Historic Sites: Edward Hopper House
Near the end of the shops and bustle of North Broadway, one of the town’s main streets, you’ll find a charming white house with a historical marker. This is the former home the famous realist painter Edward Hopper. Hopper lived in this Hudson Valley home from his birth until the age of 28, when he moved down to New York City. The Queen Anne style home was built in 1858 by Hopper’s maternal grandfather and after Hopper left, his sister, Marion, stayed in the home. The house fell into disrepair after Hopper, his sister, and his wife all died in quick succession in the late 1960s. A group of local citizens banded together to save it and in 1971 the house began to operate as a non-profit art center.
Today, The Edward Hopper House continues to serve as an active exhibition and community gathering space which honors the legacy of the man who created such iconic paintings at Nitehawks. The home hosts a variety of community events throughout the year such as lectures and an evening jazz concert in the backyard which features a stage and outdoor sculptures. One space on the ground floor is dedicated to the exhibition of 20th century through contemporary art. The other ground floor space is dedicated to pieces of Hopper’s early work and memorabilia, including his beloved bicycle which hangs above the fireplace. In display cases, you can see some of his childhood notebooks, wooden boat models he made, and an exchange of letters he shared with a man who sent a message in a bottle down the Hudson!
Upstairs you will see a recreation of Hopper’s bedroom furnished with pieces that belonged to Hopper and his family. The items were arranged based on Hopper’s paintings and drawings of the space. He had a wonderful view of the river out his bedroom window. Along the stairwell you will see family photographs of the Hoppers and comparisons between some of his paintings and photographs of the house and surrounding locations which clearly inspired him. The home successfully serves as a house museum and active arts space.
