Built in 1709, the Vander Ende-Onderdonk house is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City. The house museum is maintained and operated by the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society.
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The mission of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society is to preserve the past and enrich our future through events and programming that engages our community through history.
Operating as usual
Here’s what we have coming up this Fall! Members receive free entry to our public events, become a member here: https://onderdonkhouse.org/become-member
Here’s what we have coming up this Fall! Members receive free entry to our public events, become a member here: https://onderdonkhouse.org/become-member
The Museum will be CLOSED on Sunday 8/22 out of an abundance of caution regarding the weather. We will reopen next weekend.
The Museum will be CLOSED on Sunday 8/22 out of an abundance of caution regarding the weather. We will reopen next weekend.
#Hostas blooming in the John R. Ries Memorial Picnic Grove 🌳
#Hostas blooming in the John R. Ries Memorial Picnic Grove 🌳
Starting this Saturday (8/21), proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required to enter the Museum for visitors ages 12 & up. This requirement is in accordance with NYC Guidelines. Additionally, masks are required inside the Museum and the indoor restrooms regardless of vaccination status. For more info on the vaccine requirement please visit:https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/cchr/downloads/pdf/materials/KeyToNYC_FactSheet-CustomerEmployee.pdf
Starting this Saturday (8/21), proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required to enter the Museum for visitors ages 12 & up. This requirement is in accordance with NYC Guidelines. Additionally, masks are required inside the Museum and the indoor restrooms regardless of vaccination status. For more info on the vaccine requirement please visit:https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/cchr/downloads/pdf/materials/KeyToNYC_FactSheet-CustomerEmployee.pdf
Curbside Composting is returning to NYC this fall! You can turn your food scraps/food-soiled paper/yard waste into compost or renewable energy by signing up. Sign-up now: https://nyc.gov/curbsidecomposting
Curbside Composting is returning to NYC this fall! You can turn your food scraps/food-soiled paper/yard waste into compost or renewable energy by signing up. Sign-up now: https://nyc.gov/curbsidecomposting
The Museum and Grounds are open today, Sunday 8/01, from 12-5 PM! You can reserve tickets in advance through eventbrite. Walk-ups are also accepted by availability. Find more info about planning your visit on our website (🔗 in bio).
The Museum and Grounds are open today, Sunday 8/01, from 12-5 PM! You can reserve tickets in advance through eventbrite. Walk-ups are also accepted by availability. Find more info about planning your visit on our website (🔗 in bio).
Z is for Zig-Zag! Our #MuseumAlphabet series has come to an end. For the final post, we’re highlighting the redware fragments and reproduction plate, adorned with zigzags and curlicues, on display in our “Artifacts Dug On Site” exhibit.
The #Redware fragments likely date to the late 18th Century or early 19th Century, and were unearthed from our grounds during archeological digs in the 1980s. “Redware” is a type of earthenware pottery which is crafted from red clay, glazed, and then fired in a kiln at a low temperature.
These red earthenware shards once made up a decorative plate with a swirling design. The design was painted on with white slip, a mixture of water and light colored clay, before the plate was glazed and fired; the white slip turns yellow under the glaze. Displayed alongside the fragments is a reproduction meant to show how the original plate would have looked before it broke.
The plate was likely already in pieces when it ended up underground. Before modern landfills and citywide sanitation pick-up, it was common for people to bury garbage on their properties. Many of the items found on site are fragments of broken household objects, likely buried by the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House’s previous inhabitants. Most of the artifacts in our archeological collection date to the 1800s during the Onderdonk Family’s occupation. However, this plate may have belonged to either the Vander Ende or Onderdonk Families.
#OnderdonkHouse #MuseumCollection #Earthenware #Archeology #ArtifactOfTheWeek @usartifacts
Monarch caterpillar munching on some milkweed in our garden! We’ve seen a decent amount of butterflies of a few different varieties this season. We hope, as our pollinator gardens mature, to attract even more next year!
Monarch caterpillar munching on some milkweed in our garden! We’ve seen a decent amount of butterflies of a few different varieties this season. We hope, as our pollinator gardens mature, to attract even more next year!
