Ulster County Historical Society

12/14/2024

Dear Members and Friends,

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the past year and look forward to the future.

This season’s feature exhibit was In the Shadow of Mohonk: A Collection of Yeaple Family Art and Heirlooms. We also had programs on runaway slaves in the Hudson Valley, female WWII air force pilots, and tax credits for historic preservation, as well as workshops on genealogical research and memoir writing, and a vintage baseball game. Our annual meeting included a program entitled “Three Friends from Kingston: Dillon, McEntee and Tubby.” We also continue to serve as a resource for those researching local history, responding this past year to more than 80 requests for information.

For 2025, we are planning, among other events, a major exhibit of the artwork of Dubois Fenelon Hasbrouck, an Ulster County native and prolific painter from the late 19th and early 20th century. We are also pleased that two paintings of Julia McEntee Dillion from our collection will be included in a Spring 2025 exhibit at the Albany Institute of Art.

In order to continue to serve the community and promote and preserve local history, we’ve been hard at work on a new strategic plan to guide our future efforts to promote the rich historical resources of our region to as many in the community as possible.

None of this work would be possible without the generous support you have given to UCHS. Thank you for being part of our journey! Please consider renewing, or possibly increasing, your support.

Sincerely,

Marian McCorkle-Beckerman, President

Please click on the link to donate now:
https://donorbox.org/support-the-uchs

11/16/2024

A Farewell to Our 2024 Season:

We want to thank all of our members who attended our annual meeting, marking the end of another wonderful museum season. Your continued support is invaluable to our mission of preserving and sharing local history.

We look forward to welcoming you back next year for another exciting season of exhibitions, programs, and events.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to Sanford Levy of Jenkinstown Antiques for his captivating lecture, "Three Friends from Kingston." His insights into the lives of these historic artists enriched our understanding of local history and art. Thank you Sanford. for sharing your knowledge and passion with us.

10/22/2024

Annual Meeting with Program: Three Friends from Kingston – Dillon, McEntee and Tubby

Come join us on October 26th at 2:00 pm for our annual meeting! Our Annual Meeting is open to UCHS Members only.

The 3:00 pm program, with speaker, Sanford Levy, is open to the public. Mr. Levy be speaking about three old friends from Kingston, NY, whose artwork he has studied and enjoyed over the years: Julia McEntee Dillon, Jervis McEntee and Joseph Tubby. These “friends” were all born in the Mid -19th Century in the Rondout area of Kingston, and their families were active members of the community. Different aspects of the Rondout landscape and views are depicted in much of their artwork. He will be discussing their artistic development in the world of late 19th and early 20th Century art.
Refreshments and light food will be served.
Museum hours: Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm
Admission: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors & Students, Free to UCHS Members.
Events are free with Museum admission unless otherwise specified.

10/19/2024

EVENT REMINDER!!!

Come join us Today, October 19th from 2-4 pm for Capturing a Sense of Place with Bruce Whistance!

Behind every artifact there is a human story that is essential for an accurate interpretation of its significance. Diaries, family correspondence, newspaper accounts, and previous historical research on an artifact’s period and place of origin help historians to understand the context behind its purpose and impact. The recent popularity of memoir adds yet another highly personal source of information to the mix. Join us for a conversation and workshop with author and local historian, Bruce Whistance, about the value of memoir in building a more nuanced view of our moment in time for the historical record.

About the speaker:
Bruce Whistance has lived in Ulster County since 1954 in the towns of Hurley, Ulster, and Rosendale and has a Master of Science in Computer Science from Union College. He has had a diverse employment background including jobs as a farm worker, filling station attendant, restaurant waiter, factory worker, teaching assistant, electronic engineer, and IBM programming manager. Working with the family antiques business he developed a keen sense of history and has served on the Historic Preservation Commission in the Town of Hurley. He has partnered with his wife Gail in creating exhibitions at the Hurley Heritage Society Museum.

