Whether you crave chocolate or relish history, Boscobel has a special event just for you. The early 19th-century house museum on 45 acres in Garrison (Putnam County) swings its gate open for the 2011 season this April 1st, and the entire month promises a variety of unique offerings. [Read more…] about New Season at Boscobel House and Gardens
Hudson River
Great Estates Consortium 7th Conference
The Great Estates Consortium will be presenting the seventh annual Great Estates Conference — “Inspiring Individuals: A Legacy of Leadership in the Hudson River Valley” — on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Speakers will discuss the life and times of Margaret Beekman Livingston, Frederic Church, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and their roles as inspiring Hudson River Valley personalities.
Optional afternoon tours of the Great Estates — including a tour of the Historic Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne Mansion in Esopus, New York, home to Marist College’s Raymond A. Rich Institute for Leadership Development — will highlight areas of the properties that are rarely open to the public.
The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home. Registration is $60 ($10 additional for the Payne Mansion tour). Registration forms are available online.
Morning sessions will include:
“The Old Lady of Clermont”:
Searching for the Truth About Margaret Beekman Livingston
Kjirsten Gustavson, Curator of Education, Clermont State Historic Site
“The Commanding Genius of that Day”:
Hudson River School Painter Frederic Edwin Church
Valerie Balint, Associate Curator, The Olana Partnership
Leaders and Land Owners: The Roosevelts and the Hudson Valley Connection
Jeffrey Urbin, Education Specialist, FDR Presidential Library and Museum
Continental breakfast and a morning coffee break will be served. Lunch will be provided by Gigi Hudson Valley and will feature local food. Laura Pensiero, RD chef/owner, Gigi Hudson Valley, will introduce the lunch and share with the participants how she uses local farm products for her business.
Following lunch, participants can choose to attend “behind the scenes” tours at participating historic sites, including the Historic Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne Mansion, home to Marist College’s Raymond A. Rich Institute for Leadership Development. Attendees may also take a special tour of Locust Grove’s third floor, or the servant areas at Staatsburgh or the Vanderbilt Mansion. This conference will once again coincide with the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, and participating “behind the scenes” tours sites will partner with nearby restaurateurs to present a small treat at the end of the tour.
Museum to Exhibit Stoddard Images of Glen’s Falls
Many times in the late 19th century Adirondack photographer Seneca Ray Stoddard turned to the falls of the Hudson at Glens Falls for subject matter. He focused on the cascades, pools and rock formations that he found in the river bed as well as the bridges and factories above. Stoddard returned often to photograph the events that occurred there. Included in his work are images of floods, fires, and new mills along the river banks.
Until May 8th the Chapman Historical Museum will exhibit a selection of fifteen original Stoddard’s photos of “The Falls under the Bridge.” The show will be followed this summer by a second series featuring Stoddard’s photos of other falls in the Adirondacks.
The Chapman Historical Museum, located at 348 Glen Street, Glens Falls, is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday, noon to 4 pm. For info call (518) 793-2826.
Photo: Glens Falls, View from the South Side of the Bridge, ca. 1875. Courtesy Chapman Museum.
A New National Heritage Area Guidebook
The Hudson River Valley Greenway has unveiled its Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Heritage Site Guidebook that provides information about 100 “Heritage Sites” in New York’s Hudson River Valley. The presentation was held at the Senate House and Museum in Kingston, one of the venues featured in the guidebook.
The guidebook encourages visitors to explore the resources of the Hudson River Valley and visit local communities that they encounter along the way. In addition to descriptions and full color photographs for each site, contact information is provided in a variety of formats (address, GPS coordinates, website, and phone number) to help visitors reach their destination as easily as possible. Furthermore, sites are identified as being “family friendly,” “accessible by public transportation,” or “part of the regional Greenway Trail System” to facilitate visitation.
Those sites participating in the National Park Service Passport Stamp Program are also identified to provide visitors the opportunity to acquire cancellation stamps at no cost. Visitors can explore the region by topic of interest with Heritage Area theme information included for each Heritage Site such as “Architecture,” “Art, Artists, and the Hudson River School,” and others. Heritage Sites in this guidebook are also organized by proximity to one another for visitors who wish to explore a variety of sites as they travel throughout the valley.
The Heritage Site Guidebook is expected to encourage heritage tourism in the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. Heritage tourists have been shown to spend more on trips than other types of tourists. By targeting heritage tourists, this guidebook will help grow the $4.7 billion dollar tourism economy in the Hudson River Valley.
The Heritage Site Guidebook features over 100 pages of information about the sites and themes of the region and costs only $9.95 plus shipping and handling. For more information visit: www.hudsonrivervalley.com
The Lenape: Lower New York’s First Inhabitants
This Saturday, November 13th, at 7:00 pm, Historic Huguenot Street will host another in its Second Saturday Lecture Series. David M. Oestreicher will combine archaeological and historical evidence with decades of firsthand ethnographic and linguistic research among present-day Lenape traditionalists, to arrive at a full picture of the Lenape from prehistory to the present. The presentation includes a slide program featuring native artifacts, maps, illustrations, and photographs, as well as images of contemporary Lenape who are among the last repositories of their culture. This lecture offers a unique opportunity to learn about lower New York’s original inhabitants, the Lenape — not the romanticized figures of popular mythology or new-age literature, but a living people as they really are.
