Martin Van Buren's Lindenwald Estate: Innovations Inside A Presidental House
Part One: The Main Hall Table
Martin Van Buren was known to entertain many guests at his Lindenwald Estate in Kinderhook, NY. To accommodate different size groups, he had a very unique table placed in his Main Hall.
The table, when fully expanded, could host up to twenty people.
Blueprints for the table.
The table could be made smaller to clear the main hall for entertainment.
Under the leaves of the table, there is an accordion like structure which allows the table to be pushed together and thus be made smaller.
A photo of one of the hinged segments.
After removing the leaves, two people can easily push together the two ends of the table.
Once pushed together, the table is dramatically smaller. This allowed for easy storage and opened the Main Hall up for entertainment such as dancing.
A brief documentary featuring craftsman John Kovacik.
Tap to explore
Click on this image for a panoramic view of the Main Hall and a glimpse of adjoining rooms. A Virtual Tour of President Van Buren's home is available as a separate exhibit.
