New York State History

The houses in Beverwyck were very neat without and within. They were built chiefly of brick or stone, and cov­ered with white pine shingles, or tiles from Holland. Most of them had ter­raced gables fronting the street, with gutters extending from the eaves beyond the sidewalk to carry off the rain-water; hence, the streets were almost impassable during a heavy storm of wind and rain. The streets were broad, and lined with shade trees, with here and there a bit of pavement. The houses were generally but a story and a half high, and well spread out on the ground-floor. Each bouwery had its grass-plot, and garden in the rear, where vegetables were pro­duced in great abundance.

Mrs. Grant, in her Memoir of the American Lady , says, ''The Schuylers and one or two oth­er families had very large gardens laid out in fanciful European style." The ''stoops" of the houses were raised above the street, and shaded by trees planted in commemoration of some event, or the birth of some member of the family, and here gathered the young and old at twi­light. Every family had its cow pastured in a common field at the end of the town, and it was a picturesque sight at evening to see each animal going home of its own accord to be milked, the tinkling bells hung round its neck heralding its ap­proach.