Resources for Researchers, Teachers & Students


Working on a class project about Dyckman Farmhouse or are you a Dyckman Family member looking for more information? In addition to the information in the History section, the resources below may be of help.


DYCKMAN INFORMATIONAL HANDOUTS

Self Guided Tour (PDF)

Household Tree of 1820(PDF)
There weren’t just Dyckman family members who called the farmhouse home.  Learn about the 10 people who lived here in 1820 when the head of the household was Jacobus Dyckman.

Children of Jacobus & Hannah Dyckman (Jpeg)
While we focus on the story of who lived in the farmhouse in 1820, people are always curious about the other children of Jacobus and his wife Hannah – particularly when they learn that there were 11 of them!  Find out more about the family with this chart.

Handout: Dyckman Farmhouse – Why did they build it like that? (PDF)
Handout for teachers and students pointing out construction features of the Dyckman Farmhouse.  Why would they have constructed the farmhouse with features like low ceilings, shutters and two kitchens?

Fact or Fiction Newspaper(PDF)
Curious about all the stories about Dyckman?  Read our April Fool’s Newspaper – Ye Olde Gossip Rag.

Basic Timeline for Teachers (PDF)

Garden Map for Teachers (PDF)

Map Activity for Students & Teachers (PDF)

I Spy Architecture (PDF) | Veo Veo Arquitectura (PDF)

Garden Scavenger Hunt (PDF) | La Busqeda Del Tesoro En El Jardin (PDF)

Luna Activity Book (PDF)

Sampler Coloring Page (PDF)


BOOKS/ARTICLES

Dean, Bashford and Alexander McMillan Welch. Dyckman House Park and Museum 1783-1916. NY: 1916 (Google Books)
The restoration architect and first curator for the museum (both married to Dyckman sisters) wrote this booklet after completion of their work.  While modern research has found many inaccuracies in the early Dyckman history they present it is an invaluable document for information about their restoration process and historic preservation philosophy in the early 20th century.

Bolton, Reginald Pelham.  Relics of the Revolution. NY: Bolton, 1916. (Archive.org)
Reginald Pelham Bolton and his colleagues conducted numerous archaeological digs in Northern Manhattan and donated some of their finds to the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum.  This book is a wonderful documentation of their digs.

Bolton, Reginald Pelham.  Inwood Hill Park on the Island of Manhattan. (Archive.org)
A history of Inwood Hill Park written by an early advocate for the preservation of it as open space.  This booklet includes a wonderful map of the area showing  that it wasn’t always green space – there were numerous estates and institutions located in what is now Inwood Hill Park.

City History Club of New York.  Historical Guide to the City of New York.  NY: Frederick A. Stokes, 1913. (Archive.org)
An intriguing guide to historic sites in the city in the early 20th century, including archaeological sites that were being explored.  There is a section (with map) dedicated to Inwood.  An earlier version of the book (1909) is also available but the page listing Dyckman Farmhouse is smudged.

Chronicling America / Library of Congress
A project to digitize American newspapers from 1836-1922.  New York newspapers include The Sun, New-York Tribune and The Evening World.

Worden, Helen.  Round Manhattan’s Rim. Indianapolis:  Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1934. (Archive.org)
A delightful saunter around Manhattan that includes numerous stops in Inwood. The author visited the Vorhees Pottery Studio, Princess Naomie in Inwood Hill Park, Fannie Fredericka Dyckman Welch and the Seaman Estate.


FLOOR PLANS

Built in America: Library of Congress
This collection includes drawings, photographs and floorplans completed as part of the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) project.  Enter Dyckman House into the search window and you will find the 1930’s study of Dyckman Farmhouse.   Note:  The names of the rooms and the paint colors listed reflect 1930 conditions, not the 18th or 19th century.   It is unclear how they arrived at an origin date of 1725 for the Summer Kitchen (Bake House), the actual construction date is unknown.

*You can also search the database for documentation of some of our fellow sites like Morris Jumel Mansion, Van Cortlandt House, Merchants House Museum and Bartow Pell Mansion.


HISTORIC IMAGES/DOCUMENTS/OBJECTS

Flickr/Dyckman Farmhouse
In addition to contemporary views of the farmhouse Dyckman continues to add to images sets including  collection objects, historic views from the Reginald Pelham Bolton collection and pre and post restoration views of the farmhouse  for educational use.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met holds a number of Dyckman family objects in its collections – including a portrait of Isaac Michael Dyckman and two children’s chairs that belonged to his daughters Mary Alice and Fannie Fredericka.

Museum of the City of New York
MCNY has put a wealth of images of the Inwood neighborhood, including views of the farmhouse, online in a searchable database. It is an amazing research resource.

New-York Historical Society
Search the NYHS collections portal for Dyckman related items such as a wonderful portrait of Mary Alice and Fannie Fredericka as children and portraits of their parents Isaac Michael and Fannie Dyckman. The NYHS library also holds  important manuscripts and books relating to early New York history.

New York Public Library Digital Gallery
E
nter search terms such as Dyckman, Inwood, Nagle etc. to find images of the farmhouse and the neighborhood

LESSON PLANS

African American Quilting – Learn about Enslavement and Black History in America

Quilts tell complex and unexpected stories. Students will explore the rich history of African American quilting and research historical Black figures to create their own individualized quilting collage.

Delftware Tile Craft Activity – Make Your Own Delft Tile Coaster or Magnet

Quilts tell complex and unexpected stories. Students will explore the rich history of African American quilting and research historical Black figures to create their own individualized quilting collage.


GENEALOGY

If you are a Dyckman Family member conducting research on your roots or just someone interested in the story of the Dyckman family, there are a few resources that might be of help.

Ancestry.com
We are building a Dyckman Family Tree on Ancestry.com. Documents such as census records and obituaries as well as photos are gradually being linked to people on the tree. If you already are an Ancestry.com member you will be able to view the family tree. In the future we hope to have a pdf available on our website.

Look for a copy of Jan Dyckman of Harlem and his Descendants by H. Dorothea Romer and Helen B. Hartman (NY: Private printing,1981). It is an excellent source for information on the family, but it is very difficult to find. If you can be patient, you are welcome to email info@dyckmanfarmhouse.org with the full name and date range for your family member and we will look them up — there is a small staff here so we do ask for patience.

Those researching Dyckman genealogy might also want to look at Johannes Dyckman of Fort Orange and his Descendants by Marjorie Dikeman Chamberlain.   There were actually two Dyckman men who arrived in New Amsterdam and they were unrelated to each other.  This caused much confusion among early genealogists so you may want to check both volumes for your Dyckman ancestors.

To learn how to start your own family tree, we suggest starting here.


OTHER RESOURCES

Inwood: Six to Celebrate (PDF)
This great booklet highlights a number of architecturally and historically significant sights in Inwood. Volunteers for Isham Park did an enormous amount of research and legwork to nominate the neighborhood as one of the Historic District Council’s Six to Celebrate – a yearly program to
provide strategic help in advancing the preservation goals of six neighborhood groups.

Myinwood.net
A local history website with fascinating tales of Inwood history.

Neighborhood Preservation Center
Interested in historic preservation?  Curious to learn more about a local landmark? Check out their NYC Landmarks Designation Report Database  – a searchable database of New York City Landmarks Commission Designation Reports.

Historic House Trust
Learn more about the other great historic houses to visit!