This house was originally intended as a trading place and a fort, and was built with very thick stoue walls, pierced with loopholes for musketry, all of which have been filled in save one, iu what is now the sitting-room, which is preserved as a memento of olden times and of the antiquity of the dwelling. Situated just where the road from Sing Sing to Croton Landing crosses the wide mouth of the Croton River, where that stream empties into the Hudson, it commands a magnificent view of the broad Tappan Sea. In former times the ferry across the Croton River mouth, which was the only means of reaching the country above without making a wide detour, had its northern terminus near the mansion. During the first ten years after its construction the house was probably occupied by the proprietor only as a temporary residence when visiting his lands; but later it was enlarged and improved to become suitable for the purpose of a manor house aud the accommoIt has redation of the numerous family of its wealthy owner.

1(38

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

niamed in the possession of the Van Cortlandts continuously since the time of Stephanus, and has always been used as a habitation by some member of the family. Near it is the Van Cortlandt burial where a number of the most emiground, a small, square inclosure, nent descendants of Stephanus, including the noted General and t-Governor Pierre Van Cortlandt of the devolution, are inLieutenan terred. Apart from the erection of this dwelling, and of mills for the benefit of his existing and prospective tenants, Van Cortlandt acOn the 17th of complished little in the way of developing his estate. and Manor of Lordship the as ed establish June, 1G9T, the whole was a quitFletcher, Governor from patent letters royal Cortlandt, bv rent of " forty shillings current money " to be paid annually to the governor " on the feast day of Annunciation of our Blessed Virgin Mary," " in lieu and stead of all other rents, services, dues, duties, Tan Cortlandt died at the early age of and demands whatsoever." after the issuance of this manor one-half and fifty-seven, three years Judging from the well-known character of the man, it may :.rant. of readily be believed, in the words of the historian of the " Manors Westchester County," that " had he lived to be seventy-five or eighty n, years old, like so very many of his descendants in every generatio instead of dying at fifty-seven, leaving a large family, mostly minors, g and it is probable that he would have left his manor as flourishin the same as populous in proportion as that of EensselaerswyckNewat York City date " The great distance of Cortlandt Manor from from and its surrounding settlements, as well as its difficulty of access preon obstructi the of account on the country immediately below n of its sented by the Croton, delayed for many years the occupatio1734 that lands- and so meagre was its population that it was notuntil the in conferred privilege the of itself availed the Manor of Cortlandt The first orant of sending a representative to the general assembly.