Hurley Heritage Society

10/08/2026

“The Night Before the Burning”, a new 30-minute play written and directed by Lise Hopson, featuring twelve real-life historic Kingston characters dealing with the crisis facing them that tumultuous October of 1777. The play dramatizes the actual positions and actions of these historic figures, the conversations and controversies members of the Committee of Safety and certain community leaders may have voiced, as well as the inner thoughts and feelings of other affected individuals - wives and mothers, enslaved persons, a military captain, and the pastor of the Old Dutch Church
The play will be performed by 12 actors in full costume, under a tent on the grounds of the Senate House in uptown Kingston, Saturday, October 17, at 2 PM. Amplification provided. FREE admission.
Our Cast in order of appearance:
Narrator: Lise Hopson
Johannes Sleght: Eric Heffler
Jacobus Low: Jason Harucki
John Beekman: Hank Neimark
Hendrick Schoonmaker: Michael Breglia
Christopher Tappen: Alan Schleier
Abraham Hasbrouck: Edward Peters
Flora: Emmanuela Desanges
Annatje Tappen: Melissa Tracy
Dominie George Doll: Joseph McDonald
Susanna Doll: Rachael Scorca
Pierre Van Cortlandt: David Winograd

Explore the 2026 Burning of Kingston event showcasing revolutionary history, diverse perspectives, performances, and reenactments in Kingston, NY. A historical cultural experience.

09/30/2026

Path Through History: Women at Work, Children at Play:
Colonial Textiles and Toys
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 1:00 – 4:00 pm

As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s a perfect time to explore the lives of Revolutionary women and children. During New York State’s Path Through History Weekend, Hurley Heritage Society and the Hurley Library are pleased to offer a day of education and fun—“Women at Work, Children at Play”—on Saturday, October 10th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

Elmendorph Handspinners Guild will demonstrate the spinning and weaving of natural fibers on the Hurley Heritage Museum’s front lawn. Transforming sheep’s wool and flax grass into fabric had traditionally been women’s work for centuries. When the British raised taxes on imported cloth in the 1760s, the women led Homespun Movement became essential to the Colonial American economy and war effort. This act of resistance allowed local women to enter the workforce and feed their families when soldier’s pay was delayed or non-existent. Together they held a position of economic and political influence previously unavailable. The American textile industry began here, as women spun and wove uniforms, tents, and ships’ sails.

In addition, historical educator Dawn Elliot will showcase traditional games and toys that entertained families and communities centuries ago. She will also share textile tools for children to try out. During the Revolution, many children worked in the textile industry alongside their mothers. Today in America, the traditional ways of spinning, weaving and dying are considered artisanal crafts. But 250 years ago, women and children spent endless hours expertly working to provide a critical fabric supply.

A Hudson Valley native, Dawn Elliot is an historical interpreter, reenactor, preservationist, educator and researcher. In 2018 Dawn received the prestigious Martha Washington Woman of History Award for contributing to the promotion and preservation of history in the Hudson Valley.

Elmendorph Handspinners Guild is a dynamic and inclusive community deeply committed to preserving and promoting the art of spinning fiber into yarn and all things related to the fiber arts.

Admission is free of charge.

The Hurley Heritage Society Museum is at 52 Main Street, Hurley, NY. The museum’s newest exhibit is “Hurley in the Revolution: History Happened Here.” The Hurley Library is at 48 Main Street, Hurley, NY

The Hurley Heritage Society maintains and operates the Hurley Heritage Museum, free to the public. The organization preserves, protects, educates and celebrates all aspects of Hurley’s unique heritage through programs and events, including public lectures, and seasonal walking tours of Old Hurley. For more information visit www.hurleyheritagesociety.org.

09/27/2026

"The Burning of Kingston will return Oct. 15-18 with reenactments, performances, film screenings and lectures.

The event, commemorating the Oct. 16, 1777 Burning of Kingston by British forces led by Gen. John Vaughan in the Revolutionary War, opens Thursday, Oct. 15, from 5-5:45 p.m. with “Pints Past” a revolutionary happy hour at Rough Draft Bar and Books at 82 John St.

