TOUR THE MANSION
History of the Mansion
John Lincklaen arrived in the United States in 1790 carrying a letter of introduction from Dutch banker Peter Stadnitski to Theophilus de Cazenove at the Holland Land Company’s headquarters in Philadelphia. Stadnitski was a family friend, and his firm was a principal investor in the Holland Land Company.
When Lincklaen reached the shore of Cazenovia Lake in October 1792, he no doubt saw the site of his future in terms of high adventure. He wrote in his journal, “situation superb…fine land,” as he completed his survey of the Holland Land Company’s holdings. He returned the following spring as the Holland Land Company’s agent charged with selling the tract. Lincklaen envisioned a “great commercial city in the wilderness.”
By 1803 the prospering land agent began to envision a home situated on a low rise at the south end of the Cazenovia Lake with expansive, unobstructed views to the north. The plan for the mansion may have been developed by master builder John Hooker, whom Lincklaen had employed on a number of earlier projects, or by his brother, the eminent Albany architect, Philip Hooker.
Building plans accelerated in March 1807 when Lincklaen’s house on the lakeshore caught fire and burned to the ground. Lorenzo’s masonry structure was begun with the spring thaw in 1807 and completed eighteen months later. Lincklaen and his family moved into the mansion on October 8, 1808.
VISIT THE MANSION
17 Rippleton Road
Cazenovia, NY 13035
Phone: (315) 655-3200
Hours of Operation: Historic grounds, including the Ellen Shipman formal garden and the Dark Aisle are open year-round, dawn to dusk.
2019 Operating Hours: May 10, 2019 - October 14, 2019 | 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Guided tours of the Mansion, available Wednesdays - Sundays, and Monday holidays beginning 10:00 am and are offered on the half hour, with the last tour of the day offered at 4:00 pm. All buildings including the Visitor Center and Gift Shop close at 4:30 pm.
The Mansion opens again in December during special holiday hours.
Group tours, specialized presentations, educational programs at Rippleton Schoolhouse and research in the archives are available by advance registration only. For more information please call (315) 655-3200.
Guided mansion tour fees:
Adults: $5 per person
Seniors and Students: $4 per person
Children 12 and under: free
Group tours (12+ people, with advanced registration): $4 per person
For more information on local areas of interest: