House of Peter Winne constructed 1723

Webpage and Photos by Cliff Lamere       25 Mar 2014 

The following seven photos were taken with a Kodak 6490 digital camera on 8 Jan 2004.

The Peter Winne house is believed to have been built in 1723.  This date was determined from a dendrology boring of an oak beam by Columbia University.  The beam's tree rings were observed and compared with known ages of tree rings in the region.  As long as part of the bark is attached to the beam, the last year of growth can be established.  It is assumed that the wood would have been dried that year and used in construction the following year.

The photographs on this webpage are in a rather small size.  Click on them to view enlarged versions which show more detail. Then, hit the back button to return to this page. 

January 8, 2004

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The photo shows a Dutch house on Creble Rd. near Selkirk, in the valley of the Vloman Kill, very near Rt. 9W in the Town of Bethlehem, Albany Co., NY.  It was purchased about the year 2000 by Brian A. and Kevin Parker with the idea of restoring it as closely as possible to the original Dutch house. 

Front of house (gable end)

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Front of main living quarters.  Notice the steep roof, a Dutch characteristic.  In New York State, it is very helpful in preventing the buildup of snow on the roof.  Another Dutch characteristic shown here is the presence of the entrance on the gable end of the house.  The doorframe is thought to be from the original construction.  

Leaded glass panes

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Leaded glass panes on right upper window.  Pieces of the original glass were found in the interior.  Brian Parker hired a company that makes historically accurate glass to make glass panes as close to the original as possible.  The panes seem to have areas of discoloration and possibly even air bubbles.  

Lofting Beam

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A lofting beam was used by the Dutch to lift heavy items into the house.  The Dutch usually didn't live on the second floor.  They kept barrels and sacks of grain there, lifted up by using the lofting beam.  There is a grainery door below the beam.  Snow at the edge of the roof has been wind abraded or evaporated into a very unusual finger-like pattern. 

Front window

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The front window is wider than the front door.  It may have allowed large object, wider than the front door, to be taken into the house.

Addition

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This addition to the house was made mostly of local limestone (which is common in the region). 

Gable end of addition

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The gable end of the addition has a brick face above the limestone foundation stone.  There had been a chimney on this side.  The black mark on the wall shaped like a ^ could be from the roofline of another lower building (an addition to the addition?).

The Bethlehem Historical Association, 1003 River Road, Selkirk, NY 12158, located in the 1859 Cedar Hill Schoolhouse, has a very nice display of broken pottery pieces found during an archeological dig at the site of the 1723 Peter Winne house.  Other items are also included. (This note added March 2014)

Vistors since 23 Mar 2014