At the November Parks committee meeting for Bronx Community Board 8, Parks chair Deb Travis moderated a discussion on the license to operate Van Cortlandt House Museum, the oldest historic house in The Bronx. The Parks committee discussed how the National Society of Colonial Dames of New York, the oldest public/private partnership in New York City, has held the license since the 1896.

 

Travis shared that, according to its rules, to be a member of the Colonial Dames, a person must be a direct descendant of “a person of prominence in the American colonies prior to July of 1776.” Travis said that as the operator of an important Bronx public and historic site, this obviously raised questions of representation and equity. “We also believe that the nature of the organization may present a significant disadvantage for it in accepting grants and soliciting funds for the house, which may be responsible for its state of decline and reduced staffing,” she said.

 

The kick-off discussion on the topic by Parks can be watched on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKk40AWWUKU. Travis said that Lee Potter, executive director of the Dames is due to join the Bronx CB8 Parks’ committee meeting scheduled for Jan. 24, 2024, to explain the organization’s role and to answer any questions. No Parks committee meeting is scheduled for December.

 

Residents of Bronx Community Board 8 are encouraged to watch the previous meeting and join the next one to provide input.4