The first New York State Senate met here, in the 18th century home of the VanGaasbeek family.
Operating as usual
Big things are happening here at Senate House! A project to restore the bluestone paths at the site is underway. We can't wait to show you the finished product!
Bluestone walks restored at Senate House
Continuing our posts, we take a look at one of the paintings in the Senate House Museum.
One of the striking women on display in the museum is Mrs. John R. Livingston, née Eliza McEvers. She is positioned in the gallery next to her husband’s portrait, which were both painted by John Vanderlyn in 1802. In the portrait Mrs. Livingston’s right profile is also reflected in the mirror behind her. Born to a prosperous NYC merchant in approximately 1771, Eliza McEvers married John R. Livingston in 1789.
Eliza’s husband, John R. Livingston, was the brother of the Chancellor Robert Livingston and the third son of Margaret Beekman Livingston and Judge Robert R. Livingston of Clermont. Eliza McEvers was John R.’s second wife and they married in 1789. The previous year, Eliza’s sister Mary had married John’s younger brother Edward Livingston and it is likely that they met through that connection.
Eliza’s life as Mrs. Livingston was certainly dominated by her time as a mother. She had 8 children over her 21-year marriage and died in 1810 before she reached the age of 40. Although she lived in New York City, she also spent time in the Hudson Valley at the family’s country home, Massena, in Barrytown. Edgewater (Barrytown, New York) was built in 1824 for her daughter, Margaretta Livingston Brown. This painting was donated to Senate House in 1955 by her grandson.
During Women's History Month, Senate House will continue to recognize some of the remarkable women of the 18th century!
Do you know the story of America’s first female botanist? She was a Hudson Valley native!
Jane Colden was about ten years old (1734) when she began watching and learning from her father as he planted, gathered, dried and pressed plant specimens in colonial New York. The pair learned about the plants’ cultural histories and uses from Dutch, English, and Indigenous legends and folktales.
Using the identification system developed by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, Colden began identifying and naming plants on her own in 1753. In the next five years she collected and cataloged more than 300 plants found growing in the Hudson Valley near Newburgh, discovering two entirely new species herself.
Few of Colden’s scientific writings have survived. Her main work is the manuscript of the flora of New York, Flora Nov-Eboracensis, which is held in the Natural History Museum in London. As seen in this photo, the 284 sheet volume consists of line drawings and scientific descriptions of each plant. For some plants she added their medicinal and folk use. Colden explained who used the plant and for what ailments while also including the prescribed dosage and method of application. What a great resource for so many plants in our very own Hudson Valley!
Save the date for our first FREE outdoor special event of the year! Join us as we showcase maple sugaring, 18th century style! There will be demonstrations of boiling maple sap, hearthside cooking, meat smoking, jack wax candy tasting, crafts for all ages, and music by Mark Rust. We hope you can join us!
Have you ever wanted to share your passion for history with others? Senate House is hiring for a Historic Site Interpreter (Tour Guide) position!
For details and more information on how to apply, please carefully read the job announcement below. Application forms can be found at https://parks.ny.gov/regions/palisades/default.aspx. We look forward to your application!
Senate House is pleased to announce our special event calendar for the 2023 season!
Also, be sure to catch the site’s “Saturday Specials” on select Saturday afternoons during the season. These small, interactive activities will engage visitors of all ages in diverse aspects of the site’s history.
For a sharable version of the calendar, please seehttps://parks.ny.gov/documents/historic-sites/SenateHouseSenateHouse2023Events.pdf For further information please call 845-338-2786, visit www.senatehousekingston.org or the New York State Parks website at: https://parks.ny.gov.
SH.1980.4
Portrait Of Theodosia Burr by John Vanderlyn
Drawing on paper
c.1800
We are highlighting Women’s History Month here at Senate House! From our collections, we have a portrait of Theodosia Burr drawn by John Vanderlyn, a native of Kingston.
Theodosia was the daughter of Aaron Burr, Vice-President of United States, who famously killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. She was born in Albany in 1783 and raised in New York City. Her father ensured she had a proper and strict academic education as well as a social education. Theodosia excelled so much that by 1797, at age 14, she hosted a party on her own at her father’s Richmond Hill estate while he was away, with one of the main dinner guests being Joseph Brant, Chief of the Six Nations.
In 1801, Theodosia married Joseph Alston, a wealthy landowner and future governor of South Carolina. They had a son in 1802, however, she became very ill after her pregnancy. Because of her state, she often visited Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa for rejuvenation. In 1807, her father was tried for treason, and despite his acquittal, Burr went into exile for several years in Europe. During this time, Burr and his daughter remained close by writing letters. After her father returned to New York in 1812, Theodosia did not immediately make the trip north to see him because she was mourning the tragic loss of her son earlier that year. On December 31, 1812, Theodosia boarded the schooner known as the Patriot to see her father, but the schooner never made it to New York. It was never seen again, and Theodosia was only 29 years old when she was assumed to have perished at sea.
