victorian age.

Browsing through the house will reveal interesting and unusual items of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. You will become acquainted with its fine collections of textiles, paintings, early china, pottery and furniture. The Bevier House Museum offers a unique glimpse into the life of the Hudson Valley from Colonial times into the 20th century.