Locust Grove Estate

Locust Grove Estate, located in Poughkeepsie, New York, currently stands as a National Historic Landmark estate and offers a multitude of activities, including approximately five miles of hiking trails and a public museum. In 1850, Samuel Morse, credited with patenting the telegraph, bought a farmhouse in the Hudson Valley located along the Hudson River. Morse renovated the farmhouse into the mansion that stands today on the property. Morse created the Italianesque mansion and styled it exactly to his personal preference. After renovating the property precisely to his liking, Morse used the property as a place for his family to father in the summer. With his death in 1872, Morse left the estate to his relatives. The house was then rented to and later bought by the Young family in 1895. Annette Young, the last surviving member of the Young family, was one of the children who grew up on the property. In her will, Annette established the property as a National Historic site to ensure its protection from the City of Poughkeepsie. Annette saw many of her neighbors’ properties absorbed by the City and she wanted to preserve her estate’s protection when she died. By establishing it as a National Historic site, Annette ensured the estate would remain under protection for the public’s benefit long after her death. When Annette died in 1975, the property transitioned from Annette’s private residence to a museum for guests to enjoy.

Today, Locust Grove Estates offers daily tours of the mansion which reveals to visitors the Young family’s authentic set up of their home. Travel, a common passion among members of the Young family, granted them the opportunity to collect items from all over the world, particularly in Europe and Asia. The Young family had an appreciation for art, furniture, and décor from both France and China. While visiting the Young family home, visitors will also enjoy culture from across the world. The fabulous mansion tour allows visitors to appreciate many of the stunning pieces the Young family had collected abroad through generations. Martha Young, Annette’s mother, became the head of household when her husband, William died in 1909 from a heart attack. The matriarch of the Young family knew her goal was to preserve the mansion and ensure it as a historic site after she was gone. Martha, in turn, taught Annette how to catalogue and organize the pieces in the house. Many of the items were tagged, offering a description of when and where the family bought them. 

In the early twentieth century, prior to digital technological entertainment, many people wrote in diaries every day. Therefore, the Locust Grove Estate has hundreds of the family diaries stored in their archive center. Interns at the location transcribe diaries into digital copies so the Executive Director, Ken Snodgrass, and the tour guides can easily look up information regarding certain pieces in the collection. The diaries offer insights into repairs the mansion underwent, when the family bought certain items, and the realities of daily life for the Young family members. For example, William Young, a very successful lawyer, traveled several times a week to New York City to his firm. Often, he stayed in his apartment in Manhattan for overnight trips. This gave his wife, Martha, full reign over the mansion, her children, and the staff. The diaries tell stories regarding life at Locust Grove Estate, such as Martha and Annette dealing with the affairs of the staff on the property. Fortunately, the Youngs never had slaves; they always employed a paid staff, and Martha treated the servants fairly well. She appreciated their help as she relied heavily on them to cook, clean, and chauffeur her family around town. In addition to historical tours, Locust Grove Estate also offers its beautiful grounds as a location for weddings. During the Autumn season, weddings are booked every weekend. The estate also holds educational programs and popular social events, such as an annual car show, garden tours, and Sunset Sensations, a food and wine tasting event.