18th-century house escapes demolition, going to Met

An old house hidden by later additions, rediscovered in Pennsylvania [whoops -- looks like that should have been New York (see comments)]:

A large piece of Bethlehem history that was almost demolished soon will find a new home at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This week the 18th-century, two-story Dutch house, which had been hidden amid decades' worth of additions, is being dismantled and shipped to the museum in Manhattan. By Friday, barring unforeseen weather, the last beams will be stacked in a shipping trailer. Curators hope to include it in an overhaul of the museum's American Wing in the next five to 10 years.

The original homestead's condition is so pristine that restorers recently discovered antique blue and white ceramic tiles in the fireplace, untouched for centuries, said Michael Kelley, who is in charge of the project. The original owner's initials, DW, are clearly carved into the wood siding, although few details are know of the life of Daniel Winne, who built the structure around 1730.

Posted by David on March 5, 2003 9:06 AM