The Historic House Trust of New York City
in partnership with NYC Parks, advocates for, promotes, and provides expertise to preserve 23 publicly owned historic sites located throughout the city’s five boroughs.
30th Anniversary Founders Award Dinner
On Monday, June 10th the Historic House Trust’s supporters gathered together at the 2019 Founders Award Dinner honoring the six former Chairs of the organization: Timothy C. Forbes, Cynthia C. Wainwright, Robert Quinlan, Deborah Krulewitch, Franny Eberhart, and John C. Gustafsson.
We toasted their impeccable leadership and timeless achievements, which continue to provide enduring value to many of New York City’s greatest historic treasures. Many thanks to all of our supporters, volunteers, vendors, and corporate sponsors who helped to make our 2019 Founders Award Dinner such a great success! All proceeds support the Historic House Trust, a nonprofit organization working in tandem with NYC Parks to provide essential support for 23 sites of architectural and cultural significance.
Support Our Annual Campaign
The Historic House Trust is so much more than a collection of houses. Our sites are beacons of their communities and portals into history. They remind us of the momentous events that shaped New York City and the passionate people who have fueled its legendary energy, from the Lenape tribes who settled the shores to you reading this letter today. We love that HHT’s 23 houses challenge us to find new and engaging ways to speak about this shared history, the changing city, the conflicts we have weathered, and the issues we struggle with today. Your donation ensures that these sites are preserved and continue to serve their communities.
Historic House Trust Membership Program
With a membership to the Historic House Trust you have the freedom to journey across all five boroughs in search of new adventures. With unlimited free admission to the historic house museums in our collection, New York City is your oyster! And make sure to check out our new membership benefits, including special members-only tours,invitations to our 30th anniversary lecture series, and more. Join today and rediscover NYC with the Historic House Trust!
Events and Programming at 23 Historic Sites at the Click of a Button
There is always something to do in NYC and we know of 23 sites that have unique events and programming for all ages and interests across the five boroughs. Click the button below to discover what is happening at your historic house in your neighborhood.
Henry J. Stern, NYC Parks Commissioner
May 1, 1935 – March 28, 2019
The Historic House Trust mourns the passing of NYC Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern. Stern was instrumental in the founding of HHT in 1989, working closely with devoted historic house aficionados, as well as Diana Chapin, Deputy Commissioner for Planning at NYC Parks at the time, Adrian Benepe, who was then Director of Art & Antiquities for NYC Parks, and Mary Ellen W. Hern, then Director of Historic Houses at NYC Parks. Together they formed HHT alongside our founding mothers and original trustees Deborah Krulewitch, Cynthia Wainwright, and Myra Biblowit, creating a leading model for a preservation-focused public private partnership that would go on to great success. Stern remained devoted to the preservation and promotion of publicly owned historic sites in the 30 years since.
Zealous, warmly eccentric, and often provocative, Stern was a dedicated public servant who made a tremendous impact on New York City’s green spaces, and the historic structures within, during his 15 years as commissioner. He was famed for the nicknames, known as “noms du parc,” that he gave to those he worked with, including HHT’s current Executive Director John Krawchuk (“Chowder”), who Stern hired to the agency in 1997. Please join us in remembering Stern’s passion, whimsy, and dedication to the historic houses of New York City. Stern wished that charitable donations be made in his remembrance to the Historic House Trust. You can read a full obituaries on Commissioner Stern in The New York Times, the New York Post, and the Daily News.
Photo Credit: NYC Parks Photo Archive
