Potter House/Skene Manor - Whitehall, NY
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 43° 33.364 W 073° 23.970
18T E 629272 N 4823812
The Potter House, also known as Skene Manor, a stone walled house with a central square tower and a porch, has free tours and a tea house on the first floor.
Waymark Code: WMT8QH
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 10/15/2016
Views: 1
In Whitehall, perched prominently on a hill, is the Potter House, or Skene Manor, a Victorian house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house in north of the town. From Main Street, go east over the canal via the truss bridge, then turn left, then right, right after the Elks Lodge, then turn left on Potter Terrace, and drive to the end of the road and the parking lot for the house.
The house is a stone structure two and a half stories tall with a central tower that extends another story. There is a porch on the front that wraps around. On the side is a porch where carriages stopped to let people off. Inside is a hallway with rooms off if it, and a stairway. Currently, there is a gift shop in the room immediately to the right and the 'tea room' - a large room set up for tables and is used for small meals or functions. The entrances to the rooms have oversized doors that are twelve feet tall and the doors slide into place.
A person guided us to the rest of the house. The furniture in the rooms are from that period, but were not the furniture that the Potter family had. The house was built for Judge John Joseph Potter, who was on the New York State Supreme Court for 14 years. He purchased the land that was originally owned by the Skene family. The architect was Isaac H. Hobbs, and built by local contractor, A. C. Hopson at a cost of $25,000 (at the time). The Skenes were the first settlers of Whitehall - the town was originally called Skenesborough. After Judge Potter died, the house changed hands a few times. In the 40s, the first floor was made into a restaurant. At that time, the owners renamed the house, Skene Manor, in honor of the Skene family. It is currently owned by the Skene Manor Preservation, Inc. who restore and maintain the property.
Days and Hours:
Mid-April to mid-December
Friday through Sunday
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Public/Private: Private
Tours Available?: Yes
Year Built: 1874
Web Address: [Web Link]
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