Naive landscape of the Vechte Cortelyou House in Brooklyn, New York.

The Old Stone House or Vechte Cortelyou House was built in 1699 by Claes Arentson Vechte. The house is located in Brooklyn, New York in the Park Slopes section, near the Gowanus Creek. The Vechte family farmed the land surrounding the home and also gathered oysters from the Gowanus Creek , pictured behind the home. The produce and oysters were then taken by boat to Manhattan to be sold at market.

This Dutch home is of historical significance. It was here that British troops used the house as an artillery position against the Americans during the Revolutionary War. This was the site of the first major battle after the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. The American troops suffered heavy losses and a major defeat at this location known as The Battle of Long Island or The Battle of Brooklyn.

Years after the Revolutionary War, the old stone house was sold to Jacques Cortelyou in 1797. Presumably, the initials JC stand for Jacques Cortelyou and 99 for the year in which the home was built, in 1699.

The house was destroyed by fire in 1897. It was reconstructed in 1930 in a somewhat different location. Part of the house was below 4 feet of earth due to fill dirt used in the construction of streets in Brooklyn. The house was rebuilt with these remains.

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