At the bottom of the hill in downtown Chappaqua stands a subtle yet significant light gray building with a second-story balcony, a front porch, a lovely flower garden, and a distinctive picket fence. The Horace Greeley House Museum preserves and celebrates the history of New Castle, including Chappaqua. It honors our school’s namesake, the 19th-century journalist Horace Greeley.

Horace Greeley was a writer and publisher who founded the New York Tribune newspaper. He was also a presidential candidate and a strong advocate for agricultural innovation and westward expansion. Greeley lived with his wife and two daughters on a large farm in Chappaqua until his wife, Mary, asked the family to move closer to town. In 1864, they moved into the house located at what is now 100 King Street. 

According to letters and diaries from the family, the Greeley daughters, Ida and Gabrielle, often waited on the front porch of this home for their father to return from the train. These same documents reveal the family also enjoyed spectacular sunsets from the house’s balcony. It was in this house that Greeley ran for president in 1872 against Ulysses S. Grant. 

Due to Greeley’s significance in American history, the Horace Greeley House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, which assures that it will be preserved. “The house is important not only because of [Horace Greeley] but also because it is one of the few remaining buildings in downtown Chappaqua as it was in the mid-19th century,” said Margaret Foti, the former president of the New Castle Historical Society.

In 1998, the New Castle Historical Society acquired the 3,900-square-foot house and surrounding property. Using photographs and documents, historians recreated the 19th-century appearance of the home’s interior by filling it with antiques, transforming p0[ it into a museum. The house contains Horace Greeley’s original wooden desk, where he wrote for the New York Tribune, along with other memorabilia related to the Greeley family. 

The permanent collection of the Horace Greeley House Museum includes furniture, china, portraits, books, and a collection of New York Tribune newspapers. The museum also boasts a large collection of textiles, including antique clothing that is on display to reflect the dress of the house’s residents in the late 1800s.

The New Castle Historical Society, within the Horace Greeley House, is an educational resource. It maintains an extensive collection of photographs, maps, political cartoons, and historical documents. This makes the Horace Greeley House Museum a resource for students, researchers, and anyone curious about the history of New Castle. 

Many events for the public are offered by the New Castle Historical Society at the Horace Greeley House. These include The Great Holiday Train Show every winter and the Chappaqua Garden Club’s Flower Show in the spring. Sophomore Jack M. volunteered at the train show last winter, and he appreciates the antique house. “I found it interesting that the hallways were narrow and winding. They were very fun to walk in!” Jack said. The museum also has a gift shop with replicas of vintage items and unique Chappaqua souvenirs.

The Horace Greeley House Museum is a great place to explore our town’s history. To plan your visit, you can check out their website. https://newcastlehs.org/visit/