History
Brewster built the house, then the main block and southeast wing, around 1850 on property owned at the time by the De Crissey family, which he had recently married into. He and his wife began growing fruit, primarily strawberries, raspberries and other small berries on the farm. They were the first in the Hudson Valley to cultivate the Niagara grape.
Not long afterwards, the summer boarding industry began to become a major part of Cornwall's economy. Like other local farmers, such as Wilford Wood and Samuel Brooks, he expanded his home to take in summer boarders. Around 1860 he added the northwest wing for this purpose.
In the 20th century the farm would eventually be sold outside the family and gradually subdivided into the residential neighborhood that surrounds it now. The garage was added, but there has been no other modification to the four acres that remain of the original farm. It has remained a private house ever since.
Read more about this topic: Oliver Brewster House
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