The snow may be done falling, but it is still a winter wonderland at Senate House and the Senate House Museum. Stay safe and enjoy winter’s final (?!) hurrah! Shoutout to our amazing grounds crew for clearing the paths and plowing overnight!
For all of our friends that might be in the area, our colleagues at Fort Ontario State Historic Site in Oswego NY are hosting their Conference on History and Archeology on March 25-26th.
The program includes a session to be delivered by Joseph Diamond PhD and Thomas Amorosi PhD on archeological work conducted inside Senate House in 2020. It is great to see this information being shared far and wide!
Happy New Year from Senate House!
Pulled from our Collections, this New Years Greeting Card (SH.1985.296) dates from 1885 to 1916 and it is printed on cardboard. The inscription reads “May Flowers Bestrew Thy New Years Way! All Hail to the New Year! May it prove a Happy Year!”.
From the Senate House Collections – Sleigh bells!
The donor of these sleigh bells (SH.1975.277) is unknown, but they date to the early 20th Century and measure at 89 inches long. There are 36 bells total sewn into this long piece of leather.
Sleigh bells are almost synonymous with the holidays, but they initially served an important purpose. They were used on horse drawn carriages or sleighs to alert pedestrians of its arrival since there would hardly be any noise coming from the sleigh on the packed snow. Today, sleigh bells are used as instruments, games and decorations during the holiday season.
We loved seeing everyone at the Kingston Snowflake Festival last Friday! Our participation wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Friends of the Senate House who sponsored the horse and buggy rides, decorated the barn for Santa and Mrs. Claus, and secured the talents of Mark Rust for holiday music. A shout out to site staff as well for help making the lighting on the grounds look fantastic.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to the Kingston Uptown Business Association and Snowflake Committee for organizing such a wonderful event.
Senate House is getting ready for the holidays and the Kingston Snowflake Festival! Staff and the Friends of the Senate House are decking the site and the red barn this week in preparation for Santa's arrival! We look forward to seeing everyone this Friday!
We are excited to announce that Senate House is one of 56 institutions from across the country that has been selected to participate in the American Institute for Conservation, 2022 Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program!
This program works with preservation professionals to produce an assessment that looks at the institution's collections, buildings, and building systems, as well as its policies and procedures relating to collections care to produce a series of recommendations for improvement. We look forward to getting to work!
WE'RE HIRING!
If you have every wondered what it is like to work at Senate House, now is your chance! We are hiring for both a Buildings and Grounds Assistant position, and a Historic Site Interpreter (Tour Guide) position. Please see the job announcements below, or follow the links for more information
Buildings and Grounds Assistant Position: https://www.facebook.com/job_opening/816272759641622/?source=share
Historic Site Interpreter Position (Tour Guide): https://www.facebook.com/job_opening/824485445339531/?source=share
That is a wrap! The Senate House 2022-23 operating season has come to a close. That does not mean things here stop! Our grounds are open to the public from dawn until dusk year round, we are happy to schedule tours by appointment for both individuals and groups, and researchers are welcome to reach out to make appointments with us.
Stay tuned to this page for information on upcoming events and updates on what is happening at Senate House! We will be re-opening for our regular hours in April of 2023.
Fun Fact: John Vanderlyn got his break in part due to Peter VanGaasbeek, who helped to connect him with his patron Aaron Burr. Peter was the son of Abraham VanGaasbeek, the owner of Senate House when the first New York State Senate met there in 1777.
That is why you can see a significant number of John Vanderlyn's original works on display in the Senate House Museum! Our Vanderlyn Gallery includes paintings, original sketches, artists tools, and more!
Thank you to everyone who came out to our annual 18th Century Autumnfest event this past Saturday! The weather was beautiful and a lot of fun was had by all!
A special shout-out to all of our volunteers, performers, and re-enactors, who made this event possible.
When you come to Senate House's 18th Century Autumnfest on October 15th, one of the many things you will see is Alan Horowitz and his Colonial Blacksmithing team demonstrating this important 18th century trade.
Blacksmiths were responsible for creating all manner of things, from utensils and tools to construction hardware and more. Come see them in 18th century clothing holding demonstrations at their forge and bellows throughout the day.
For more info, see the event link. https://fb.me/e/fkMo48lYG
Come to Senate House for the site's annual 18th Century Autumnfest on October 15th!
One of the many things you will be able to see is Stephen Gratto, the Jack-of-all-Trades, Between juggling, rope walking, fire-spinning, and a few good laughs, there will be entertainment for all ages. Showtimes will be at 12:00pm and 3:00pm, with other merriment throughout the day.
