Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

National Historic Site · NY · nps.gov page

Lindenwald, a yellow, 3 story mansion, is surrounded by trees.
Lindenwald during fall, the large Sycamore tree is prominently seen to the left rear of the house.Photo: NPS Photo

Born in Kinderhook, New York, in 1782, Martin Van Buren was the first president born a US citizen. His life spanned the American Revolution to the Civil War and was shaped by the most important issues of the era: US expansionism and the removal of Indigenous people, states’ rights, and slavery. This historic landscape invites reflection on the many lives and legacies woven into its past.

Photos

Le paysage à chasses, a scenic wallpaper of a hunting scene that is hung in Van Buren's dining room
Original sections of Le paysage à chasses by Zuber that hang in Van Buren's dining room.Photo: NPS Photo
The servants' dining room in the basement of Lindenwald. A round table fill the center of the room.
During Martin Van Buren’s ownership, this basement space served as a work and dining area for servants. However, during the Van Ness (1797) era, it may have been part of the living space for enslaved people.Photo: NPS Photo
A white marble bust of Martin Van Buren is centered between two windows and behind an oblong desk.
Inside Martin Van Buren's library a marble bust created by Hiram Powers dominates the space.Photo: NPS Photo

Park information and photos come from the National Park Service. This is not an official NPS site.