Dr. David M. Oestreicher is recognized as a leading authority on the Lenape (Delaware), our region’s first inhabitants, having conducted linguistic and ethnographic research among the last tribal traditionalists for over 30 years. Oestreicher is curator of the award-winning traveling exhibition, In Search of the Lenape: The Delaware Indians, Past and Present, which critic William Zimmer in the New York Times described as “an extended reverie,” capturing “the vitality and poignancy of the Lenape saga.” Oestreicher’s writings have appeared in leading scholarly journals and books, and he completed the final portion of the late Herbert C. Kraft’s The Lenape-Delaware Indian Heritage: 10,000 B.C. – 2000 A.D. — a tome subsequently hailed by scholars as the seminal work on the Lenape. Oestreicher’s monograph, “The Munsee and Northern Unami Today” in The Archeology and Ethnohistory of the Lower Hudson Valley and Neighboring Regions (1991), marked the first ethnographic account of the Hudson River Lenape (now the Canadian Delaware) since the work of anthropologists M. R. Harrington (1908, 1913, 1921) and Frank G. Speck (1945).
Cost: $8 per person/$6 for Friends of Huguenot
Hudson Valley ‘Woman of History’ Nominations Sought
Each March, Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site recognizes a woman who has distinguished herself in the field of Hudson Valley history by bestowing upon her the “Martha Washington Woman of History Award.” Appropriately, the award emanates from where Martha Washington resided with her husband, General George Washington, during the last months of the Revolutionary War.
That the ceremony takes place in March, during Women’s History Month, is indeed fitting. The Woman of History award acknowledges Martha Washington’s important place in history as a devoted patriot in support of the American Revolution and the ensuing new nation. This is the ninth year the award has been given, continuing the site’s mission to educate the public about the history of our great state and national heritage.
There are many women who are dedicated to sharing and preserving our history. Perhaps you know of a woman who shares her love of history with children by taking them to historic places during her free time? Is there a woman who has done research about the Hudson Valley and has shared her findings to encourage others to do the same? Do you know a woman who has used her personal funds to preserve historic landmarks? These are just a few examples of what could qualify a woman to be a recipient of the award. As you can perceive, the nomination field is open to any woman who has cultivated interest and awareness of Hudson Valley history, either locally or nationally. Nominations must be completed and submitted by January 7th, 2011. The award will be given during a ceremony in March 2011.
The Nomination Form is online. For more information call (845) 562-1195.
Photo: Washington’s Headquarters circa 1852. Courtesy of Palisades Interstate Park Commission Archives.
Twin Forts Day Features Am Rev Reenactment
On October 6, 1777 a force of British regulars, Loyalists and Germans assaulted Forts Montgomery and Clinton while Royal Navy warships on the Hudson River bombarded the forts as well as American warships defending the Great Chain. Outnumbered 3 to 1, the Continental Regulars and Militia fought a brave and bloody action until at last their forts were overrun, the Continental boats were burned by their own crews and the Great Chain removed. Over half of the garrison was captured or killed.
The Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in the Hudson Highlands will commemorate this bloody battle on October 2-3. This year, the traditional Twin Forts Day will be expanded into a two day Brigade of the American Revolution event with different programs each day. On Saturday, visitors will witness the battle reenactment, cannon firings, and living history demonstrations throughout the day. Sunday will feature the aftermath of the battle, with the “Twin Forts” now under the control of the conquering Crown Forces. British and German troops will be on hand to establish guard posts and put their prisoners to work, while the Loyalist forces try to recruit wavering Continentals.
Fort Montgomery State Historic Site is located at 690 Route 9W, in Fort Montgomery, NY.
Schedule:
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30
7:00 PM – FREE LECTURE – Todd Braisted “The Hudson Valley’s Provincial Corps: Loyalist Troops in Sir Henry Clinton’s 1777 Highlands Expedition.” – Fort Montgomery Visitor Center
SATURDAY OCTOBER 2
9:00 AM – Camp Opens
9:30 AM – Troop (formation) – Visitor Center Lawn
10:00 AM – Memorial Ceremony at Fort Clinton’s Redoubt
11:00 AM – People of the Twin Forts – Visitor Center Terrace
1:00 PM – Artillery Firing – Grand Battery
1:30 PM – Military Music Demo – Grand Battery
1:30 PM – Ladies Program – Visitor Center Terrace
2:00 PM – British Formation & Drill – Visitor Center Lawn
4:00 PM – Battle Reenactment – Fort Interior
5:00 PM – Camp Closes
SUNDAY OCTOBER 3
10:00 AM – Camp Opens to the Public
11:00 AM – Troop (formation) – Visitor Center Lawn
11:00AM – 2:00PM Crown Forces Occupation – Fort Interior
2:00 PM – Artillery Firing – Grand Battery
3:00 PM – Camp Closes
Presented by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Palisades Interstate Park Commission; Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area; Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association; and The Brigade of the American Revolution
The Brigade of the American Revolution has a nearly 50-year relationship with New York’s State Historic Sites, and has been at the forefront of the fight to keep them open during the recent state budget difficulties.