For more info, see the event link. https://fb.me/e/fkMo48lYG
NEW AT SENATE HOUSE
Whether you’re a graduate of Kingston High School or want to celebrate the back to school season, come check out our new Kingston Academy display in the Senate House Museum and learn a bit about this important piece of local history. Our temporary display includes original meeting minutes, study materials, student journals, and more!
Since its founding in 1774, Kingston Academy was one of the most prominent places to get an education in Kingston. Abraham Van Gaasbeek, who owned what is today known as Senate House, served on the original board of trustees.
CALLING ALL POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS!!!
We are currently seeking volunteers to help us staff the museum during our busy season. If you are interested in history and enjoy working with the public, this might be the spot for you.
If you are interested, or have any questions, please send us a direct Facebook message, or call the site at 845-338-2786.
CALLING ALL POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS!!!
We are currently seeking volunteers to help us staff the museum during our busy season. If you are interested in history and enjoy working with the public, this might be the spot for you. You might even enjoy it as much as our long-time volunteer Merri Sedgewick!
If you are interested, or have any questions, please send us a direct Facebook message, or call the site at 845-338-2786.
Beat the heat and take a tour at Senate House! (Yes, our galleries are air conditioned).
Tours are available Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm and Sundays from 1pm - 5pm with the last tour leaving at 4pm each day. Admission gets you a guided tour of Senate House, as well as access to two floors of exhibits in our museum building.
Don't forget to check out our temporary display of objects from the site's collections from the Gilded Age, the same time period that Senate House was purchased by New York State as it's second state historic site.
There is a new temporary display at Senate House! Stop by to explore some of Senate House's collections from the Gilded Age!
This period in American History usually refers to the time between 1870 and 1900, characterized by rapid economic growth and stark income inequality. It is also the period of time when Senate House was purchased by the State of New York in 1887.
Thank you to everyone who came to ring in the holiday weekend at our "Let Freedom Ring!" Independence Day celebration. There were speeches, re-enactors, demonstrations, crafts and even the Ulster County AOH Pipe and Drum Band!
A special thank you to all of our volunteers. Whether they were readers, working in the museum, or overseeing crafts, the event would not be possible without them.
The snap peas in our 18th century inspired garden are showing some growth!
Each spring Senate House plants an 18th century inspired garden. We call it "inspired" because it does not look like many gardens of the 18th century. However, it contains some of the same types of plantings utilized in 18th century cooking. This year's garden contains rhubarb, snap peas, tomatoes, green peppers, and collard greens.
Note: Our garden is for educational purposes only. Please do not pick!
Sometimes, during our our special events and education programs, we provide chalk to our younger visitors to (temporarily) decorate our sidewalk.
Below is one of our favorite pieces of sanctioned graffiti from a few years ago.
Thank you to everyone who came out to our "Happy New Year: Starting a New Growing Season" event last weekend! We hope you had as much fun as we did.
A special thank you to all the volunteers, demonstrators, and staff who make these events possible. We couldn't do it without you!
Senate House is open for the season! There is always something new to see. For example, take a sneak peak at this temporary display featuring some great items from Senate House's collections on medicine from the 18th - 20th centuries.
To see the display and much more, come visit us during open hours!
In case you missed it, Senate House is open for the season as of April 20th! There is always something new to see. We are excited to share that several of our portraits are back home in the Formal Parlor after being in storage during house restoration the last few years.
The portraits include Matthew TenEyck, Daniel Broadhead, Rev. Everardus Bogardus and Jacobus Severyn Bruyn. Stop by for a tour to see them in person!
Senate House State Historic Site is opening for visitors on April 20th! The site will be open Wednesdays – Saturdays, 10 am – 5 pm and Sundays, 1pm – 5pm through October 31st.
Visitors can experience a guided tour of the Senate House, the 18th century home of Abraham VanGaasbeek and the meeting place of the first New York State Senate in the midst of the American Revolution, as well as two floors of exhibits in the site’s museum building. See the "About" section of our profile for more tour information.
Be sure not to miss the site’s newly installed orientation room in the historic house. The new set-up allows staff to use technology to provide visual aids to visitors so they can better experience the history of Senate House. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for special events that will be taking place at the site throughout the season.
It has been 157 years since Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865. To commemorate, we’d like to share this piece of lace “through which Lincoln looked when assassinated by J. Wilkes Booth,” as well as a tassel supposedly taken from Lincoln’s coffin, according to our records. (SH 1984.623-624).
Relics like these, associated with major figures, are found in many early museum collections and are next to impossible to verify. So while we cannot be sure, it is possible this lace hung at back of President Lincoln’s theater box, as pictured below. The image is courtesy of Ford’s Theatre.
296 Fair Street
Kingston, NY
12401
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Senate House has a wide range of collections that do not all come from the time of the American Revolution. Check out this video about some of the later bodices in our textile collections at Senate House, and learn a bit more about their history.
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