Brooklyn’s 300-year-old Lott House to become Marine Park’s first museum
All photos courtesy of Hendrick I. Lott House
One of Brooklyn’s oldest homes will finally open to the public. The Hendrick I. Lott House, a rare surviving example of a Dutch Colonial home in New York, is set to become a museum, offering visitors the chance to explore the historic interior for the first time. The 300-year-old home will undergo interior and structural renovations starting in early 2026 to preserve its historic charm while modernizing it, transforming it into a fully functional museum, the first in Marine Park. The museum will shed light on the neighborhood’s history, the Lott family, and those who worked and lived on the farm.
Built in 1720, the Lott House is a landmark of the Marine Park community and New York City; the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the home as a landmark in 1989. While the exterior has been restored, the interiors have been left untouched. Due to safety concerns, the public has not been able to enter the home.
The renovation project aims to retain the rustic, interior charm while modernizing and stabilizing its foundational elements.
Upgrades will include improvements to electricity, plumbing, air conditioning, and accessibility, ensuring that guests of all ages and abilities can experience the home and learn about its rich history.
A direct descendant of the Lott family occupied the home until 1989, after which New York City purchased it from the estate in 2002. Exterior and landscape renovations were completed in 2013.
“It’s finally time. It has been over 10 years since the exterior work was completed and we cannot wait for this next phase to start,” Alyssa Loorya, PhD, president of Friends of the Lott House, and principal of Chrysalis Archeology, said.
“We are eager to open the doors and invite the community in to share in the rich history – not only the history of the Lott family, but of the community and south Brooklyn; it’s a New York City story.”
6sqft spoke with Alyssa Loorya, president of Friends of the Lott House, about the historic home’s cultural significance, the renovation project, and the organization’s vision for Marine Park’s first-ever museum.
6sqft: What makes the Hendrick I. Lott House such an important landmark in Marine Park’s history?
Alyssa Loorya: The Lott house is unique in its 280+ year occupation by a single family that remains on its original orientation. It is representative of the rural history of this area, which continued into the 20th century. It is almost an anachronism in the sense that it ceased to be a farm simultaneously with the development of the neighborhood.
History happened here; the Lott House and all those who passed through it were witnesses to those events. The British camped on Lott property prior to the Battle of Long Island, the house contained spiritual objects associated with enslaved, or formerly enslaved persons and was a stop on the underground railroad.
How do you envision the museum impacting the local community once it’s open?
Our part of Brooklyn, deep south Brooklyn, is a cultural desert. The area does not have the cultural institutions commonly found on the northern end of Brooklyn. We hope the museum will become a focal point for culture and community.
What do you hope the museum will offer to visitors in terms of education and experience?
Ultimately, I hope the Lott House, as a museum – as an entity – can give people a sense of the complexity of history and the contributions of the average person. History is about people, and it is dynamic. Hopefully, we will engage visitors in an ongoing conversation about the impacts and relevance of history in informing the present and future.
What challenges do you anticipate in preserving the historic integrity of the house while modernizing it?
We’re looking forward to modernizing it—the electricity in the house is over a century old. As with many old structures, we anticipate some surprises; the house has been settling for over 200 years. This is only the first phase of what will be a long-term project.
We have funds to update electricity, plumbing, general stabilization, and ADA. Historic House Trust and Parks Capital have assembled a great team of architects and preservationists for the project, and we are working collaboratively to creatively balance modern needs and technology with the historic fabric of the house. We still have to raise money to conserve or reproduce decorative features like wallpaper.
You can learn more about the Lott House here.
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I have always loved this house and it was a part of my childhood as I often passed it. My father, who grew up in Marine Park while many parts were still being farmed, told me of how there were crops all along Ave U. What we now know as the site of Toys R US was at one time Floyd’s Farmers Market, which was where produce was sold in bulk. I have so many memories of what this area was like before it’s development that I’m glad the Lott House was preserved as an insight to this part of Brooklyn which many do...
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