The Brick Cottage was constructed in 1800-1801 to become the farm manager’s house after Jay decided to move here and enlarge the existing farm manager’s home to serve as his own. John Jay wrote to his son Peter in January of 1799, outlining the design, and even some of the construction details, of the house. In late August of the following year, Jay reported that the house would be completed “in about a Fortnight.” The house served as a farm manager’s residence for most of the next 140 years. It has been altered and enlarged several times. When the Iselin family was having the main house enlarged in the 1920s, the family temporarily lived here. The building is now closed and awaiting interior restoration.
