Local History

The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) has announced a new permanent outdoor exhibit, the Early Heritage of Columbia County Outdoor Narrative Panel Exhibit, featuring eight narrative panels set along the treeline of its rural properties along Route 9-H including the c.1850 Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and the 1737 Luykas Van Alen House located in the Town of Kinderhook, NY. “We welcome visitors to treat themselves to a 20 minute walk around the grounds of our rural properties to soak up a lot of history quickly.” said Board President, Bob Peduzzi.

Opening just in time for Thanksgiving visitors, and located on CCHS’ two contiguous rural properties located along Route 9H in Kinderhook, the new exhibit is an accessible and educational ‘wayside’ narrative panel installation that will increase and reinforce awareness, knowledge, and preservation of the shared cultural heritage for the community and visitors, including the broad, public audience of residents and visitors from both sides of the river. “While the challenges of this pandemic era has changed how we approach our programming, we have found new ways to engage with our community and present the history and heritage of Columbia County,” said Executive Director, Lori Yarotsky.

Founded in 1916, the Columbia County Historical Society Museum and Library collects, preserves, interprets, and presents the history, heritage, and culture of Columbia County, New York, and serves residents of all eighteen towns and the City of Hudson. A vital community resource, CCHS collections include important and unique paintings, textiles, furniture and decorative arts, archives, maps and genealogical materials, and four distinct historic properties relating to Columbia County’s heritage.

In recent years, CCHS has sustained a range of programs: the award-winning magazine Columbia County History and Heritage; recurring lecture series; annual Day of History field trips for County fourth-graders; and exhibitions in the museum galleries. CCHS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered by the New York State Department of Education.

The outdoor exhibit is free of charge and open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. The prominent property at this location is an 18th century Dutch Colonial structure, the Luykas Van Alen House, a National Historic Landmark, comprising approximately 53 acres including the Van Alen family homestead. Adjacent to the Dutch structure is the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse, a circa 1850 one-room schoolhouse, named after author Washington Irving’s fictional, Dutch character, a schoolteacher. Also on the grounds is the trailhead to the Dutch Farming Heritage Trail, the 1.7 mile foot trail to Van Buren’s home, Lindenwald.

For further information,visit www.cchsny.org/wayside.html

Early Dutch Settlers in the Hudson Valley

The Original Ichabod Crane’ with the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse in the background.