Boscobel House Reopens: A Perfect Hudson Valley Day Trip
Contributor Nadine Revheim writes about her passion for Boscobel House and Gardens, a unique house museum in the Hudson Valley.
Boscobel House and Gardens is a house museum in Garrison, New York (Putnam County), best known for its collection of decorative arts and lush gardens.
After a closure of more than a year, “Restoration Tours” for the public will resume in September so that everyone can see the work-in-progress.
Boscobel First Opens To The Public in 1961
Boscobel, once the historical home of American Loyalists, States and Elizabeth Dyckman, was built between 1803 and 1804. The couple’s house (which I’ll call Boscobel 1.0) was first located near Montrose, a hamlet less than three miles away from its present site.
Boscobel now sits on iconic grounds facing West Point with a magnificent downriver view of Constitution Island and the Hudson River. It was moved there in 1956 after a threat of demolition to the land that Mrs. Lila Acheson Wallace had graciously gifted.
The remains of the original structure were pieced together and shaped by extensive historical renovation and impeccable landscaping. Boscobel 2.0 opened to the public in May 1961 to wide acclaim as a legacy to the nation’s early history.
The property stands squarely in the National Heritage region where the Revolutionary War was won, with the help of the great chain that spanned the river and stopped the advancing British Navy in April 1778.
My Personal Passion For Boscobel
For the last 15 years, my relationship with Boscobel has gone beyond taking personal tours and treating my visiting guests to the unique experience of Boscobel.
My understanding of this treasure was deepened by attending special seasonal events like Applefest, enjoying picnics before the Shakespeare festival productions while they were in residence, listening to the annual festival of chamber music recitals and volunteering as a friend/member to lend a helping hand for the museum guides and staff during festive happenings and twilight tours of the house during the holidays.
I was last in the house in December 2023 for such a tour, on the grand staircase where the majestic clock chimed each hour.
Family portraits of Mrs. Dyckman and her daughters were the highlights for the multigenerational families and visitors who navigated the steps with my due diligence and a flashlight to assist them in traversing from the second floor, where the library was the centerpiece of the home.
A Remarkable Comeback From An Unprecedented Tragedy
A tragedy occurred in April 2024 when the ceiling of the library collapsed. It happened after two docents had a class of children on tour in the home. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
But the destruction of antiques and the mess of the plaster that spread throughout the home was dire. The staff and many organizations worked to protect, secure, remove, preserve, analyze, and determine the cause of the damage and how to repair, rebuild, and renew Boscobel to fulfill its mission as a nonprofit museum to educate diverse audiences about American history, design, and nature.
Before its public opening, I was privileged to be on one of the first tours back into the house with a member preview of its preservation and progress.
The two docents who last gave a tour were present, which closed a circle that had been open for nearly 1-1/2 years. It will take up to three years for the house to demonstrate its new vision as a fully restored museum, Boscobel 3.0.
Under the guidance of Executive Director and Curator Jennifer Carlquist, the Boscobel staff is once again sharing their exceptional hospitality and extensive knowledge.
The momentum and interest of visitors will ensure that it continues as an American treasure and testament to a specific time in our history—from the history of the Dyckman family pre-Revolutionary war, to the Continental Army’s victory over the British in the Hudson Valley, and to the future of celebrating the ideals of freedom and liberty as we get ready for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
The larger lesson of this third iteration of Boscobel, built, re-built, and now born anew, can remind all citizens of how one perseveres and picks up the pieces to move forward together, one step at a time.
Boscobel lives on in the Hudson Valley, a testament to every American who values preservation and storytelling about the legacy of those who came before us. It ensures that Boscobel and its contributions will continue to inform and enrich future generations.
Nadine Revheim, PhD, a licensed psychologist, and writer, who lives in (and loves) the Hudson River Valley. Her memoir, Woven Together: Finding Me in Memories of You, is in press with Cape House Books.
She writes Beacon Bits – A Bite of the Hudson River Valley and has been published in The Highlands Current, The Keepthings and The Writing Disorder.
IF YOU GO
- Boscobel is approximately 60 miles north of New York City and close to many popular Hudson Valley towns such as Cold Spring and Beacon.
- From Manhattan, visitors can get there by car or commuter rail on Metro-North’s Hudson Line to Cold Spring. Uber, Lyft, taxis, and a seasonal trolley are available to transport you the 1.5 miles to Boscobel.
- Please refer to the Boscobel website for further historical information and news/updates for visitors.
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