Columbia County Historical Society facts for kids
The Columbia County Historical Society is a special place that helps keep the history of Columbia County, New York alive! It was started in 1916. This society collects, saves, and shares stories, old items, and information about the past. They focus on the history and culture of Columbia County and the city of Hudson.
The society has many cool things in its collection. These include old family records, paintings, photos, clothes, furniture, and other beautiful art. All these items tell us about Columbia County's heritage.
The Columbia County Historical Society also takes care of four old buildings. Their main building, which is a museum and library, is in Kinderhook, New York. They even publish a yearly magazine called Columbia County History & Heritage.
Contents
History of the Society
The Columbia County Historical Society began in 1916. It started as a club for women who wanted to help their community. In 1917, men were allowed to join a special group. By 1924, the society became open to everyone. It was officially named the Columbia County Historical Society, Inc.
In 2016, the society celebrated its 100th birthday! They published a book about their history. They also had an exhibition called "100 Years of Collecting." The Historical Society mainly focuses on the history and culture of New York State. They also study the early Dutch settlers.
Historic Buildings You Can Visit
The Columbia County Historical Society owns and takes care of four important old buildings. These buildings help us learn about the past.
- The Luykas Van Alen House: This house was built around 1737. It is a very important building. It is even a National Historic Landmark.
- The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse: This old schoolhouse was built around 1850. It shows what a one-room school was like long ago.
- The James Vanderpoel 'House of History': This house was built around 1820. The society bought it in 1924.
- The Museum & Library building: This building was built in 1915. It is the main office for the society. It also holds the museum and library.
The main building has the museum and library. It also has places to store old items and show exhibits. The staff offices are there too.
What They Collect
The Columbia County Historical Society has many different types of items. These are part of their permanent collection. They include:
- Works of art and paintings
- Old photographs
- Decorative arts (like fancy dishes or statues)
- Maps and furniture
- Old clothes and fabrics
- Books and rare handwritten papers
They also own the four historic buildings mentioned above. These buildings are part of their collection too.
The Barbara P. Rielly Memorial Research Library is inside the main building. It is named after a past president of the society. This library has many materials about the history of Columbia County, New York and New York State. You can find information about families, old buildings, and art. They also have old letters, diaries, scrapbooks, and many types of photos.
Outdoor History Museum
There is a special outdoor exhibit at the society's rural properties. These properties include the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the Luykas Van Alen House. This outdoor exhibit is like an open-air museum. It tells the story of the Hudson Valley and Columbia County.
This exhibit has nine signs placed around the fifty-acre site. These signs share stories of people who lived, worked, and learned in the county. You can learn about people from the 1600s to the 1900s. Some of the stories include:
- Native American people, like the Mohicans
- The Van Alen Family and early Dutch settlers
- The history of slavery in the Hudson Valley
- Old Dutch building styles
- Black Locust Trees
- Writer Washington Irving
- The real person who inspired Ichabod Crane
- One-room schoolhouses
- Eleanor Roosevelt and her connection to the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse
You can find this outdoor museum at 2589 NY-9H, Kinderhook, NY 12037.
The Society's Main Building
The CCHS Museum & Library building was built in 1915. It was first used by a group called the Royal Arch Masons as their meeting place. In the 1970s, another group, the Elks Club, bought the building. They used it as their lodge.
The Elks Club moved to a new location in the late 1980s. The Columbia County Historical Society then bought the building. They made it their main office. The research library is on the first floor. There is also a small art gallery, storage for old papers, and offices. The second floor has a large gallery space, more offices, and storage for collections.
What the Society Does
The Columbia County Historical Society is the biggest history organization in Columbia County, New York. It is also one of the largest in the Hudson Valley region. It is a very important cultural center for the county.
The society offers many things for people to enjoy:
- They put on interesting exhibitions (shows of old items).
- They have public programs and educational events.
- Their research library is open to everyone during regular hours.
The CCHS has a huge collection of historical items from New York State. These include old portraits and artworks, especially from the Hudson Valley. They also have many other items that show the history of Columbia County and New York State.
They create exhibits on many different topics. These include early Dutch settlers, Native American and African-American settlers, and famous painters. They also show New York-made furniture, old costumes, and local history events.
Every year, the Historical Society gives tours of the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the Luykas Van Alen House. These tours are often for fourth-grade students from Columbia County. They also have school programs and resources for teachers. For adults, they organize talks and events. All these activities help people learn about and appreciate the history and culture of New York and Columbia County.
See also
- Columbia County, New York
- Luykas Van Alen House
- Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse
- Jesse Merwin
- One-room school
- Washington Irving
- Dutch Colonial architecture (New Netherland)
- Kinderhook (town), New York
- Kinderhook (village), New York
- List of historical societies in New York (state)
