Columbia County Historical Society facts for kids
The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) was started in 1916. It's a place that collects, keeps safe, explains, and shares the history of Columbia County, New York. This includes all 18 towns in the county and the city of Hudson.
The CCHS has many important and old items. These include family history records, old documents, paintings, photos, fabrics, furniture, and art. All these items help tell the story of Columbia County's past.
The Historical Society owns and takes care of four historic buildings. Its main office, museum, and library are in the village of Kinderhook, New York. The CCHS also publishes a magazine twice a year called Columbia County History & Heritage.
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A Look Back: History of the CCHS
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 fully open to everyone. It was officially named the Columbia County Historical Society, Inc.
In 2016, the CCHS celebrated its 100th birthday! They created a special book and an exhibit called "100 Years of Collecting." The Historical Society mostly focuses on the history and culture of New York State. This includes the time when the Dutch first settled there.
Historic Buildings You Can Visit
The Columbia County Historical Society owns four important historic buildings:
- The Luykas Van Alen House: This house was built around 1737. It is so important that it is a National Historic Landmark.
- The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse: This old schoolhouse was built around 1850.
- The James Vanderpoel 'House of History': This house was built around 1819.
- The Museum & Library building: This building was built in 1915. It is the main office for the CCHS.
The main building holds the museum, library, and places to store collections. It also has exhibit rooms and offices for the staff.
What the CCHS Collects
The CCHS has many different items in its collections. These include artworks, paintings, photographs, and decorative items. They also have old maps, furniture, fabrics, and historical clothes. You can find rare books and old handwritten papers too.
The CCHS also owns the four historic buildings mentioned above. These buildings are part of their collection as well.
The Barbara P. Rielly Memorial Research Library is inside the main building. It is named after a past president of the CCHS board. This library has many materials about the history of Columbia County, New York and New York State. You can find information on family histories, old buildings, and decorative arts. The library also has old letters, scrapbooks, business records, and many types of photos.
Outdoor Museum: Stories in the Open Air
There is a special outdoor exhibit at the CCHS's rural properties. It is located near the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the Luykas Van Alen House. This outdoor museum tells the history of the Hudson Valley and Columbia County.
There are eight story panels placed around the 50-acre site. These panels share stories about the people who lived, worked, and learned in the county. You can learn about people from the 1600s to the 1900s. Some of the topics include:
- Native Inhabitants
- The Van Alen Family and Early Dutch Settlers
- Dutch Colonial Architecture
- Black Locust Trees
- Washington Irving (who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)
- The Original Ichabod Crane (the real person who inspired the character)
- One-Room Schoolhouses
- Eleanor Roosevelt at Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse
You can find this outdoor museum at 2589 NY-9H, Kinderhook, NY 12037.
The CCHS 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 Kinderhook lodge.
In the late 1980s, the Elks moved to a new location. The CCHS then bought the building. They turned it into their main office. The research library and a small art gallery are on the first floor. There are also offices and storage for old papers. The second floor has a larger gallery, more offices, and storage for collections.
What the CCHS Does Today
The Columbia County Historical Society is the biggest history organization in Columbia County, New York. It is also one of the largest in the wider Hudson Valley region. The CCHS is a very important cultural center for the county.
The CCHS offers many things to the public. They have special [exhibitions] and educational programs. Their research library is open to everyone during regular hours. The CCHS has a huge collection of historical items from New York State. This includes 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 put on exhibits about many different topics. These include early Dutch settlers, Native American and African-American settlers. You can also learn about Hudson River School painters and old New York furniture. They show historical costumes and fabrics from Columbia County. They also cover many local history events.
Every year, the Historical Society gives tours of the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the Luykas Van Alen House. Fourth-grade students from all over Columbia County visit these sites. The CCHS also has school programs based on school lessons. They offer resources for teachers. For adults, they organize talks and events to help people learn more about New York and Columbia County history.
See also
- Columbia County, New York
- Luykas Van Alen House
- Jesse Merwin
- One-room school
- Washington Irving
- Dutch Colonial architecture (New Netherland)
- Kinderhook (town), New York
- Kinderhook (village), New York
