Untitled (4)Historically speaking
This old timer is still useful
Besides being one of the
area's most valuable
historical treasures,the
Mesier Homestead continues
to serve the community of
Wappingers Falls In a prac-
tical way
The Brewer-Mesler home,
the core of which was built by
Nicholas Brewer around
1741, currently houses the
village police department,
water department, and zon-
ing department on the first
floor.
Upstairs are the offices of
the Falls historical society.
Over the past few years, the
society has been collecting
memorabilia and antiques
from around the village, some
dating back 100 years or
more.
The Mesier Homestead,
asidefrom the natural beauty
of the falls, is undoubtedly
the village's top showcase.
Unfortunately, since the
building Is doing double duty
as a municipal building,
visitors don't always have a
chance to tour the house.
"People like to have a
chance to look around the
house,'' says Carolyn Wix-
son, head of the village
historical society. "At last
year's open house, we had
people come from as far as
New York City to tour the
house. They'd passed by it a
few times, and had always
wanted to see the Inside."
Those wishing to tour this
historical monument will gel
their chance this weekend,
Saturday, Aug. 16, wher4
Mesler holds Its second open
house of the summer.
Among the antiques one
can see in the historical
society's collection Is an old
bed, donated by Mrs. Edna
Breed. It was owned by her
grandfather, who started the
Sweet -Orr factory in the
village.
Also in the collection is a
big -wheeled bicycle which
wasused by Mrs. Wixson's
father over 100 years ago. He
belonged to the Wappingers
Falls Wheels Club, a society
which look long bike trips
and sponsored bike races.
The house itself is compris-
ed of two units: the original
smaller house, built in 1741,
and the larger house, also
built by Brewer, constructed
about 1750. The smaller
house Is called "primitive in
size and finish" by Helen
Wilkinson Reynolds in her
book "Dutch Houses in the
Hudson Valley Before 1776,"
though It is considered an ex-
cellent example of early
homes in the valley.
The larger unit is much
more elaborate, containing
mid-century paneling and
cupboards, Dutch doors, and
a chimney -breast carved with
Georgian details.
Peter Mesier purchased
the two -unit home for 3,208
pounds in 1776, just as the
revolutionary war was break-
ing out. Mester was a Tory,
loyal to the crown, and was
being given a hard time in
New York by patriots.
He did not escape from the
patriots' wrath, however,
even in the small upstate
community, In 1777, under
the pretense of protesting
high tea prices charged by
Mesier, local patriots storm-
ed his home, ransacked it and
beat his slaves. The incident
au ;ZJST IJ I
later became known as the to the village for $2,500,
Wappingers Falls Tea Party. under the condition that the
In 1891, after the last property would always be us
Mester living in the home ed as a park, for the enjoy -
passed away, the house and ment of the citizens of the
five acres around it were sold village.