Museum hours: Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm
Admission: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors & Students, Free to UCHS Members.

Events are free with Museum admission unless otherwise specified.

09/28/2024

Reminder: Genealogy and Genogram Workshop Today!

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to delve deeper into your family history with Cheyenne Cutter and Courtney Edwards. Join us for a captivating workshop today, Saturday, September 28th, at 1pm at the Ulster County Historical Society.

Learn genealogical methods and how to create genograms, visual representations of your family tree, to help uncover hidden sorties and relationships.

09/17/2024

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended Marissa Marvelli's enlightening presentation on historic tax credits. Your enthusiasm and participation made the event a resounding success.

We are especially thankful to Marissa for her informative and engaging talk. Her expertise and passion for historic preservation were truly inspiring.

Thank you again for supporting the Ulster County Historical Society and making our mission to provide informative events to our community and members possible!

09/14/2024

Join the Ulster County Historical Society today, September 14th from 2:00-3:30pm for Preservation Pays: Historic Tax Credits with Marissa Marvelli.

Marissa Marvelli is an independent historic preservation consultant based in Ulster County. In addition to conducting a wide range of cultural resource surveys and drafting National Register nominations, Marissa is frequently hired to consult on historic rehabilitation tax credit projects. In this talk, she will cover the financial benefits of listing significant individual properties and historic districts in the National Register of Historic Places. Listing unlocks tax credit and grant programs for historic homeowners, commercial developers, non-profits, and local governments.

Museum hours: Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm
Admission: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors & Students, Free to UCHS Members.

Events are free with Museum admission unless otherwise specified.

08/25/2024

Who is J.R. Marriott? What kind of surgeon was he? When did he practice? Where did he practice? What tools and medicines did he use? These are just a few of the questions that have plagued me ever since I discovered his mysterious trunk in the Ulster County Historical Society's collections. Come join our newsletter through the ulstercountyhs.org home page to embark on a journey to find the man behind the mystery.

J.R. Marriott's surgeon's trunk in on view in our exhibition "Gifts to the Society" open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm, until the end of our museum season on October 27th.

08/10/2024

Great News! Our phones are back in service. Feel free to call us at (845) 377-1040 with any questions.

Send a message to learn more

08/04/2024

We at the Ulster County Historical Society, would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Susan Stessin-Cohn for her captivating book talk on "In Defiance--Runaways from Slavery in the Hudson River Valley 1735-1831." Her research and storytelling brought this important chapter of history to life in a powerful and moving way. We are grateful for her dedication to sharing these crucial stories.

We also want to thank all who attended the event for your interest and support. Your presence helped create a meaningful and impactful experience for everyone.

Curious about our upcoming events? Learn about exciting programs and activities happening during our 2024 museum season by visiting our website: https://ulstercountyhs.org/
Stay tunes for updates and details!

08/03/2024

Museum phone lines are temporarily down!!

We’re currently experiencing a service outage for our museum's phone lines. We are unsure of the cause behind this interruption, but our team is actively working on resolving the issue as quickly as possible.

At the Ulster County Historical Society, we pride ourselves on providing great service and apologize for any inconvenience this service outage has caused. Until this interruption is resolved, please direct all inquiries to [email protected]. For more information about upcoming events, hours of operation, admission, or seasonal exhibitions please visit www.ulstercountyhs.org.

We thank you for your patience and we will update you when phones are restored.

Send a message to learn more

08/03/2024

This Sunday, August 4th, the Ulster County Historical Society will take you out to the ballgame and back in time with the Third Annual Vintage Base Ball Game at Marbletown Town Park, at 350 Tongore Road, Stone Ridge. First pitch is at 2pm sharp!

Step back in time and see how base ball was played 150 years ago in a game between the Kingston Guards and the Saugerties Vintage Base Ball Club. The event is free and open to the public. Any donations benefit the Ulster County Historical Society, whose goal is to make local history come alive.