More sunflowers grown from seeds from Spring Fling! Did you know the literal translation for sunflower in French is “turned to the sun”- tournesol! #itsinqueens. #sunflowers🌻
More sunflowers grown from seeds from Spring Fling! Did you know the literal translation for sunflower in French is “turned to the sun”- tournesol! #itsinqueens. #sunflowers🌻
Happy #Caturday from Mr. Grey, our resident historic house cat! 🐈⬛
The Museum will be open this weekend from 12-5 PM. Take a break from the heatwave doldrums, and step out of the AC to tour NYC’s oldest Dutch fieldstone house! Our stone walls naturally regulate temperature, particularly in the Basement Kitchen, where it stays cool even in 90 degree weather! If you’re lucky, you might get a peek of Mr. Grey snoozing in the Museum 🐾
Happy #Caturday from Mr. Grey, our resident historic house cat! 🐈⬛
The Museum will be open this weekend from 12-5 PM. Take a break from the heatwave doldrums, and step out of the AC to tour NYC’s oldest Dutch fieldstone house! Our stone walls naturally regulate temperature, particularly in the Basement Kitchen, where it stays cool even in 90 degree weather! If you’re lucky, you might get a peek of Mr. Grey snoozing in the Museum 🐾
Another successful sunflower blooming from our Spring Fling event! #sunflowers🌻 #nycculture #itsinqueens
Another successful sunflower blooming from our Spring Fling event! #sunflowers🌻 #nycculture #itsinqueens
Wondering what to do in the area after you visit the Museum? Check out Condé Nast Traveler’s guide to Ridgewood, featuring ourselves and a small sampling of other neighborhood staples. Thanks for the shout out Condé Nast!
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cntraveler.com/story/why-you-should-check-out-ridgewood-queens-bushwicks-cool-neighbor/amp
From Dutch history to Nepalese food, don’t sleep on one of New York City’s coolest under-the-radar neighborhoods.
The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House Museum is OPEN today and tomorrow from 12-5 PM! Come and take a tour of NYC’s oldest Dutch stone house. Our docents will guide you on a journey through time, detailing the lives of the Vander Ende and Onderdonk Families, as well as our early 20th Century history. Pictured here is our Victorian Parlor Room, decorated to represent the mid-1800’s during the time of the Onderdonk Family.
Information on planning your visit, current exhibits, and more is available on our website www.OnderdonkHouse.Org
The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House Museum is OPEN today and tomorrow from 12-5 PM! Come and take a tour of NYC’s oldest Dutch stone house. Our docents will guide you on a journey through time, detailing the lives of the Vander Ende and Onderdonk Families, as well as our early 20th Century history. Pictured here is our Victorian Parlor Room, decorated to represent the mid-1800’s during the time of the Onderdonk Family.
Information on planning your visit, current exhibits, and more is available on our website www.OnderdonkHouse.Org
Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸🎇 The Museum will be CLOSED today, Sunday, July 4th. Did you know that two of The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House’s past residents fought in the Revolutionary War?
Moses Beadel, husband of Jannetje Vander Ende, and their son (also named Moses Beadel) fought as patriots on the side for American independence. The elder Moses was captured by the British and perished on a prison ship in Wallabout Bay, Brooklyn. The younger Moses survived the war. He and his wife Jane Remsen inherited the House in 1779 and would be the last of the direct Vander Ende descendants to own the property.
Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸🎇 The Museum will be CLOSED today, Sunday, July 4th. Did you know that two of The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House’s past residents fought in the Revolutionary War?
Moses Beadel, husband of Jannetje Vander Ende, and their son (also named Moses Beadel) fought as patriots on the side for American independence. The elder Moses was captured by the British and perished on a prison ship in Wallabout Bay, Brooklyn. The younger Moses survived the war. He and his wife Jane Remsen inherited the House in 1779 and would be the last of the direct Vander Ende descendants to own the property.
Y is for Yoke! For our penultimate #MuseumAlphabet we’re highlighting the Yoke on display in our Museum gift shop!
A Yoke is a harness that attaches to a farming tool or vehicle, such as a plow or wagon, and allows an animal to pull a load without overly stressing their bodies. Our Yoke is a wooden “Bow Yoke,” a double harness typically worn by pair of oxen for plowing fields. Each ring is fit around the neck of an ox and the wooden bar lays flat across their backs. The yoke is then attached to a plow, enabling the animals to pull the machine and till the field, preparing soil for sowing seeds at the beginning of the planting season or turning over old soil at the end of a harvest.
In the 1700s, most farm work was assisted by oxen rather than horses. Oxen, a type of cow, were sturdy animals and relatively inexpensive to raise and care for. Horses were not as common in Early America, as such they were spared from harder labor, and reserved for riding or pulling carriages. Poorer farmers who could not afford horses would have also used oxen to pull their carriages. The work horse became more common in the mid 1800s; however, many farmers continued to use oxen until animal pulled farm tools were replaced by automated machinery.
