08/26/2026
Did you know that this display honors the actual history of the site where The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze takes place? This illuminated collection of pumpkin headstones pays tribute to the Van Cortlandt family! Among those remembered here are:
Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814): Patriot leader and New York State's first lieutenant governor, who played a prominent military and political role during the Revolution.
Joanna Van Cortlandt (1722–1808): Matriarch of the family and wife of Pierre Van Cortlandt, she served as his active partner in managing the estate's affairs and led the family through the scattering and upheaval of the Revolutionary era.
Philip Van Cortlandt (1749–1831): Continental Army colonel who commanded the 2nd New York Regiment, serving in major campaigns from Saratoga to Yorktown.
Catherine Van Wyck (1751–1829): Daughter of Pierre and Joanna Van Cortlandt who spent the Revolutionary War in New Jersey with her husband. After his death, she returned to her childhood home at Van Cortlandt Manor, where she raised her three sons and remained for the rest of her life.
Cornelia Beekman (1753–1847): Patriot who remained in Peekskill during the Revolution to protect family possessions despite raids by both Tories and Patriots. Later, she became a savvy businesswoman who developed the family land that became Beekmantown.
Ann Van Rensselaer (1766–1855): The youngest child of Pierre and Joanna Van Cortlandt, Ann married Philip S. Van Rensselaer in 1787. He later became mayor of Albany, extending the Van Cortlandt family's connections into another of New York's prominent families.
Next time you visit Blaze, see who else's story you can discover!