This vintage baseball game features rules from the 1800s, as was a common occurrence for many years between teams from neighboring farm communities, villages, and cities all over the United States. The uniforms and rules will reflect the historical rules of the grand old game. Among the novel rules for fans to enjoy:

- Foul balls do not count as strikes.
- No gloves worn by fielders.
- If a pitch is too close to call, the umpire can rule “no call” and it’s a do-over.
-If a batter is hit by a pitch, it just counts as a ball and the at-bat continues.
-Fielders can catch a fly ball on one hop for an out (it’s tougher than it sounds).

Last year’s vintage baseball game was a huge success and fun for the whole family. Admission is free! Some refreshments and treats will be available, as well as a flyer explaining the rules and history of vintage baseball.

Bring your own chairs or blanket. Suitable for all ages, with wheelchair access.

07/06/2024

Don't miss out on Margaret DiBenedetto's presentation on the WWII Women Airforce Service Pilot program from 1-2pm this afternoon at the Bevier House Museum.

The event is free with museum admission:
$15 for general admission
$10 students/seniors
Free for UCHS members

We look forward to seeing you at the Ulster County Historical Society!!!

06/29/2024

Come experience the Women Airforce Service Pilot program through the eyes of a pilot’s daughter at 1pm on July 6th, 2024 at the Bevier House Museum!

Over 1,000 women flew military aircraft in WWII as Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP. Author Margaret DiBenedetto is the daughter of WASP Ruth Franckling Reynolds, who grew up delivering milk to the residents of Woodstock, and who earned her pilot license in Kingston, becoming the first female commercial pilot in Ulster County. During her time as a WASP, Ruth ferried almost every type of WWII transport and combat aircraft from manufacturing plants to air bases around the country. By incorporating past aviation history with present day strong female role models, DiBenedetto wrote her novel,Silver Dollar Girls, with the hope of educating a wider, younger audience about the WASP and their role in WWII.

Museum hours: Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm
Admission: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors & Students,
Free to UCHS Members

Events are free with Museum admission unless otherwise specified.

06/16/2024

Looking for something to do this Father's Day? Come to the Bevier House Museum and check out this Kewpie doll and more at Beverly Bennett's exhibition, "In the Shadow of Mohonk: a Collection of Yeaple Family Art and Heirlooms," where she values her long family history and its inheritance for the stories they tell. Visitors will leave contemplating the importance of holding on to and honoring those we have known, while staying curious about those we have not.

The museum will be open today until 4pm.
Admission is $15; $10 for seniors/students; Free to members and children under 15 y/o.

We look forward to your visit!

06/08/2024

Please join us today from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Bevier House Museum for the opening reception of the Ulster County Historical Society’s 2024 exhibitions.

“In the Shadow of Mohonk: A Collection of Yeaple Family Art and Heirlooms” artist and 8th-generation descendant of Philip Yaple, Beverly Bennett, values her long family history and its inheritance for the stories they tell. She uses printmaking, painting and encaustic methods to express the importance of holding on to those we have known while staying curious about others we have not. The exhibition not only pays homage to the Yeaple’s historical presence in the area with photography, objects and art that Beverly has collected and created, but it also encourages us to look more carefully at our own ancestry and to consider our role in preserving the past.

“Gifts to the Society” honors UCHS’s efforts over the last 165 to act as curator and collector of significant Ulster County artifacts, documents, oral histories, and cultural items. Not only will visitors encounter
never before displayed artifacts, they will be given the opportunity to participate in solving some of the mysteries that surround our treasures.

Museum Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 4pm thru October 27, 2024
Admission: $15; Seniors and Students, $10; Free to UCHS Members

We look forward to seeing you this year!!!

04/23/2024

We are excited to bring back our Trivia challenge this season. It will be held just up the road from the museum at the High Falls Cafe (2842 Rte 209, Kingston). Teams of 6 or less. Light food will be served. $20 per person. To make a reservation, please call the Cafe at 845-687-2699. Great food, great fun, great trivia!