Valentine-Varian House and Bronx Rental Cars
When you travel with your Bronx rental cars to 3266 Bainbridge Avenue at East 208th Street you will find the Bronx's second oldest home and oldest remaining farmhouse. The Valentine-Varian House is also home to the Museum of Bronx History and is currently a part of the historic House Trust. You can find the Valentine-Varian House in a small park in the Norwood neighbourhood of north-central Bronx. The Valentine-Varian House is also just a few minutes walk from Montefiore Medical Center, The Society's Research Library and The Bronx County Archives buildings. This charming house offers Bronx rental cars visitors a glance in the Bronx's past and is definitely a trip worth making when you are in the Bronx borough.
A little history
The Valentine-Varian House was built in 1758 by Isaac Valentine, a blacksmith and farmer who bought the parcel of land from the Dutch Reformed Church. During the Revolutionary War, Valentine and his family had to abandon their home, which was occupied by British, Hessian and American troops. The House's role in the Revolutionary war was documented in a book published in 1983. Returning after the war, the Valentine's sold the home and 260 acre of property in 1792 to Isaac Varian, a successful butcher and farmer. The Varians kept the house for three generations; one of Isaac's sons (also named Isaac) was the 63rd Mayor of New York City from 1839 to 1841. The building was sold at auction in 1905 to William F. Beller. In 1965, his son, William C. Beller, donated the house to The Bronx County Historical Society. It was moved diagonally across the street to a new foundation in the same year.
A work of art
When you visit the Valentine-Varian House with your Bronx rental car you will find that the home has been beautifully designed to fit its natural surroundings. Set inside a wrought-iron fence in a small park, the sturdy home has a symmetrical style called "Georgian Vernacular," with evenly placed windows and identical chimneys at either end. Inside, you will find rooms that mirror each other across a central hallway. Sections of the house retain the original floorboards, hand-forged nails and homemade mortar. Deep-set splayed windows throughout the house were designed to let in light and keep out of the cold.
Museum of Bronx History
When you travel with your Bronx Rental Cars to the Valentine-Varian House you will also find the Museum of Bronx History on the location. Since the Valentine-Varian House's conversion to a museum it has held a number of exhibits about The Bronx and the borough's history. Two rooms contain changing exhibitions, while the front parlor has a permanent display about the development of the area, from the Indian and Dutch periods through the Revolution. Plantings, an herb garden, an outdoor seating area and the Bronx River Soldier monument embellish the gardens surrounding the house. This is a great place to travel with your Bronx rental cars to relax and learn about the Valentine-Varian House`s history.
Before you go...
The Valentine-Varian House is open Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. The house is closed mid-December through mid-January & major holidays. Guided tours are available on the weekdays by appointment only when you travel with your Bronx rental cars. Admission to the Valentine-Varian House is $5 for adults and $3 for students, children, and seniors.
For more information when you travel with your Bronx rental cars to the Valentine-Varian House check out the Bronx Historical Society's official website at www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org or call (718) 881 - 8900.
Check out the Bronx car rental All Car Rent a Car location at 138 City Island Avenue Bronx, NY 10464
