. When old New York was young . orches, and a sloping roof, with threedormty windows. Once inside the door, it ■ [301] SPRING VALLEY FARM is easy to understand why the old farm-househas withstood so bravely the shocks of time,for it is supported by a forest of great beams,hewn evidently from solid trees. Some ofthese have taken on a high polish, some arebattered and scarred from hard usage, but allare as sturdily upright as ever, and seem toassert that they will so continue for many ayear yet, if left to themselves. Nobody knows just when this house cameinto being, but those who have searchedt
. When old New York was young . orches, and a sloping roof, with threedormty windows. Once inside the door, it ■ [301] SPRING VALLEY FARM is easy to understand why the old farm-househas withstood so bravely the shocks of time,for it is supported by a forest of great beams,hewn evidently from solid trees. Some ofthese have taken on a high polish, some arebattered and scarred from hard usage, but allare as sturdily upright as ever, and seem toassert that they will so continue for many ayear yet, if left to themselves. Nobody knows just when this house cameinto being, but those who have searchedthrough very many old records have agreedthat it is the oldest house now in the may well be, but, whether it is so ornot, it is beyond all question the oldest sur-vival of the Spring Valley Farm. Just across from the lumber-yard, in thenext street, there is another house marking asomewhat later period. The wide-spreadingramifications of a brewery close around it,threatening it with extinction, and more than [302] •. SPRING VALLEY FARM threaten, since they have shorn it of an ampleporch that once spread around three ofits sides. But its peaked roof and clap-boarded sides are still firm, and all the morepicturesque in the midst of the rigid brickwalls, great chimneys pouring out volumesof black smoke, and small pipes incessantlypuffing out steam, like a battery spitefullyaiming at this survival. This second housewas built early in the last century, when thefarm was divided and sold, and for many ayear was called the Brevoort house, being acountry residence on the estate of the familyof that name. These two buildings, so reminiscent ofearly days of the farm, so at war with theirsurroundings, so fruitful of old-time memo-ries, are not the only things that seem inhar-monious in that locality. In the days of theRevolution, when at manv points along theriver were fortifications, right here was a [305] SPRING VALLEY FARM breastwork. And in this very lumber-yardthere is a b
Size: 1232px × 2029px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1902