www.palisadesparksconservancy.org/historic/18/
www.brigade.org
nysparks.state.ny.us/historic-sites/28/details.aspx
www.hudsonrivervalley.com
A Stony Point Lighthouse Cruise
Spend an evening aboard the historic M.V. Commander enjoying a two hour cruise along the scenic Hudson River. While on-board, discover the fascinating history surrounding Haverstraw Bay, the Lower Highlands, and the 1826 Stony Point Lighthouse as told by local history narrator, Scott Craven. Enjoy spectacular views of the illuminated Stony Point Lighthouse as participants sail up-river.
The cruise will take place in October 9, 2000 6 pm to 8 pm. Advanced reservations are required. Please call the site office for reservations and further information: (845) 786-2521. Admission: $30 adults, $25 seniors (62+), and $15 children (5-12).
The cruise departs Haverstraw Marina at 6:00 PM. Boarding by 5:45 PM; it is recommended you arrive at the parking lot by 5:30 PM. The Commander is located at the Haverstraw Marina. Light refreshments will be available for purchase on board. Directions can be found online.
The evening program is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Stony Point Battlefield & Lighthouse and Hudson Highland Cruises, Inc. The evenings proceeds will directly benefit the Friends’ Lighthouse Lens Fund that has been set up to help finance the restoration of the 4th Order Fresnel lens that will be moved from the Lighthouse to the more secure and environmentally stable Lighthouse Gallery in the site’s museum.
Photo: The historic M.V. Commander plies the Hudson River.
Patroons and Plowmen, Pietism and Politics:Dutch Settlers in the Hudson Valley
Firth Fabend will give a series of lectures presenting a brief overview of the Dutch people who settled in the Hudson Valley in the 17th and 18th centuries. She illustrates her talk with eighty slides, screened in forty pairs for purposes of comparison. Fabend asks, who were these Dutch people who replanted themselves in the Hudson Valley when it was a wolf-infested wilderness? Why did they come to America? What did they do when they got here? And why is their cultural influence still felt in the area today? She examines the importance of the fur trade, the importation of slavery, the patroon system of land tenure vs. the English manorial system, farming practices, family structure, domestic architecture and house furnishings, the religious culture, the winsome beauty of the land, and the schism in the Dutch Reformed Church that paralleled the divisions between Patriots and Tories in the War of Revolution.
The lecture will be given at the following locations:
Fort Montgomery on Thursday, August 5, at 7:30 p.m. [LINK]
Fishkill Historical Society on Saturday,Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. [LINK]
Emanuel United Church of Christ in Woodhaven, NY on September 29th at 1:00 p.m. [LINK]
Firth Haring Fabend is the author of the prize-winning works A Dutch Family in the Middle Colonies, 1660-1800, and Zion on the Hudson: Dutch New York and New Jersey in the Age of Revivals, both published by Rutgers University Press, and many scholarly articles. Land So Fair, a historical novel set in the Hudson Valley, with flashbacks to New Netherland, is her sixth novel. She is a Fellow of The Holland Society of New York, The New Netherland Institute in Albany, and the New York Academy of History.
Intern Wins McHenry Preservation Award
The Open Space Institute has announced that this year’s Barnabas McHenry Award for Historic Preservation has been given to Matthew Colon of Newburgh for a project that will digitize and catalogue the entire slide collection of the nation’s first publicly-owned and operated historic site, Washington’s Headquarters.
The Friends of the State Historic Site of the Hudson Highlands, an ancillary group to Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, nominated volunteer intern Matthew Colon in recognition of his outstanding performance this past year ensuring that the Washington’s Headquarters library and archives will be useful to the staff and the public. Matt honed his archivist skills while a student at SUNY Oswego, as well as from related professional development classes. The McHenry Award will support Matt’s next project: to properly accession important images previously available only through outdated equipment and make them accessible for a myriad of uses now and in the future.
In 2007, the Open Space Institute created the The Barnabas McHenry Hudson River Valley Awards to honor Barney McHenry’s extensive leadership, contributions, and accomplishments in the Hudson River Valley. For the past forty years, McHenry has worked to protect the Hudson River Valley’s landscapes, heritage, and culture. He demonstrates his commitment to the region as a Member and Secretary of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, Chair of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Co-Chair of the Hudson River Valley Natural Heritage Area, President of Boscobel, and Trustee of both Friends of the Hudson Valley and the Open Space Institute.
The McHenry Awards provide financial support to the “pairing” of young leaders and exemplary projects that make significant contributions in environmental conservation, historic preservation and the arts in the Hudson River Valley.