Y is for Yoke! For our penultimate #MuseumAlphabet we’re highlighting the Yoke on display in our Museum gift shop!
A Yoke is a harness that attaches to a farming tool or vehicle, such as a plow or wagon, and allows an animal to pull a load without overly stressing their bodies. Our Yoke is a wooden “Bow Yoke,” a double harness typically worn by pair of oxen for plowing fields. Each ring is fit around the neck of an ox and the wooden bar lays flat across their backs. The yoke is then attached to a plow, enabling the animals to pull the machine and till the field, preparing soil for sowing seeds at the beginning of the planting season or turning over old soil at the end of a harvest.
In the 1700s, most farm work was assisted by oxen rather than horses. Oxen, a type of cow, were sturdy animals and relatively inexpensive to raise and care for. Horses were not as common in Early America, as such they were spared from harder labor, and reserved for riding or pulling carriages. Poorer farmers who could not afford horses would have also used oxen to pull their carriages. The work horse became more common in the mid 1800s; however, many farmers continued to use oxen until animal pulled farm tools were replaced by automated machinery.
We are COMPLETELY BOOKED for the 2021 rental season and no longer accepting reservations for this year. We are still accepting inquiries and bookings for next year’s season, May-September 2022. Please see our website for more information on renting our grounds for a wedding or private event. https://onderdonkhouse.org/weddings-events
We are COMPLETELY BOOKED for the 2021 rental season and no longer accepting reservations for this year. We are still accepting inquiries and bookings for next year’s season, May-September 2022. Please see our website for more information on renting our grounds for a wedding or private event. https://onderdonkhouse.org/weddings-events
Yesterday was #SummerSolstice 🌞and the longest day of the year. The changing of the seasons has been celebrated by cultures across the world for all of human history. In many European countries, the solstice in late June was celebrated as “Midsummer,” a day of festival and thanksgiving halfway through the growing season. Early American farmers, like the Vander Ende and Onderdonk families, would have have also used this date as a marker in their agricultural calendars. Happy Summer!
Yesterday was #SummerSolstice 🌞and the longest day of the year. The changing of the seasons has been celebrated by cultures across the world for all of human history. In many European countries, the solstice in late June was celebrated as “Midsummer,” a day of festival and thanksgiving halfway through the growing season. Early American farmers, like the Vander Ende and Onderdonk families, would have have also used this date as a marker in their agricultural calendars. Happy Summer!
Happy Father’s Day from all of us at the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society! Wishing our community a meaningful day with their loved ones. The Museum will be open for tours today from 12-5 PM and we will have Basket Weaving at 2 PM & 3 PM.
Happy Father’s Day from all of us at the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society! Wishing our community a meaningful day with their loved ones. The Museum will be open for tours today from 12-5 PM and we will have Basket Weaving at 2 PM & 3 PM.
Stop (by for a tour) and smell the Roses! 🌹The Museum and Grounds are open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5 PM. Admission is $5. Additionally, this Sunday, June 20th, we will have Basket Weaving at 2 PM & 3 PM, $10 a participant. 🧺
Stop (by for a tour) and smell the Roses! 🌹The Museum and Grounds are open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5 PM. Admission is $5. Additionally, this Sunday, June 20th, we will have Basket Weaving at 2 PM & 3 PM, $10 a participant. 🧺
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a garden favorite here at the Onderdonk House. Sweet William is a Biennial plant, meaning it grows foliage and strong roots the first year, flowers the second, and then dies. Sweet William readily reseeds itself if you leave the flower heads alone. Plant seeds two years in a row for consecutive blooms each spring. You must be patient as they establish, but Sweet William is worth the wait!
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a garden favorite here at the Onderdonk House. Sweet William is a Biennial plant, meaning it grows foliage and strong roots the first year, flowers the second, and then dies. Sweet William readily reseeds itself if you leave the flower heads alone. Plant seeds two years in a row for consecutive blooms each spring. You must be patient as they establish, but Sweet William is worth the wait!
#ThrowBackThursday Mystery Edition! Do you recognize the Ridgewood block in this photo from our archives? Have a guess to when the photograph was taken? Let us know in the comments!
Image: unlabeled photograph from the “Ridgewood, Queens” section of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society Photograph Collection.
#ThrowBackThursday Mystery Edition! Do you recognize the Ridgewood block in this photo from our archives? Have a guess to when the photograph was taken? Let us know in the comments!
