The National Historic Site preserves the Lindenwald estate owned by Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States.

Van Buren, a founder of the Democratic Party, purchased the home and approximately 125 acres (51 ha) of land in 1839 for $14,000 (equal to $400,575 today) while he was still president.

That year, Van Buren lost a hotly contested fight to nominee and eventual President James Knox Polk.

In 1848, in opposition to the extension of slavery into territories captured from Mexico as a result of the Mexican–American War, Van Buren ran for president on a third-party ticket (The Free Soil Party), again directing his campaign from Lindenwald.

Van Buren's campaign drew enough votes away from the Democratic nominee, Lewis Cass, to allow Whig candidate Zachary Taylor to prevail.