Mount Kisco: County greening up historic farmstead

First phase of $5 million project in Merestead underway

The farmhouse at the Merestead estate, parts of which date back to 1860, is in the midst of being restored along with other structures on the property. When completed, the house will be used for programming for the public. THANE GRAUEL PHOTO

By MARTIN WILBUR

The first phase of the $5.4 million capital improvement plan at the historic Merestead estate in Mount Kisco has been launched and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year, Westchester County officials announced last week.

County Executive Ken Jenkins said that the more than $3 million portion of the work that recently began is to renovate the exterior and to shore up the foundation of the estate’s farmhouse, one of the oldest buildings on the 130-acre Byram Lake Road property. Portions of the farmhouse date back to 1860, with other parts of the structure added in the early 1900s, he said. 

Jenkins said that Merestead, one of the county’s 54 park properties, is one of the most historically significant properties in Westchester. Part of the property was used by troops during the Revolution because of its elevation, according to Jenkins.

“This investment demonstrates our commitment to preserving the county’s rich history while ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and learn from this remarkable property,” he said.

Phase II of the project, likely to be done next year, will concentrate on renovating the farmhouse’s interior and improving its infrastructure, most notably adding drinking water and sewer service, said County Legislator Erika Pierce. Pierce said the county has been focused on getting the farmhouse prepared to accept visitors and host programming as soon as possible, in addition to having enough room for vehicles to park.

There is also an adjacent barn and other smaller structures on the property that need improvements as well, she said.

“The idea, of course, is to be able to pivot from the interior work to the inside work, but we need to do the mitigation work first and foremost because we can’t get to anything on the inside until we know the exterior, the envelope of the building is secure,” Pierce said.

Once the restoration is complete, one program at the farmhouse will be to help the public understand how the land was originally used, said Peter Tartaglia, the acting commissioner of Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. In the 19th century, the property was a functioning farm with a dairy barn and a chicken coop, among other buildings. 

“We’re looking to partner with not-for-profits as well as other groups and do some farm education, farm management, farm training, maybe some farming-in-residence here,” Tartaglia said.

Also targeted for improvements is the dairy barn, which will be transformed into a public space for events and entertainment, Tartaglia said. Merestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to the farm-related structures, there is a 28-room Georgia Revival mansion on the property that was built in 1906.

The county appropriated a $1.5 million bond act in April 2024 to help pay for the capital improvement plan. Money will also be coming from the Merestead Conservancy, which has been established to help pay for upkeep and improvements.

Two years ago, when the bond act was approved by the Board of Legislators and signed by former County Executive George Latimer, about $5.2 million remained in a trust fund that Merestead’s last owner, Margaret Sloane Patterson, bequeathed to the county along with the property. However, there were numerous restrictions imposed on that fund.

After four years of litigation, a state Supreme Court judge ruled in 2024, that the county can use $3.5 million of that money on projects at Merestead, although it would have to offer matching funds. The New York State Attorney General’s office is providing oversight to ensure terms are being followed and that the county retains a trust fund with the remaining $1.7 million. The county can withdraw up to 5% of that fund annually for uses at the property.

Patterson, who died in 2000, was the daughter of William Sloane, president of W&J Sloane furniture in the early 20th century. The family lived on the property.