Williamsburg Art & Historical Center

Historic House Trust works with Parks and the nonprofit boards of each house to restore, interpret, and promote the sites, which span 350 years of New York City life. From modest farmers' cottages to grand mansions, the 23 sites in the Trust's collection are located in all five boroughs and chronicle a wide range of cultural, historical, and architectural aspects of New York City. One by one, the houses were saved by concerned citizens, civic organizations, or descendents of the houses' owners. Gradually they were acquired by the City, brought under the care of the Trust, and preserved. When the Trust was created, many of the buildings in its collection were in disrepair and the first mission was to stabilize them. While conservation remains a central focus, the Trust has expanded its services and aims to present the sites as a unified collection and strengthen the relationship between the buildings and the urban landscapes around them. The Trust's staff includes experts in the following six areas: conservation, care of collections, education and interpretation, property management, fundraising, and marketing. Typical services provided by the Trust's staff include consultation on restoration projects, museum exhibitions and education programs ; assistance with fundraising and promotion ; and providing training opportunities for house staff and board members. Under the New York City Charter, the Department of Parks & Recreation is charged with the care and management of these houses for the beneficial use of the public. As stated in a 2002 memorandum of understanding, the Trust is in a public/private partnership with Parks, under the supervision of the Parks Commissioner and the Trust's Board of Directors, to oversee care and operation of the houses and to foster coordination of activities between Parks and the houses' boards and staffs. Parks partially funds the Trust, providing office space and assigning certain Parks employees to work exclusively for the Trust. In this capacity, the Trust serves as a liaison between the houses and city government. Collectively, the 23 sites, which reside in parks across the five boroughs, tell the story of New York City's evolution' and America's history in microcosm' from its beginnings as a Dutch outpost, through the American Revolution, to its rise as a mercantile center and great 20th-century city. Each house tells the story of a family or era, letting visitors experience' through scale, feel, texture, color, smell, and sound' how Americans really lived their lives in the past. Many of the historic houses, most of which are New York City Landmarks and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are open to the public as museums. They offer cultural opportunities ranging from museum exhibitions to education programs to special events for more than 750, 000 visitors each year, 480, 000 of whom are New York City schoolchildren. Ambassadors from the past, the Trust's historic houses capture and preserve New York City's colorful and fascinating history.