An Old Merchant's House: Life at Home in New York City 1835-1865

by Mary Knapp

An authentic view of the domestic life of privileged New Yorkers in the three decades before the Civil War. It is based on memoirs, diaries, letters, and a preserved antebellum home belonging to the same family for almost 100 years. The daily life and habits of that family and their neighbors are revealed in fascinating detail.

Genres: New York, History

248 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2012

Reviews

[Lisa C Wellman]

This is really excellent if you are interested in the daily lives of people in this pre-civil war era. Also a nice portrait of New York and its social customs and traditions. Really well done and fascinating look into the every day happenings of the time period.

[Jacqui Larsen]

A fascinating snapshot into pre-Civil War New York City life! After visiting the museum I was interested to learn more, and I really enjoyed the breadth of topics covered in the book, framed with anecdotes about the people who lived and worked in the home and their neighbors. I learned a lot from reading this yet it didn’t feel heavy or like a textbook. Lots of interesting tidbits to be discovered!

[Dana]

3.5/5 stars

[Nicholas]

This marvelous and detailed history is not only of New York's Merchant's House Museum, but also of New York's rich social history. Knapp uses the house to understand the fabric of New York throughout the mid-to late 19th century. A must read.