In 1887, after 140 years of occupancy by the Van Cortlandt family and the community of plantation workers, the property was sold to the City of New York and made a public parkland. Before the house became a museum, it saw a variety of uses including as a temporary police precinct house and as a dormitory for ranch hands responsible for taking care of a herd of buffalo.
By 1895, The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York expressed their interest in restoring the house as a museum open to the public. There was only one obstacle keeping the Colonial Dames from this important project; there was no provision in the New York State law allowing the stewardship of a publicly owned building by a private organization. Undaunted, the first Society President, Mrs. Townsend, took the Society's cause to Albany where, on May 22, 1896 in the 199th session of the New York State Legislature, Chapter 837 was approved by the governor and passed by a
3/5's majority to become law.
By 1895, The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York expressed their interest in restoring the house as a museum open to the public. There was only one obstacle keeping the Colonial Dames from this important project; there was no provision in the New York State law allowing the stewardship of a publicly owned building by a private organization. Undaunted, the first Society President, Mrs. Townsend, took the Society's cause to Albany where, on May 22, 1896 in the 199th session of the New York State Legislature, Chapter 837 was approved by the governor and passed by a
3/5's majority to become law.
Chapter 837
AN ACT authorizing the board of park commissioners of the City of New York to transfer the custody of the Van Cortlandt mansion in Van Cortlandt Park to the Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York for the establishment of a museum for historical relics accepted by the city became a law May 22 1896.
The law enacted as follows:
Section 1. The board of park commissioners of the City of New York are hereby authorized and empowered in its discretion to transfer the custody of the old Van Cortlandt mansion in Van Cortlandt park to the Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York for such period of years and on such terms and conditions as the said board may deem advisable for the establishment in said mansion of a public museum for the collection preservation and exhibition of historical relics.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
AN ACT authorizing the board of park commissioners of the City of New York to transfer the custody of the Van Cortlandt mansion in Van Cortlandt Park to the Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York for the establishment of a museum for historical relics accepted by the city became a law May 22 1896.
The law enacted as follows:
Section 1. The board of park commissioners of the City of New York are hereby authorized and empowered in its discretion to transfer the custody of the old Van Cortlandt mansion in Van Cortlandt park to the Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York for such period of years and on such terms and conditions as the said board may deem advisable for the establishment in said mansion of a public museum for the collection preservation and exhibition of historical relics.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
After nearly a year of repairs and restoration, Van Cortlandt House Museum was opened to great fanfare on May 25th of 1897. The original license agreement granted custody of the house to the National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York for a period of 25 years at a "peppercorn rent" of $1.00 per year. Although the Society no longer pays the city rent, they remain, to this day as dedicated to Van Cortlandt House as they were in 1896.
In 1967, Van Cortlandt House was added to the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 24, 1976. The House was declared a New York City Landmark on March 15, 1966, recognizing the historic and architectural importance of both the exterior. The interior of Van Cortlandt House was designated a New York City Landmark in 1975.
In 1967, Van Cortlandt House was added to the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 24, 1976. The House was declared a New York City Landmark on March 15, 1966, recognizing the historic and architectural importance of both the exterior. The interior of Van Cortlandt House was designated a New York City Landmark in 1975.