The NSCDNY Headquarters House Museum currently houses our professional administrative offices, classroom, genealogical library, event spaces, and historical art and objects. For general inquiries, please contact our administrative team at office@nscdny.org or 212-744-3572.

To schedule a school field trip or a small group tour, please email our docent, Joie Anderson, at andersonjoie@gmail.com.

Headquarters House Timeline

1925 - 1928: The House is Planned

"The circular letter for 1927 reports that the board of managers was 'to proceed with plans for the purchase of a site and the erection of a home for our Society in New York City.'...The earliest specific proposal was made at the 1925 annual meeting by the president, Mrs. William A. Brown, whose determination and powers of leadership seem - fortunately for the Society - to have equaled those of the first president, Mrs. Townsend...So it was not a surprise at the 1928 annual meeting that a special meeting on 5 December 1927 the purchase of land and erection of a house had been unanimously approved. Indeed, the architect Richard H. Dana, jr. had presented the plan for a replica of Colonel McEver's house which had been build, c. 1750, at 34 Wall Street."

1928-1930: The House is Constructed

"The site the committee chose was the combination of 215-217 East Seventy-first Street [in 1928]. The cornerstone was laid on 27 March 1930...Mrs. Brown gave a stirring address..." [as quoted above.]"...the new house was ready for occupancy in September...Members were invited to come in on 20 November, and the official opening of headquarters of the Society was held on Friday afternoon, 21 November 1930...Members later reported having been asked two questions by admiring visitors on opening day: 'Would you mind telling me exactly when this house was built?' and 'How did Colonial Dames ever do it?'"

2022-2024: Exterior Restoration

In 2024, the Headquarters House underwent a comprehensive exterior restoration, preserving its historical architecture and ensuring the building remains a vibrant home for the Society’s offices, collections, and programs for future generations.

Awards for 2024 Exterior Restoration
The restoration project garnered several prestigious awards, recognizing the meticulous work and dedication to preserving the building's historical integrity:

• 2025 Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award
  Presented by the New York Landmarks Conservancy, this award honors outstanding preservation efforts in New York City. Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc.

• 2025 Institutional Restoration Award
  Awarded by the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, this accolade recognizes significant contributions to the preservation of institutional buildings in the Upper East Side. Friends of the Upper East Side

• 2024 McKim, Mead & White Award in Historic Preservation
  Conferred by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, this award celebrates excellence in the preservation of classical architecture. LI · SALTZMAN ARCHITECTS, PC

• 2024 Cast Stone Manufacturing Award
  Presented by the Cast Stone Institute, this award acknowledges exceptional use and restoration of cast stone materials. LI · SALTZMAN ARCHITECTS, PC

Present:

Today, the Headquarters House is home to the NSCDNY and its committees of dedicated members, including: Art & Collections, Educational Projects & Patriotic Services, Families & Junior Dames, Headquarters Events, Historical Activities, Library & Book Club, Membership, Van Cortlandt House Museum & Collections, and Young Members. The building also serves as a classroom for elementary school children visiting on field trips to learn about life in New Amsterdam and early New York. In addition, the Society supports various scholarships and promotes patriotic service throughout New York State.

All quotes are pulled from P. Gordon B. Stillman's One Hundred Years In New York: The Story of the First Century of The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York