A Bustling Household

When Martin Van Buren lived at Lindenwald, the household was filled with a constant flow of family, friends, and political colleagues coming and going, along with an ever-changing mix of agricultural and domestic employees. Some workers were native born, many were immigrants, most were white, and some were black. Years of use by the domestic help left lasting wear patterns on the tower stairs, just as the different members of the household left impressions on one another.

Kinderhook, New York · United States