Curated by Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, the event will showcase many historic records, including the 1665 treaty between governor Richard Nicolls and the Sopes Indians, a significant document in the history of the county. Also included in the tour are the Order by director-general Peter Stuyvesant to build the stockade in Kingston, the Wampum Belt and more.
The Tour of the Documented Treasures of Ulster County is housed in the Ulster County Records Center on Foxhall Avenue in Kingston and will be open from Monday, September 19 through Friday, September 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information contact Nina Postupack at the Ulster County Clerk’s Office at (845) 340-3040 or npos@co.ulster.ny.us, or log onto www.co.ulster.ny.us/archives.
Ulster County Cultural Heritage Week runs from September 18 to 25, and will run the gamut of industrial, agricultural and political history. For more information, call the Ulster County Department of Tourism at (845) 340-3566 or log on to http://www.ulstertourism.info/. Here’s a list of the many events that are part of this week of all things historical:
Celebrating Saugerties: 1811-2011: The grand opening of this exhibit at the Saugerties Library will be held on Tuesday, September 20 at 10 a.m., and consist of material from the Ulster County Archives about the Town of Saugerties.
Ashokan Center in Olivebridge (http://www.ashokancenter.org). The Center will offer a free Gorge Hike and Mill Ruins Tour with a discussion of human activity on the historic property on Saturday, September 17 at 10 a.m.
Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock (http://www.woodstockguild.org). Take Byrdcliffe’s last studio tour of the year and meet the artists in its 2011 Artist in Residence Program, view their work, and enjoy a potluck buffet at the Viletta Inn in the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony on Saturday 9/17 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. There will also be a guided walking tour of the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony, including a look at the historic building White Pines, the ceramics and jewelry studios and the woodworking workshop on Saturday 9/24. While you’re there, take a look at Quick, Down & Dirty, Byrdcliffe’s outdoor exhibition of local artists’ works on the grounds of White Pines.
D & H Canal Historical Society and Museum in High Falls (http://www.canalmuseum.org). There will be a family-friendly, docent-led D & H Canal 5-Lock Walk along the canal’s towpath. Interested hikers should meet up in front of the Canal Museum on Mohonk Road in High Falls on Sundays 9/11, 9/18, and 9/25 from 2-3 p.m.
Catskill Mountain Railroad. After suffering the devastating effects of Hurricane Irene, the Catskill Mountain Railroad has restored its Esopus Scenic Train service. Due to a major washout east of Phoenicia, the Scenic Train ride now travels along a modified five-mile round trip between Mt. Tremper and Boiceville. Kingston City Shuttle service will continue to operate on its normal schedule through the end of the season. The train rides are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., but see the Schedules and Fares page at http://catskillmtrailroad.com for complete details.
Esopus Bicentennial Celebration (http://www.esopus.com/feature.html). This exhibit at the Esopus Town Hall features historical paintings, photographs and other memorabilia centering on the town’s illustrative past. The show will remain on view until 10/31.
Friends of Historic Kingston (http://www.fohk.org). Pick up a clue sheet with photos of 18 objects found within the 1658 Stockade National Historic District, and walk the neighborhood like a detective, hunting down the objects that match the photos during the Stockade District Discovery Quest. Clue sheets are available at the beautifully restored Persen House, situated at the corner of John and Crown Streets, on Saturday 9/24 from 10-2 p.m.; and at the Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery on Saturday 9/24 from 10-4 p.m. and Sunday 9/25 1- 4 p.m.
Rondout National Historic District Walking Tour. Hear how the waterfront district of Kingston mushroomed from farmland into a thriving maritime village and major Hudson River port during the heyday of the Delaware & Hudson Canal (1828-1898). This approximately 2-hour tour with include some uphill walking, and the admission for adults is $5, children under 16 pay $2. Meet outside the Kingston Heritage Area Visitor Center at 20 Broadway on Saturday 9/24 at 11 a.m. While you’re in Kingston, take a look at the Anton Otto Fischer exhibition at the Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery, at the corner of Wall and Main, on Sunday 9/18, Saturday 9/24 and Sunday 9/25, from 1 to 4 p.m. Nearby, you can also take the 1812 Historic House Tour of the stunning collection of American antiques and decorative arts of Fred J. Johnston (see related piece on page 4 in this week’s Almanac), displayed in eight elegant room settings in the Federal-style house he rescued from demolition and preserved. Adult admission is $5, children under 16 are $2, on Sunday 9/18, Saturday 9/24 and Sunday 9/25 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Gomez Mill House in Marlboro (http://www.gomez.org). In the program “History and Connections of the Life of Luis Gomez,” Shelomo Alfassa will use a combination of historic narrative, maps and images to demonstrate the interconnections of history which led to the unique experience, life and times of Luis Gomez on Sunday, 9/18 at 1 p.m. As part of Smithsonian Museum Day on 9/24, the Gomez Mill House will offer free admission to Museum Day ticket-holders, plus a guest. Log on to http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/ to sign up for a free Museum Day ticket.
