FORT DRUM, N.Y. (March 20, 2026) -- After more than a century of historical debate, the definitive construction date of LeRay Mansion has been identified as 1825, settling a long-standing question for Fort Drum’s Cultural Resources Section.
A Cornell University dendrochronology team made multiple visits to the LeRay Mansion Historical District on post to conduct the core testing on the timbers inside the mansion. Dendrochronology is the science that studies and dates tree rings to provide a chronological record to better understand events and environmental changes.
By using this method, the Cornell team confirmed that the white pine timber used to build the mansion framework was cut in August or early fall of 1825.
Dr. Laurie Rush, Fort Drum, Cultural Resources manager, said the Cornell team first tested wood in the attic a year ago, and then returned to collect core samples of the foundation timbers in the basement.
She said the findings are conclusive that the present-day mansion was new construction and not a renovation of the original one, which was believed to have been damaged by fire in 1822 or 1823.
“This has been a historical controversy and mystery for over a hundred years,” she said. “Now we can definitively say this mansion was built in 1825. We still have so much public interest in this house, and so now we’re able to say the mansion was planned and constructed all at once, and the tree rings can absolutely confirm it.”
James LeRay de Chaumont commissioned the construction of a home near Brown’s Mill (later renamed LeRaysville) in 1807. Records indicate that the LeRay family began moving into the mansion in 1808 while it was still being completed.
One historian claimed the mansion was never finished, and that it was demolished in 1825 to make room for a new stone mansion. Documents from the LeRay estate show insurance claims that the mansion suffered a total loss, which seems to confirm accounts of a fire.
The property was later purchased at auction in 1936 by Col. Harold Remington, who believed he was living in the original structure. He is known to have corresponded with a historian who reinforced this belief, despite local newspaper reports to the contrary that even cited the names of the builders and masons involved in the new construction.
“Well, there was a lot of prestige tied to the original mansion with all these stories of dignitaries who visited the mansion, and that mattered to them,” Rush said. “I suppose it would make it even more special if you knew the president of the United States once had dinner in this very same room. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for the Remingtons.”
The Fort Drum Cultural Resources team has maintained correspondence with members of the Remington family, and they shared the new findings with them.
“So, the first people we shared this new information with were the grandchildren of Col. Remington,” Rush said. “I said, ‘You know, these results would really disappoint your late grandfather, but I think you all will find it interesting to know we finally have answered this question that bothered him for such a long time.’ They were delighted, and emailed us right away saying how great it was to finally have the answer.”
The Cornell team visited again in February to conduct further testing in one of the cottages on the property, which Rush believes predates the current mansion and is associated with the building of the original 1808 structure.
“The Cornell dendrochronology laboratories are world-renowned,” she said. “So, I just couldn’t believe our good fortune that they were willing to come to northern New York. They have been wonderful to work with, and their work is really high quality. We’ve learned so much from them.”
| Date Taken: |
03.20.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
03.20.2026 08:33 |
| Story ID: |
560990 |
| Location: |
FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
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965 |
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