The Jay Estate in Rye was home to one of our nation's greatest peacemakers, John Jay...

...and today, it is YOUR park

Our nonprofit, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) is dedicated to transforming the 23-acre Jay Estate into a vibrant educational campus, hosting innovative and inclusive programs about American History, Historic Preservation, Social Justice, and Environmental Stewardship.

More about who we are and what we do

Designed by Illustrator Nate Padavik

New Map of Jay Estate Helps Guide Visitors

We’re ecstatic to announce that we have a new map of the Jay Estate created by acclaimed artist Nate Padavik. Nate has 20+ years of experience as an illustrator, graphic designer, and content creator. Some of his other clients include The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Chronicle Books, Scholastics, Amazon, Marriott Hotels, Tufts University, Northwestern University, and American Greetings.

The new guide mounted on kiosks and available online will help visitors orient themselves and more confidently enjoy exploring the sights and trails within our 23-acre campus and beyond! Highlights include our award-winning gardens, 10,000 year old meadow view towards Long Island Sound and numerous spots for birdwatching!

The map will be posted at all our entrances with “You Are Here” markers along with rules for the park. Enjoy newly mown trails and vantage points. Bring your dog (on-leash only please) and navigate this gem within Westchester County’s one and only National Historic Landmark District!

Jay Estate Added to NY State's Birding Trail

Bring Your Binoculars! Opportunities for All New Yorkers to “Get Offline, Get Outside”

Just yesterday, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the addition of 12 new locations to the New York State Birding Trail including the Jay Estate. “The New York State Birding Trail provides enjoyable, affordable opportunities for all New Yorkers, regardless of age, ability, identity, or background to have access to locations to experience the joy of watching birds,” said Commissioner Lefton. “With hundreds of visiting and resident bird species to observe this summer – including songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey – there is a spot on the Birding Trail for everyone to experience all New York has to offer.”

Just this week our healthier new gardens have been visited by gorgeous birds like hummingbirds and the Indigo bunting seen above. Yet another step forward in proving the restorative value of what we do ecologically. Read more here.

Indigo bunting by @katKatryn

$21 Million for Rye Infrastructure

NYDEC and Governor Hochul Announce Flood Funding

NY State’s Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) held an exciting press conference at the Jay Estate in Rye, NY. this morning. On behalf of Governor Kathy Hochul, NYDEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the allocation of $21 million dollars through the Environmental Bond Act to support flood protection and the launch of vital resilient infrastructure projects in Westchester County. The funding will be especially pivotal in helping to prevent flooding in communities along the Blind Brook in Rye. Felton underscored widespread backing for the Bond Act: “We’re so excited to see this really important infrastructure investment here in Westchester County. Listen, we know this isn’t a partisan issue.  We know that flooding impacts everyone all across the state and that was really true again when we saw the overwhelming support of the New York State Bond Act and how voters came to the polls overwhelmingly to support that.”

More photos and info here.

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Land Acknowledgement

It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking and gathering on the land of the Wiechquaesgeck (WE-QUEES-GECK), a subdivision of the Munsee people. The Munsee can be identified as speakers of Munsee, a dialect of the Lenape language. Today, the Munsee language is considered critically endangered, only spoken by a handful of elders on the Moraviantown Reserve in Ontario, Canada, each speaker over the age of 70. Lenape, or Leni Lenape was a name prescribed to them by colonists, rather than a label of initial self identification.
The Wiechquaesgeck were the historic owners of Rye, Harrison, and large parts of Westchester County, as they lived between the Hudson and Long Island Sound. Modern nations like the Stockbridge-Munsee, the Delaware Tribe of Indians, and the Delaware Nation trace their ancestry to the Munsee tribes, and continue to keep their history alive. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all. In the coming years, we plan to reintroduce species of fauna and flora indigenous to the Wiechquaesgeck into our gardens as a way to promote greater respect and understanding of their culture.

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