Philipsburg Manor Open For Tours Celebrating Juneteenth

Philipsburg Manor, the country's first living history museum to focus on slavery in the colonial North, will be welcoming visitors for Juneteenth, observed on Monday, June 20. Guided tours of the site will be offered between 10:30am-3:30pm.

This historic site in the heart of Sleepy Hollow is a National Historic Landmark that focuses on the stories of the 23 enslaved individuals of African descent who lived and labored on the plantation in 1750. Visitors can experience the gristmill and learn about Caesar, the highly skilled enslaved miller; tour the manor house with its lower kitchens and dairy to hear about the work of the enslaved women; and encounter many of the activities common in rural daily life in the mid-18th century.

"For more than twenty years, Historic Hudson Valley has offered an honest, document-based narrative of northern slavery through our colonial sites and our digital programs," said Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, Vice President of Programs and Engagement at Historic Hudson Valley. "The story of how the enslaved population at Philipsburg Manor forged a resilient community in the face of legalized oppression is the cornerstone of our work on this subject. We are proud to share the crucial history of Caesar, Dinah, Susan, Massey, Diamond, and many others with the public on Juneteenth and every day."

Building on the decades of research used at Philipsburg Manor for site tours, in 2019 HHV launched the award-winning interactive documentary website People Not Property. Using a mix of original videos, interviews, and hundreds of artifacts and documents, the website illustrates the wrenching history of slavery throughout the region, from the Middle Passage to life in the American colonies, for an international audience.

Philipsburg Manor is open for guided tours Friday-Sunday, through November 13, as well as Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors (65+) and young adults (18-25), and $10 for children. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley Members and children under 3. Admission is by timed ticket only.

Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

People Not Property can be found online at https://peoplenotproperty.hudsonvalley.org/