Philipse Manor Hall
Yonkers’ oldest building, this elegant country seat—built by one of the richest families in colonial America—evokes the era when Yonkers was the administrative center of a vast manorial estate. Its present appearance dates from extensive alterations made during the eighteenth century. Confiscated following the Revolution, the house once served as Yonkers’ City Hall and is now operated as a museum by New York State.
In 1646 Frederick Philipse I began purchasing large tracts of land, eventually accumulating over 90,000 acres. He built a grist mill on the Nepperhan and thereafter began construction on the Manor Hall.
After the Revolution, the Manor Hall saw a succession of owners. In 1868, it was purchased by Yonkers for use as a Village Hall. It remained the seat of government until a new City Hall was built in 1907.
