The Hendrick Smit House, c. 1704

A short post today highlighting what I like to call the Dutch Patrimony of the Hudson Valley. The Dutch were the first European settlers in the Hudson Valley, arriving before the English by over a hundred years. Dutch settlement in Ulster County, which began as a fur-trading post in Wiltwyck (later Kingston) on the banks of  the Rondout River where it meets the Hudson, expanded down the interior river valleys. As a result, Ulster County boasts some of the finest and most beautiful examples of pre-Revolutionary Dutch architecture in the New World.

The home pictured above, the Hendrick Smit House, c. 1704, is a stunning example of this early vernacular architecture. What began as a clapboard family home with barn attached (now the foyer) was expanded by the addition of the stone portiion, built for the first son 's family as was customary at that time, and later attached to the main house. This property is a particularly fine example of an early Dutch home as it has been restored and maintained with exceptional integrity, grace and style.

I am proud to say that the Hendrick Smit House is one of my featured listings and is currently offered for sale. It is a rare opportunity to experience the pleasure of owning a home with original wideboard floors, hand-forged hardware, two fireplaces and many other original architectural details, while enjoying the comfort of modern amenities. For antique home lovers, this property is a true delight.