Corines Quackenbush House
Although this building is known as the Brownstone, its historical name is the Corines Quackenbush house or the Quackenbush Homestead. John A. Van Vorhees’s father erected the house in 1784 for he and his wife, Sally. It was sold to Corines Quackenbush in 1840 and remained with the Quackenbush family until 1920, with alterations made in 1840 and 1870. This photo shows the Quackenbushes in the 1800s.
An interesting construction feature is that red sandstone was used, which must have been brought in from a distance because there was no local source. The Brownstone became a tearoom for the last few years of Prohibition, c. 1930, and after alcohol was legalized again, it became a restaurant and tavern. This photo was taken in 1941, before the enclosed back porch was added and the decorative fireplace woodwork was removed inside.