$10,000 in state funds earmarked for Sylvester Manor

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Preservation League of New York State, Sylvester Manor Educational Farm will be able to complete an “historic structure report” of the Manor House.

The 1737 Manor House is part of the larger complex that includes 225 acres of land, outbuildings, the windmill and other structures that was given by Eben Fiske Ostby to the Educational Farm over a four-year period.

“The board and staff of Sylvester Manor are thrilled to have the support of the Preservation League as we launch this crucial first wave of preservation assessments since taking ownership of the Manor House just last year,” said Maura Doyle, the Manor’s history and historic preservation coordinator. “We are inspired by the confidence the League has in us as stewards of this unique historic property and in our selection of Michael Devonshire and his team at Jan Hird Pokorny Associates to steer this exciting first phase of preservation work.”

Mr. Devonshire and his team will assess the condition of the Manor House and develop a phased program of preservation efforts.

The aim, he said, is to determine how the building has survived nearly 300 harsh winters and scorching summers and to provide a guide to today’s team of caretakers on what’s needed “to stabilize, repair and restore” the building “to ensure its longevity.”

Sylvester Manor is one of only 14 organizations statewide to share in the Preservation League’s grants this year.