Visiting Grandmary’s Home in Mt. Kisco, New York

A message from Blake Changnon, founder, president, and CEO of The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles:

Back in November, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with the fantastic team at Girl AGain and Yes She Can, Inc. in White Plains, New York, to promote their cause and showcase the newest addition to our collection, a 1987 white-bodied, signed Pleasant T. Rowland Kirsten doll.

During that visit, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the home that inspired Grandmary’s house in the American Girl series of books on the Historical Character Samantha Parkington. As many of you know, Samantha’s story takes place in Mt. Bedford, New York, during the turn of the 20th century in America.

The home is located in Mount Kisco, New York, and is known as the Carpenter House. Valerie Tripp, my dear friend and author of three of Samantha’s books, grew up in Mount Kisco and used the home as the model for Samantha’s family house. American Girl fans can see the home on the cover of early versions of “Meet Samantha” as well as in Samantha’s Scenes and Settings.

Although I could not go inside, it was a surreal experience to see in person the exterior home of one of my favorite American Girl characters, and it has become a memory that I will cherish for years to come.

Have you visited Grandmary’s house or the home of a Historical Character before? I’d love to hear your stories!