Overview

The Van Dien-Anderson House, circa 1797may well date back to 1760 as the owner has recently uncovered an exterior doorstep with that year carved into it. This marvelous center hall colonial has planed 8-10 floorboards, 12 over 12 windows and exposed beams with beaded edges, which was the custom in the eighteenth century. There are five bedrooms, six if you include main floor study and three full baths. The house is located on a beautiful, verdant acre. Interiors have been painstakingly painted and floors have been burnished a lovely walnut/mahogany hue.Rarely has a property been passed down through so many feale lines. From Lockhart, it went to Capt. John Corbett and through his daughter, Mary, to Henry Ludlow, clerk of Orangetown in 1744. Then 504 acres were held by males for three generations and David Smith is reputed to have built the one room portion of the house in 1760. Smith’s daughter Cornelia, married Abraham de Clark who built the large gambrel-shaped setion in 1797. Their grand-daughter, a Mrs. Vam Dien’s daughter, Anna, who married a Tallman, owned the house for a long period.The older section of this house has a pleasing curved overhang, and contains a notable old fireplace. In the dining room both the mantle and an interesting built-in cupboard are said to be original.