Built around 1784 by William Dyckman, the Dyckman Farmhouse remains the last Dutch Colonial farmhouse in Manhattan. It stood on a prosperous farm of over 250 acres until the 1860s. The land on which it stands was occupied by the Munsee Lenape until they were forcefully removed by Dutch colonists in the late 17th century. The Dyckman family, as enslavers, exploited enslaved Africans whose labor was used to farm the land, prepare household goods, and assist in daily domestic work. Their enforced labor helped the Dyckman family prosper and take part in philanthropic engagement with their neighbors.
