Renovated Carriage Barn Up and Running at John Jay Homestead

The Carriage Barn Education and Visitors Center at John Jay Homestead in Katonah will be unveiled to the public during an open house Sunday.
Planning to convert the 1801 structure—which is centrally located on the 62-acre historic grounds, and previously served as stables, a shed for automobiles and a maintenance facility—began eight years ago. The contract for the construction portion of the project was awarded in late January 2012, and work finished in December of that year. Since then educational components have been added to the structure.
The carriage barn will allow for better "integration" between the indoor and outdoor histories, according to Heather Iannucci, historic site manager. The goal is also to draw more visitors to the historic house museum, as about 60-percent of the homestead's 50,000 annual visitors never make it off the grounds.
In addition to a viewing area for a video about John Jay, interactive computer stations, a space for hands-on activities and room for both permanent and rotating exhibits, the education and visitors will be available for community events during off-hours.
The facility will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, April through October.
The $1.4 million project was funded through federal and state grants, as well as many private donations gathered by the Friends of John Jay Homestead, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing public appreciation for the site.
Founding Father John Jay retired to the Bedford Farm around 1801. New York State owns the homestead, which is located at 400 Jay Street in Katonah.
The open house is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Activities will include Revolutionary War reenactments, scavenger hunts, museum tours and more.