16. Locust Grove
Locust Grove’s most famous resident was Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph. The name of the Poughkeepsie estate is derived from the locust trees planted by Henry Livingston Jr., the estate’s first resident. Alexander Jackson Davis designed the Italianate-style mansion for Morse in 1851.
Almost no furnishings remain from when Morse lived at the house, but you can view an informative exhibit on the inventor and a collection of some of his paintings in a nearby visitor center. You can also explore the estate’s 200 acres of landscaped grounds and five miles of hiking trails.