In 1714, Early American Jewish leader, Luis Moses Gomez, built a field-stone blockhouse to conduct trade and maintain provisions on his 6500 acre property in the Mid-Hudson region as an extension of his successful enterprises in Colonial New York. From these roots and through nearly 300 years of American history, Gomez Mill House evolved as home to American Revolutionary patriot and Orange County leader, Wolfert Acker; 19th century gentleman farmer and conservationist, William Henry Armstrong; Arts and Crafts artisan and paper historian Dard Hunter; and 20th century social activist, Margaret Gruening.
Over many years the creek washed away the rubble foundation leaving the timber structure to hang in mid-air. I had the privilege to prepare stabilization and reconstruction documents for installation of new concealed masonry support piers hidden behind a reconstructed field-stone base and supervised the replacement of timber, brick infill and thatch roof.
A period photo from Dard Hunter's ownership informs the appearance. New thatch roof is of high quality imported straw hand assembled into substantial clumps of gathered and secured material that trimmed then wired to a wood frame structure. More substantial in appearance than the 1917 photos indicate, it is however effective.
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