News from the Van Cortlandtville Historical Society:
The John Jones Home’s History
And Architecture Topic of Talk
Sat., Feb. 16th, at Van Cort Historical
The John Jones Home in Cortlandt: Its History & Architecture will be the topic of a talk by the new
owner of the historic home on Saturday, February 16th, at 2 p.m., at The Little Red Schoolhouse,
297 Locust Avenue, Cortlandt Manor, New York. The afternoon event is sponsored by the Van
Cortlandtville Historical Society and open free to the public.
Paul van Hagen, P.E., a professional engineer who resides in the 18th century farmhouse with his
family, will lead a presentation on the history and architectural aspects of the Jones home, which is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Joining him will be representatives of The Society
for The Preservation of Hudson Valley Vernacular Architecture (HVVA). The HVVA is a not-for-profit
organization which studies and assesses Dutch Vernacular Architecture in the Hudson Valley region.
A survey team will be visiting the Jones Home earlier on Saturday. The Dutch Colonial-type home,
circa 1750, is located at the corner of Durrin Avenue and Oregon Road.
Mr. van Hagen, a native of Hampshire, England, purchased the Jones home in 2010. He moved there
from the famous John Reed home on Mt. Airy Road in Croton. He and his wife, Sarah, have 3 children.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Kingston University in London. A
member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, he has several honors in his special discipline of
building major long-span bridges.
The Little Red Schoolhouse is located at the northern end of Locust Avenue next to Old Saint Peter’s
Church and cemetery, on the hill just south of Oregon Road in the Town of Cortlandt. For more
information, visit: www.vancort.net; or, call (914) 736-7868.
