Locust Grove Estate: A Serene Spring Destination

A quaint destination overlooking the Hudson River, Locust Grove Estate is a hidden gem offering Town of Poughkeepsie residents access to quiet hiking trails, sprawling flower gardens, and tours of a historic Poughkeepsie landmark. Its story begins with the mansion, originally constructed in 1852 as a summer home for Samuel F.B. Morse, artist, and inventor of the first electric telegraph. Nearly 175 years later, the Estate finds itself a gathering place for the community, where guests of all walks of life can find an area of interest.

Upon their arrival, guests are welcomed to the Estate by friendly staff and pass through the museum shop, home to an exquisite array of art books, hand-sewn doll clothes, finely crafted jewelry, and much more. However, upon taking a peek through the back windows, one finds their attention immediately stolen by the rolling greenery freshly in bloom. Awe truly encompasses every step across the Estate. No matter which direction one finds themselves pulled towards, you can always see the sparking Hudson River in the background.

As I found myself a victim of an early-Spring chill, I naturally gravitated toward the Estate’s crown jewel, its historic mansion. Here, I was lucky enough to meet the Director of Locust Grove, Ken Snodgrass, who offered me a deeper look into the life of the family who once occupied Locust Grove.

A Poughkeepsie family to their core, William Hopkins Young and Martha Innis Young first purchased the mansion in 1895. This was made possible through the inherited wealth of Martha’s grandfather George Innis, a former mayor of Poughkeepsie and successful business tycoon. It remained the family home until 1975, when the last surviving daughter, Annette Innis Young, passed away. Guided tours are offered Friday through Monday in April through December, allowing museum-goers an inside eye into the family’s eclectic and distinctly American collection of art, musical instruments, and many other pieces. Unique to this home as opposed to many other historic mansions is that the house remains a time capsule to the Young family's life. Its restoration effort is concentrated on ensuring the house maintains its appearance from when Annette lived there: from the clothes in the dressers to the paper in the desks. All of the nearly 15,000 pieces in the Young family’s art collection remain.

The only notable change since the home’s original purchase in 1895 has been the size of the property. Beginning at seventy acres, the Youngs purchased adjoining properties throughout their time at Locust Grove. Even after Annette’s death in 1975, museum trustees continued to buy property in an effort to insulate the estate from commercial development. Today, Locust Grove boasts an impressive two hundred acres.

“She lived here long enough to see most of her neighbor's houses bulldozed for commercial development and gas stations, which she didn't want to see happen here. She loved Locust Grove and in her will, she created a not-for-profit foundation to manage the property for the benefit of the public. Her words were the enjoyment, visitation, and enlightenment of the public,” said Snodgrass.

During tours, visitors are guided through the Youngs’ collection in twenty-five rooms on three floors of the house. From the servant’s quarters, guided tours provided a detailed look into the work necessary to keep the house functioning as it did. Moving through gathering spaces, bedrooms, the kitchen, and rooms for billiards and relaxation, one is able to see precisely the manner in which they lived. Guests are afforded the opportunity to learn about their distinct decorative pieces— such as live birds preserved, stuffed, and maintained under glass— and about the house’s energy transition from gas to electricity as they hosted parties and other guests.

Since its early days, the house had been a gathering place for the Poughkeepsie community. Across their lives, Annette and her mother served on twelve different charitable boards in the Hudson Valley, such as the SPCA, the Children’s Home, the Old Lady’s Home, and many others. In addition to parties and philanthropic gatherings, the Youngs hosted knitting bees and bandage rolling parties to send supplies to American troops in World War II. Their community spirit is reflected in various places throughout the house, from the light and movable furniture in the drawing room to the fourteen dinner services that accommodated large dinner parties.

Locust Grove maintains its welcoming community atmosphere through the present day. April marks the celebratory start of the new year for Locust Grove Estate, as the gardens and hiking trails, as well as guided tours reopened for visitors on the 1st. Everyday from 10 am to 5 pm, visitors are welcome to stretch their legs on hikes rated low to moderate in difficulty. (Ken himself recommends that when hiking, visitors should wear sturdy shoes, but to leave the hiking poles and crampons at home). Or, for a more relaxing afternoon, visitors are encouraged to stroll the grounds and enjoy Spring as the flowers bloom once more. 

In addition, Locust Grove begins their calendar of events in April, with exciting offers for community members of all ages. For those with a more refined palate, Sunset Sensations is a monthly event where celebrated Hudson Valley chefs offer tastings of a dish centered around the food currently in season in the vegetable gardens. Locust Grove also partners with a wine expert to ensure a thoughtfully paired wine with each dish, what is sure to be an exquisite culinary experience.

On Sunday, April 14th, Locust Grove will be partnering with Appraisers Roadshow for their Antique Appraisal Day. For $35 per ticket, visitors can bring in up to five items to gain quick estimates of their value. From glass clocks to baseball cards, all pieces are welcome! Appraisers from New York City and the Hudson Valley will be there from 10 am-4 pm. Tickets are available on Locust Grove’s website.

For the youngest members of the Poughkeepsie community, Locust Grove will be hosting a Fairy House Hunt every weekend from May 4th and 5th to June 29th and 30th. Volunteers make “fairy houses” themed after the trees and flowers in the gardens. While searching for them, children get to learn fun facts about some of the various plant species that grow in the Locust Grove gardens. 

Ken Snodgrass wishes to remind the public that admission to the ground is free of charge, according to the original want of Annette Innis Young, to allow the space as a center of community engagement. “Her wish was that this place would be free of charge. Open to the public forever, and that's our goal as an organization to keep that wish alive today.”

Attached here is the link to purchase tickets for Antiques Appraisal Day.

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