Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, national historic site authorized in 1974. Located in Kinderhook, New York, the site preserves Lindenwald, the home of United States president Martin Van Buren (1837-1841). Van Buren was the eighth president of the United States and a founder of the Democratic Party. He was born in the eastern New York town of Kinderhook and was the first president born in the United States. The 36-room mansion was built in 1797 and purchased by Van Buren in 1839 as a retirement home. Between 1849 and 1851, the estate was expanded and remodeled in the Italianate style by noted architect Richard Upjohn. Van Buren lived at Lindenwald until his death in 1862. In the 1980s Lindenwald was restored to reflect the Italianate design of the mid-19th century and it features original furnishings and wallpapers. Administered by the National Park Service. Area, 16 hectares (40 acres).