"This Old House" Pays a Visit to an Old Long Island Village

The front entrance to the Schenck House, as seen in spring.

The popular home-improvement series "This Old House" paid a visit to historic Old Bethpage Village Restoration on August 7 to see how things were built nearly three centuries ago, in preparation for one of its episodes this fall.

Host Kevin O'Connor, joined by architecture writer Russell Versaci and a film crew, spent three hours at the Village looking over the historic Schenck House, one of the oldest Dutch farmhouses remaining in the U.S. As such, the property was of interest to the show's producers, who are engaged in the renovation of a 1915 Dutch Colonial home in the Boston suburb of Newton Centre that will be the focus of several "This Old House" shows beginning October 8.

Versaci, who provided a tour for O'Connor, is an architect and writer who featured the Schenck House in one of his books, "Roots of Home." In exploring the Schenck House, Versaci covered the exterior and interior of the home and focused on such unique design aspects as the round butt shingles, the gabled roof with flared eaves, the heavy beams with "H" construction, and the massive stone jambless fireplace.

Built around 1730, the Schenck House displays typical massive Dutch framing, particularly on the first-floor ceiling joists, which span 32 feet. The home was originally situated in the area now constituting Manhasset and is the only authentic Dutch-style home at Old Bethpage, although other buildings in the Village have features drawn from that style of architecture. The home was originally occupied by Dutch farmer Minne Schenck, his three daughters and one son. The son, Martin, inherited the farm upon his father's death in 1767 at the age of 67.

“We were very pleased to host the visit by ‘This Old House' to Old Bethpage Village, which provides a truly unique opportunity for the public to enjoy a living history museum, including the architecture that was prevalent on Long Island and in the nation in the 18th and 19th centuries,” says Deputy County Executive Ian Siegel. “We look forward to the show airing in the fall so that more people in the metropolitan area can learn about this wonderful property and come out to experience it firsthand.”

In the New York City-Nassau County area, "This Old House" can be seen on public stations such as Channel 13 and 21.

Old Bethpage Village provides visitors with the opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19th-century American village set on more than 200 acres and boasting some 50 historic buildings. Hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday - Sunday. Entrance fees are $7 for children 5 - 12 (those under 5 are free), seniors and volunteer firefighters; and $10 for adults. OBVR is located on Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage (exit 48 on the LIE); for more information, call 516-572-8400.