Heritage Folk Music in Saugerties (http://heritageconcerts.blogspot.com). Geoff Kaufman and the Kingston Sea Chantey Singers will perform songs of the Hudson River on Sunday 9/18 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Dutch Arms Chapel, 16 John Street in Saugerties. Admission is $8. Call (845) 594-4412 for further details.
Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) in New Paltz (http://www.huguenotstreet.org). Take a guided tour through the historic marshlands and oxbow of the gorgeous Huguenot Path aka The Nyquist-Harcourt Sanctuary on Sunday 9/18 (rain date is 9/25). This easy 1- to 1.5-hour hike explores the special topography and history of this largely unknown area, culminating in a visit to the site of the Wallkill River ferry landing and a tour of the LeFevre House, site of Ezekiel Elting’s store in the early 1800s. Meet up at the DuBois Visitor Center at 11 a.m. to begin the hike. Raindate: 9/25. HHS is also offering a Mad Hatter’s Tea, a Victorian party on the lawn of the Deyo House (or on the manse’s porch if the weather is uncooperative). Reservations are required. Register for the festivities online or by calling (845) 255-1889. Admission to the tea party is $40 for two; $10 for each additional family member. Check in at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center on Sunday 9/18 at 1 p.m. On Saturday 9/24 from 10:30 to 5 p.m. HHS will be participating in Smithsonian Museum Day, offering free admission to Museum Day ticket-holders, plus a guest. Go to http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/ to sign up for a free Museum Day ticket. Then, on 9/25, HHS will hold Ulster Residents’ Day with a special “pay what you wish” day. Ulster County residents, with proof of residence, can enjoy either the 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. guided museum house tour for whatever they wish to contribute. No reservations are necessary.
Hurley Heritage Society (http://www.hurleyheritagesociety.org). Take the first-person walking tour of historic Hurley on Sunday 9/25 at 2 p.m. and learn about Hillegond Roosa Van Deusen, an early 18th century resident of Hurley. Van Deusen will be portrayed by interpreter Patricia Lamers, and the event will happen rain or shine at 2 p.m.
John Burroughs Association in West Park (http://john-burroughs.org). Enjoy an interpretive walk through the woods at John Burroughs’ Slabsides Ramble that will feature readings from Burroughs’ works. Meet up at the famous little cabin in the West Park woods on Saturday 9/17 at 10 a.m. (rain date is 9/24).
Klyne Esopus Museum in Ulster Park (http://www.klyneesopusmuseum.org). Listen to a discussion of the old stone houses in Esopus led by Robert Sweeney on Sunday, 9/18 at 4 p.m.
Milton-on-Hudson Train Station in Milton. Built in 1883 for the West Shore Railway, the Milton-on-Hudson Train Station in Marlboro is a work-in-progress for restoration and use as a community center for culture and recreation. On Saturday, September 17 at 1 p.m., you can learn about the connections among history, agriculture and the Hudson River. This event will last about three hours. The station is wheelchair-accessible. The train station suffered some damage during Hurricane Irene, so please make sure everything’s a go by the 17th with Cindy Lanzetta of Friends of Milton-on-Hudson Train Station at (845) 236-7288 or cinpackback@gmail.com.
Town of Lloyd Historical Preservation Society in Highland (http://lloydhistory.org). Take a self-guided walking tour of Highland’s past focusing on the era of the Highland-New Paltz Trolley, the only trolley line in Ulster County that connected two towns. By following little green trolleys stenciled on the sidewalk, and on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, viewers can stroll through the village and glimpse the town “then and now.” Large framed pages have been placed in business windows throughout the village showing pictures and text explaining what a site looked like and/or what occurred in that area.
Reher Center in Kingston (http://wiltwyck-web.info/reher). The Rondout Revisited exhibit, with an opening reception on Sunday, 9/18 from 3-5 p.m. at Kingston’s Heritage Area Visitor Center, highlights three stages in the history of The Strand. In addition, images from Eugene Dauner will be shown in a slide presentation at the Arts Society of Kingston on 97 Broadway on Tuesday, 9/20 at 7 p.m.
Saugerties Historic Preservation Commission in West Camp (http://saugerties.ny.us). Julian Adams from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will discuss the ongoing development of the Town and Village Guidelines for Historic Preservation at the Saugerties Library Community Room on Monday, 9/19 at 7:30 p.m. Town Historian Audrey Klinkenberg will talk about 200 years of Saugerties’ illustrative past in the Saugerties Library Community Room on Wednesday 9/21 at 6 p.m. Michael Sullivan Smith will lead a discussion on “Digitizing the History of Saugerties” in the Saugerties Library Community Room on Thursday 9/22 at 6 p.m. Myles Putman and Michael Smith will also give a talk on “Mapping Harry Carle’s Memories” in the Saugerties Library Community Room on Friday 9/23 at 6 p.m.
Senate House State Historic Site in Kingston (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/historic-sites/18/details.aspx). Apple Heritage Day, a day of 18th century activities including cider-pressing, the making of apple butter, a magician, puppet shows, musicians and open-hearth cooking in a Dutch oven, will be held on Sunday, 9/25 from noon to 5 p.m.