Herrick House celebrates 150 years of history in Peekskill. On Sunday, Oct. 5, the current home of the city’s museum will commemorate its anniversary with an event beginning at 2 p.m. The day will take place in two locations: at the Assumption Church Hall there will be an initial lecture; later, at the museum —directly across from the church— there will be a cocktail reception.
The first part of the activity will be led by Mosette Broderick, professor at New York University and author of the book Art, Architecture, Scandal and Class in America’s Gilded Age, who will present a lecture on how its architecture shaped an “American aristocracy” through economic power, social prestige, and public scandals. Afterwards, at the Gilded Age Cocktail Hour, appetizers, wine, or beer will be served, and visitors will have a tour of the museum’s current exhibitions.
Herrick House is considered a historical and architectural reference in Peekskill. It was built in the 1870s, under the design of William Rutherford Mead of the firm McKim, Mead & White. The residence belonged to Dwight Stiles Herrick, lawyer and professor at the Peekskill Military Academy, and his wife Sarah Frances Simpson.
In 1946 the residence became the home of the Peekskill Museum, following the donation by Ida M. Adams and the citizen initiative of Chester A. Smith. Since then, the building has preserved objects related to local history: items from the iron and stove industry, maps, documents from the Revolutionary War, and collections of regional artifacts.
The building, in Queen Anne style with Shingle Style influences, is part of the Downtown Peekskill Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. On its front lawn there is a cannon linked to the attack on the British ship Vulture, an episode connected to Benedict Arnold’s 1780 plot.
The museum operates as a nonprofit organization. All revenue from memberships, donations, and events is directed toward building maintenance, collection preservation, and educational programs. The cost of admission for the celebration is 50 dollars and includes the lecture and the reception. Tickets can be purchased via PayPal on the museum’s official website or at this link, under the title Herrick House Celebration.
