Talk:Merchant's House Museum

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The family
Naturally, over the course of almost a century, this home witnessed its share of happy moments - - births, weddings, christenings, celebrations of all kinds. And, also as part of the natural order of things, there was sadness - - some believe an excessive amount. Stories abound that Seabury was a stern and domineering father, ruling his family with an unyielding nature. Tales - - none of which have ever been proven - - tell of Gertrude’s forbidden love for a young Catholic medical student (the Tredwells were devout Anglicans), of secret births, of hidden passageways and tunnels running to the East River, and more of the sort of stories one often hears when dealing with old houses and eccentric occupants. What is actually known is informative enough.


 * The rumors you mention are unknown to me. However, there IS a hidden space. When I attended the New York School of Interior Design, we were given an assignment to design a visitor's center for the museum in the lot next door. We got the blueprints from the City and had an extensive tour of the house. Comparing the measurement of the basement (where the kitchen is located) with the blueprint, it is about 5-ish feet too small along the long front-to-back right-hand wall.


 * From the Tredwell's bedroom upstairs, there is a hidden access through a closet into a narrow stair that goes down to that walled-off room. There was nothing there when us students were involved with the house. Now, before you jump to the "Undergrownd Railroad" conclusion, remember that Seabury Tredwell was a merchant who may have had occasion to secret contraband goods, the prevailing theory at that time. This building, with all its original furniture, clothing, etc, is gorgeous and worth a visit.


 * All the best, Wordreader (talk) 03:37, 5 November 2021 (UTC)

Is it haunted?
Whether or not the Merchant’s House Museum - - the Seabury Tredwell House - - is truly haunted is subject for opinion and conjecture. It’s probably the sort of thing that can never actually be proven. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. If all the strange tales and weird happenings were suddenly explained away, the real importance of this House - - its architecture, collections, mission, and the light it sheds on a seminal period in New York City history, can never be denied or dismissed. That it survives at all amidst the tear-it-down-and-build-something-bigger ethos of “the city that’s never finished” makes it a treasure of the first magnitude - - something every one who calls themselves a New Yorker, either by birth, by address, or by inclination, can boast of as a jewel in the crown of this superb city. In producing this booklet, the Merchant’s House Museum continues its mission of informing a curious and interested public and simply adds another layer to the many that already make this one of the most beloved and fascinating “secret treasures” in the treasure trove that is New York.

Article's Tone
Judging from the style and tone of this article and especially the deleted text, the author of the article is not writing an article but a brochure. Granted its tone is currently somewhat acceptable, but I don't approve of it as it is now. And the remaining reference to it being haunted may as well also be removed as it makes no sense without the precluding explanation and is even more irrelevant as a result. It needs to be flagged in my opinion. Alan 24.184.184.177 02:37, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)
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Ownership?
Who currently owns the house? Is it still in the hands of family members, perhaps it was taken over by New York City, or is it an independent institution? Thank you for your time, Wordreader (talk) 03:41, 5 November 2021 (UTC)