Smith's Folly

In 1795 Colonel William S. Smith and his wife, Abigail, the daughter of John and Abigail Adams, established the estate of Mount Vernon along the East River. In 1798, before all the estate buildings were complete, the Smiths were forced to sell their property to William T. Robinson; it was Robinson who constructed the combined coach house and stable that later became the Abigail Adams Smith Museum. The building’s conversion into a hotel in 1826 entailed substantial alterations to the interior and the construction of a veranda. The Colonial Dames of America purchased the property in 1924 and converted the hotel into a museum that has been open to the public since 1939. From the "Guide to New York City Landmarks", courtesy of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.