Description of Beekman 1802: We founded Beekman 1802 Mercantile in 2008. But actually, we consider ourselves to be a 211-year-old company. When we stumbled across the Beekman 1802 Farm in upstate New York, we had no plans to create a business around it. But like Judge William Beekman, who originally built the farm over 200 years ago, we were inspired by the land and the community to build something lasting. In fact, Beekman himself opened the area's first Mercantile, right across the street from where the farm still stands.