History stays alive at Coursen Corners

By Laurie Gordon
FREDON -- The smell of a roaring fire combined with the enticing aroma of fresh Mulligatawny soup, being prepared as it was in the late 1800s, wafted from the kitchen through the rest of the the Colonel John Coursen Homestead on Saturday. The Homestead was holding an Open House to educate people about our area's history as well as showcase what a home looked like centuries ago. People came from all over the area to enjoy some history.
Thanks to the Keepers of Coursen Corner, this historic house, which at one time was home to a family of about 15, is in pristine condition and very much like what it looked like years ago.
“Our purpose is to continue the tradition of community that this family gave us, and restore the house for use as a museum of Fredon’s fascinating history, a meeting place for groups, and a learning site for the school,” said Jane Butz as she and Una Thoenig worked on the soup. “Watch out everyone, she told the crowd assembled in the kitchen, I think we really nailed this one. It's going to be really good.” Bread that the women had made earlier that morning baked in the authentic brick oven and other dishes from the period were out on the table. Both ladies, as well as the other Keepers of Coursen Corners, were dressed in period clothing for the event.
Everything in the house is authentic and from the 1800s, including a rope bed upstairs made from corn husks. Outside, Jeffrey Butz gave a blacksmithing demonstration while Don Thoenig entertained the crowd with his guitar and kazoo. Though it wasn't exactly 1800s music, he regaled the crowd with some Johnny Cash tunes he'd recently learned thrown in with more traditional selections.
The Coursen House
In the mid-18th Century, two descendants of New Amsterdam Dutch families, Johannes (John) Coursen, and his wife, Gertrude Van Tuyle, arrived in the Fredon area. In 1763, Johannes purchased over 800 acres, which included land extending from Paulinskill Road past the four-corners area by the Stillwater Road. When he died, his property was inherited by two of his sons — the Paulinskill Mill Farm by Jacob Coursen, and the four-corners land, by Colonel John. Starting in 1811, Colonel John’s sons built and operated a blacksmith’s shop, a tannery, a store, and later a tailor shop. Also, his son Isaac established a post office and was the first postmaster. After Isaac’s death, the position was taken over by his son, William P. Coursen until 1881.A log cabin was most likely the first building on the present site of the Coursen House.
The Coursen House was built about 1805. It contained four rooms on the first floor with a chimney across the corner of 2 rooms. There were three bedrooms on the second floor. The kitchen, located on the southern end of the house, had a large bake oven to the right of the chimney. Isaac Coursen added a first floor parlor and two more bedrooms upstairs as the family grew.Research done for the Bicentennial found that the name “Fredon” might have been derived from the word “freedom.”
At some point, the Coursen House was purchased by Fredon Township as part of developing Lodestar Park, which is located adjacent to the house. A volunteer group, Keepers of Coursens Corners, was formed in 2001 to begin the process of restoration. In the following five years, by their hard work, and with contributions from interested local citizens, six rooms were repaired, repainted and refurnished.
Coming up at Coursen
“It's important to share history and that's what we are doing here,” said Ginny Richardson, one of the Keepers of Coursen Corners. She gave peer member, Jane Grobes, a lot of credit for compiling the history and designing note cards featuring the house.
Coming the first weekend in December, the Keepers of Coursen Corners will hold an event with Santa where children can greet him and have their picture taken on the group's old-fashioned sleigh they keep tucked away until the occasion each year. In effort to keep history alive at Coursen Corners, the note cards along with cookbooks with recipes including the Mulligatawny Soup they were serving on Saturday and host of other traditional recipes handed down through the generations is available for sale. Cookbooks are $12 and bags with their logo are $12, but you can get both for $20 with all proceeds used to keep the house going.
Richardson said they are always looking for new members. “You don't have to know about history, we'll gladly teach you,” Butz added. If you like local history and are interested in preserving traditions and culture, contact Ginny Richardson about joining the Keepers of Coursen Corners at 973-579-1490. You can also call her about obtaining a cookbook, bag or note cards.