New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Columbia County Historical Society

Spaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York

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Spaces of Enslavement and Resistance in Dutch New YorkSpaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York (Cornell University Press, 2021) by Dr. Andrea Mosterman explores the history of slavery and resistance in Dutch New York. [Read more…] about Spaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York

19th Century Photography in Columbia County (A Virtual Program)

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19th Century Photography in Columbia CountyThe Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) will continue their 2022 Spring Lecture Series on Saturday, March 19th with “19th Century Photography in Columbia County,’ a Zoom discussion by David Sokosh and Lisa Weilbacker.

In this program, Lisa Weilbacker and David Sokosh will examine early photographs from the CCHS collection, discuss their place in the history of photography and share information about the Columbia County residents shown in the pictures. Sokosh will also show examples of his newly-made images, created using 19th century photo processes. [Read more…] about 19th Century Photography in Columbia County (A Virtual Program)

The Livingston Manor Homes in Columbia County (Virtual Program)

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life along the hudsonThe scenic stretch of Livingston family estates along the Hudson River offers some of the finest examples of American architecture and landscape design, now photographed by Pieter Estersohn in his book Life Along the Hudson, the Historic Country Estates of the Livingston Family (Rizzoli, 2018).  Thirty-five featured homes were designed in a range of styles by notable architects Stanford White, A. J. Davis, Calvert Vaux, Warren and Wetmore, and others.

Included are Dutch colonial cottages and grand Gothic Revival, Federal, Georgian, and Beaux-Arts residences. Constructed on land owned by the Livingston family, who settled in the area in the late seventeenth century. [Read more…] about The Livingston Manor Homes in Columbia County (Virtual Program)

Researching Black History in the Hudson Valley (Virtual Program)

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African American History in the Hudson ValleyWhile much has been written about the African American diaspora from the south to the north after the Civil War, relatively little is known about those who were brought directly from Africa near Albany, NY. Unlike the South, where slavery wasn’t abolished in 1865, manumission in New York State occurred gradually from 1785 onward.

As a result, northern experiences of African Americans was far different from those in the South. Even as slaves, some skilled craftsmen traveled freely for their work. Some formerly enslaved people were educated in the local schools. Some owned businesses or were farmers. Many were members of the Dutch Reform Church, while others started the first African Methodist Episcopal Church in the area. They formed relationships with other residents of all ethnicities. [Read more…] about Researching Black History in the Hudson Valley (Virtual Program)

Columbia Co Historical Announces Winter Lecture Series

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Marienruh outside Rhinebeck by Pieter Estersohn The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) will host historians and genealogists, art historians, photographers, and authors during its 2022 Winter Lecture Series held via Zoom over seven Saturdays beginning January 29th through May 21st. [Read more…] about Columbia Co Historical Announces Winter Lecture Series

Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse & Luykas Van Alen House Get Interpretive Panels

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'The Original Ichabod Crane' with the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse in the background.The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) has announced a new permanent outdoor exhibit featuring eight narrative panels set along the treeline of its rural properties on Roue 9-H: the c.1850 Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the 1737 Luykas Van Alen House located at 2589 Route NY-9H in the Town of Kinderhook. [Read more…] about Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse & Luykas Van Alen House Get Interpretive Panels

Federal Architecture Explored in Columbia County Driving Tour

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James Vanderpoel House of History a 1820 Federal-era mansionThe Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) has announced the newest itinerary in its ongoing Drive Through History series, which offers free, self-guided driving tours of Columbia County history. “Exploring Federal Architecture,” the new road trip, visits houses and other structures built during the Federal period. [Read more…] about Federal Architecture Explored in Columbia County Driving Tour