An Old New York City Family Home - Merchant's House Museum

The Merchant’s House Museum was the home of Seabury Tredwell, a New York City prosperous hardware merchant, and his family for over 100 years. The 19th-century, five-floor home is located in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. This well-preserved home was built in 1832 and purchased by the upper-middle class Tredwell family in 1835. The house remained in the family until the death of the youngest daughter, Gertrude, in 1933. George Chapman, a distant relative, purchased the house and transformed it into a museum. The museum has undergone restoration and renovations over the years. Today, the house museum showcases the Tredwell family’s original decor including furniture and personal belongings and reflects the family’s 19th century daily living.

Here is what caught my eye; I hope you enjoy!

The front facade of the house

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There is information about the Tredwell Family and the servants

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The decorative wrought-iron work that greets you on the entrance stairs to the house.

In the ground floor family room

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The plate warmer in front of the fireplace dates back to 1820.

Also on the ground floor is the kitchen with a large beehive oven.

Note the different shaped call bells at the top of the wall. Different shapes created different sounds for the servants that were not able to read labels.

Food would be put in this pie safe to keep it safe from rodents. The legs of the safe were placed in small dishes that were filled with water to prevent ants and other bugs from getting at the stored food.

The elaborate plasterwork and fanlights in the vestibule

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The entrance hall

In the front parlor with a Italian black and gold marble fireplace.

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Huge column are on either side of the sliding mahogany pocket doors that would separate the parlor from the dining room.

The dining room contains Duncan Phyfe furniture as well as a match to the six-globe gasolier or gas chandelier in the parlor. Experts believe them to be the oldest domestic gas fixtures in their original place in the United States.

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The staircase to the second floor

Eliza Tredwell’s rear-facing bedroom

The bathtub and a second bed to be used for nursing a sick child back to health.

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Seabury’s front-facing bedroom

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A second floor office used by Mr Tredwell

Top floor servant room

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Another view of the first floor rooms

What you should know:

• During my visit here in December, 2023 I learned that the house was in danger, due to development of the building next door. There is fear that the fragile 1832 interior plasterwork will crumble with the vibrations from the construction next door. This house is considered one of the finest surviving examples of domestic architecture from the 1832 late-Federal and Greek Revival period, and is a designated landmark on the federal, state and city level, but still is in danger which baffles me. With that said, I am not sure if this house will still be able to be visited in the future.

• On-line reservation are necessary for the guided tours. Self-guided tours are also available.

• You could spend one to two hours here, depending on you level of interest.

• Public restrooms are available.

• Check website for days and hours of operation.

• The rear garden is open during warmer weather.

Location: 29 East 4th Street, New York, NY. 10003

For more information: Merchant House