Walking in the footsteps of our heroes for inspiration, education and reflection is a possibility most Americans take for granted. But for LGBTQ people in the U.S., it’s still a new prospect. As queer history continues to unfold, we now know of a great many places around the country where those who’ve made it once lived. Yet, of those homes that are still standing, precious few are open to the public, and even fewer offer experiences that properly honor their famed onetime residents.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was granted land by the state of New York in 1786 for his wartime service. Von Steuben spent most of his last years in a two-room log cabin here on the property and died in 1794 before a larger manor house could be completed. Close companions Benjamin Walker and William North, both of whom von Steuben had formally adopted, inherited the property and had him buried here at what’s called the Sacred Grove.