Local historians will host a “table-talk of how British Army voted Kingston the ‘Hottest Upstate Community’ in October of 1777” in this “freewheeling discussion on everything you wanted to know about Ulster County in the age of Revolution,” a post on the event’s website said......

The Hurley Heritage Society will host guided tours of Hurley’s historic Main Street colonial stone houses at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required. A shuttle bus from Uptown Kingston to Hurley will be available. The museum will also be open. To register for a tour, visit https://www.hurleyheritagesociety.org/posts/burning-of-kingston-walking-tours/

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2026/09/26/burning-of-kingston-returns-oct-15-18-with-reenactments-performances-tours/

The Burning of Kingston will return Oct. 15-18 with reenactments, performances, film screenings and lectures.

09/24/2026

TONIGHT!
TONIGHT! 7pm pre-registration required
"Join Hurley Heritage Society and speaker Eddie Moran on Thursday, September 24th at 7:00 pm for a Zoom lecture on the French families who helped found Hurley. Founded in 1662 by a small group of Dutch and French speaking families, Hurley—originally known as Nieuw Dorp, or “New Village”—was among the earliest colonial settlements in what is now Ulster County. In this one-hour presentation, Ulster County Historian Eddie Moran will explore the French speaking families who helped shape Hurley's early history, tracing their European roots, the forces that compelled them to leave their homeland, their journey to New Netherland, and the challenges and opportunities they encountered as they built new lives in this region.
Eddie Moran currently serves as the appointed Historian for Ulster County, NY. Eddie graduated with a B.A. in history from SUNY New Paltz in the Spring of 2020, and began work as a tour guide at Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz while still a student in 2017. He managed historical interpretation full-time at Historic Huguenot Street beginning in 2022, and was appointed Ulster County Historian in September 2024. He is a lifelong resident of the Wallkill River Valley, and a descendant of the region’s Huguenot and Dutch colonizers.
The Zoom lecture is free of charge, but PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. To register:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UhNTFbAHTQOhrI8UdPzvAg #/registration

Or go to www.hurleyheritagesociety.org and under Latest News & Information click on Next HHS Lecture, then click the pre-registration link" See less

09/21/2026

From Europe to Nieuw Dorp: The French Families who Helped Found Hurley ONLINE PRESENTATION - Thursday, September 24th, 7pm ZOOM.

Founded in 1662 by a small group of Dutch and French speaking families, Hurley—originally known as Nieuw Dorp, or “New Village”—was among the earliest colonial settlements in what is now Ulster County. In this one-hour presentation, Ulster County Historian Eddie Moran will explore the French speaking families who helped shape Hurley's early history, tracing their European roots, the forces that compelled them to leave their homeland, their journey to New Netherland, and the challenges and opportunities they encountered as they built new lives in this region.
Eddie Moran currently serves as the appointed Historian for Ulster County, NY. Eddie graduated with a B.A. in history from SUNY New Paltz in the Spring of 2020, and began work as a tour guide at Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz while still a student in 2017. He managed historical interpretation full-time at Historic Huguenot Street beginning in 2022, and was appointed Ulster County Historian in September 2024. He is a lifelong resident of the Wallkill River Valley, and a descendant of the region’s Huguenot and Dutch colonizers.
The Zoom lecture is free of charge, but PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. To register:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UhNTFbAHTQOhrI8UdPzvAg?fbclid=IwY2xjawUebV5wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVR0UDQyaGdTTHZZV1Uwc2FzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeo6crVyRyXxGhKHAfXaBuHFMCnF2Jd4jbA9vA1icmC7KKttKrgJPJMy2HusE_aem_kgtOlQiTdyaT7hXrGhfNwA #/registration

Or go to www.hurleyheritagesociety.org and under Latest News & Information click on Next HHS Lecture, then click the pre-registration link.

09/19/2026

Great day for the Hurley harvest Fest! Til 4pm today at the HHS museum!