Image: unlabeled photograph from the “Ridgewood, Queens” section of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society Photograph Collection.
Still looking for the perfect gift for Dad? How about a handmade basket? Or better yet, a ticket to our Basket Weaving Workshop, this Sunday, June 20th!
Basket Weaving will be held on the grounds of the historic Onderdonk House Museum. The workshop has 2 sessions, beginning at 2 PM & 3 PM. Tickets are $10 each, please purchase in advance at ODH-Basket.Eventbrite.com
Still looking for the perfect gift for Dad? How about a handmade basket? Or better yet, a ticket to our Basket Weaving Workshop, this Sunday, June 20th!
Basket Weaving will be held on the grounds of the historic Onderdonk House Museum. The workshop has 2 sessions, beginning at 2 PM & 3 PM. Tickets are $10 each, please purchase in advance at ODH-Basket.Eventbrite.com
Happy Flag Day! The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House is a Blue Star museum, which means that veterans and active military receive free admission.
#onderdonkhouse #flagday #bluestarmuseum
Happy Flag Day! The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House is a Blue Star museum, which means that veterans and active military receive free admission.
#onderdonkhouse #flagday #bluestarmuseum
This Sunday June 20th, join us for Basket Weaving! The hour long workshop will have two sessions, beginning at 2 PM & 3 PM. We will provide all the materials and teach you the ancient art of basketry. 🧺
🎟 $10. Limited capacity, so please purchase tickets in advance: ODH-Basket.eventbrite.com
Join us on Sunday June 20th for Basket Weaving! The hour long workshop will have two sessions, beginning at 2 PM & 3 PM. We will provide all the materials and teach you the ancient art of basketry. 🧺
🎟 $10. Limited capacity, so please purchase tickets in advance: ODH-Basket.eventbrite.com
1820 Flushing Ave
Queens, NY
11385
Bus Q-54 passes and stops two blocks away at the intersection of Flushing and Metropolitan Avenues. Bus B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. "L" subway line to Jefferson Street (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Avenue. On street car and bike parking is available, plentiful and free!
We preserve local neighborhood records, give history and genealogy talks to grade schools and adults alike. Suggested donation $3.00 adults, $1.00 children except for special events or programs. Check event calendar on the website for other special events throughout the year via Instagram or Twitter.
| Saturday | 12pm - 5pm |
| Sunday | 12pm - 5pm |
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This week’s Discovery Club theme is Historic Games! Who else loves to jump rope? 🙋 Learn how to play and find out about the history of Jump Rope, Hopscotch, and other games by checking out our website: https://onderdonkhouse.org/discovery-club
Did you know that Wampum was originally a decorative art- not a form of currency? Watch our video to learn how to make beaded Wampum bracelets. Discover the history of Wampum by going to our website: https://onderdonkhouse.org/discovery-club
Check out this week's discovery club activity- Johnny Cakes! learn more about Early American Food by visiting our website https://onderdonkhouse.org/discovery-club
The Onderdonk House is open today from 1-5 despite the weather. Hope to see you there.
Popcorn over an open fire #vanderendeonderdonk #ODH #ridgewood #queens #christmas
St. Nicholas day is in full swing, come enjoy the festivities and the warm fire!
Joined the celebration for Corato Restaurant on Myrtle! Cathy Nolan shared some nice memories.
🕺🏾Who did you have in the Dance Off?💃🏾Queens tried, but Brooklyn brought the boogie.
P🥧i🥧e🥧s! Staff was on hand to distribute after-pie pepto shakes and antacids. 🤢#pieeatingcontest
These hula hoopers were no joke. The hips don’t lie, folks. Queens placed first, Brooklyn brought the heat.
Last year at the New Amsterdam Festival we had jugglers and this year it will be magicians and more!!! Come check it out this weekend April 27th 12 to 6!
Eden Lane entertains.
Check out all the fun from St. Nicholas Days of years past, below. This year Dec 9th 12-5. Come have fun and meet St. Nicholas. Holiday treats and sweets. Colonial holiday activities for the whole family. https://www.facebook.com/events/342033819863074/?active_tab=about
Great Ridgewood pumpkin patch!
The Muse performing a wonderful juggling act!
The community that dances together stays together! Come join the fun again tomorrow at the New Amsterdam Festival 12 to 6pm. Free!!!
Come on down! Fun time! Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective 🎸
What are the chances that 2 visitors today were Dutch? And Ed, from the Netherlands shared some Dutch Sinterklaas songs!
Silent night
New York Wood Stairs & Railing Corp.
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