The Colden house, on the Montgomery and Newburgh State road, at Coldenham, was built in 1765 by Cadwallader Colden, Jr. His father, Dr. Cadwallader Colden settled in Coldenham in 1728 on his patent of 3,000 acres of land--he was the surveyor general of the province for eleven years, lieutenant governor for thirteen years and acting governor in 1761, 1763, 1769 and 1774. He gave to Cadwallader, Jr., on his marriage, five hundred acres of land, including the site on which this house stands. The land was all in woods, and Cadwallader, Jr., began at once to clear part of it for farming purposes; with his own hands he felled the first tree, and up-rooted the first stub. After a few years the first dwelling he erected gave place to this permanent stone structure, then, one of the finest dwellings of the period. In it he lived a useful life, esteemed by all who knew him, and in it he died mourned as a public benefactor. Some years ago an addition to the house was built in the rear, and more recently a mansard roof and other improvements were added. The date of the erection of the building, and the names of its builders, are cut on a stone in the upper front center. Its historical associations, past and present, cover a period of one hundred and seventy-five years. The Thomas Colden mansion was built by Cadwallader Colden, Jr., for one of his sons. It is situated about a mile north of Coldenham, at Colden Hill, near what was the Newburgh and Ellenville plank road. It is a frame building with hipped-roof and is kept in excellent condition. After the death of Thomas Colden it was occupied by Cadwallader C. Colden, and more recently by Messrs. John and Joseph Kelly. The Haines house is situated about a mile east of the Goodwill Church, and a short distance south of the highway known as the Hadden road. It was built by Benjamin Haines who came into the precinct in 1739. The year in which the house was erected is not known, but it is probably the oldest house in the town. During recent years it has been occupied only for short intervals, and the walls are crumbling. This house is known as the Old Hadden house, having been in the possession of successive generations of that family for more than one hundred years. The Hill Brick house situated about three miles east of Montgomery on the State road was built by Nathaniel Hill in 1774 and occupied by his son, Peter, who was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. At his death the ownership and occupancy of the homestead passed to his son, Nathaniel P. Hill, who was a prominent man--was sheriff, member of congress, and filled other important positions. One of his sons, Nathaniel P., had also attained prominence as U. S. senator from Colorado.