09/08/2026

09/08/2026

Hurley Harvest Fest
Saturday, September 19, 2026
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
(Rain Date Sunday, September 20, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm)

The Hurley Heritage Society’s Harvest Fest promises to be fun for the whole family! Join us on Saturday, September 19th, 2026 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Hurley Heritage Society Museum, 52 Main Street in Hurley for a variety of activities, goods for sale, and entertainment, including:

• Local produce, perennial plants, fresh and dried flowers, and baked goods
• Home goods, including vintage furniture, art, linens, lighting, dishes, glassware, and garden items
• Children’s art craft with our own Hurley rooster
• Book signing by noted archaeologist Joe Diamond, author of “The Archeology of Kingston, New York”
• Spinning demonstration
• Music featuring: Guitarist Al Havrilla (11:00 am) and the bands Low Light and The Shober Family (1:00 pm)
• Handmade scarecrows
• Bee keeping display by Urban Apiary

Harvest Fest attendees will be able to park at the Hurley Reformed Church parking lot (11 Main Street) and Myer School parking lot on Schoolhouse Road. For More Information go to our website: www.hurleyheritagesociety.org

Admission is Free!

Note: rain date Sunday, September 20, 11:00 – 4:00.

08/21/2026

2026 Mum Sale

We are having our annual mum sale again this year. These beautiful mums are grown locally at Wallkill View Farms. They are big and hardy. The Fall colors are so vibrant you will definitely want to order more than one.

The date for pick up is Saturday, September 12th, 10am-1pm at the museum. The cost is $14.00 per mum. The order form is online at https://www.hurleyheritagesociety.org/mums-2026/.

We ask that all orders be received no later than September 6th. If you have any questions call Pat Findholt at 845-338-3137, Barbara Zell at 845-338-7686 or Flo Brandt at 845-331-8767.

Thank you for your support!

08/10/2026

It's going to be a busy Summer and Fall at the Hurley Heritage Society!!

August 22 AJ Schenkman and Erin von Holdt Gilbert will conduct Patriots and Spies focused tours followed by a book signing of A J’s book. Tours at 1PM, 2PM and 3PM, register on our website at https://www.hurleyheritagesociety.org

August 29 Free event at the Museum.
A discussion of Black history in Hurley and the Revolution
Tours of the exhibit. Refreshments will be served. (1-4 PM)

September 13 Herbal wreath making workshop at the Museum (1-4 PM) Register on our website, $10 donation at the door, limited to 14 so register early!

September 24 Zoom lecture
County Historian Ed Moran will discuss the Historic Huguenots (7PM)
Pre-registration is required at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UhNTFbAHTQOhrI8UdPzvAg #/registration

September Annual Fall Mum sale
Forms will be mailed in August; watch our website for details

September 19 Hurley Harvest Fest (10AM-3PM)
Rain date September 20 (11AM-3PM)
Harvest booth, Home décor tent, Spinning demos, Back Sale, and more!

October 10 Pathway Through History
Elmendorf Hand Spinners at the museum

October 17-25 Autumn Online Auction

October 18 Capital to Capital 5K Run Reception
On the final day of the Burning of Kingston, HHS sponsors an awards reception for the Cap2Cap 5K run, which finishes on Schoolhouse Lane at approximately 11AM.Museum will open at 10AM and we will have walking Tours of Main Street.

October 25 Museum Closing Day (1-4PM)

November 28-29 Holiday Boutique in the Museum, (Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4)

Walking Tours of Main Street, a National Historic Landmark, are offered on the 4th Sunday of each month. Tours begin at the HHS Museum, 52 Main Street, Hurley, at 2PM. For more information and to register please visit our HHS website at guided Walking Tour of Hurley's historic Main Street. Registration is required in advance to ensure a tour guide is scheduled. You will not be charged at the time of registration. Donations of $5 are payable at the door, children under 12 are free.

Visit our website frequently for the latest details on these and future events:

www.hurleyheritagesociety.org

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: From Europe to Nieuw Dorp: The French Families who Helped Found Hurley. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.