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From April 18, 2019 - October 27, 2019, Staatsburgh will be open for tours Thursday - Sunday from 11am - 5pm (Last Tour at 4pm). Click on the events tab to find the dates of special theme tours and programs. Admission: $8 Adults, $6 Students/Seniors, Children 12 and under are free Special Theme Tours: $10 Adults, $8 Students/Seniors Gilded Age Tea & Talk Series: $35/person View our Blog!! www.staatsburghstatehistoricsite.blogspot.com Join our mailing list! http://eepurl.com/bbDoB1
Join the Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh for Gilded Sunset Cocktails on Saturday, June 1st from 6-8pm. There will be hors d'oeuvres, live music, drinks, and a beautiful view of the Hudson at sunset!
Please RSVP by May 22nd
Call 845-889-8851, ext. 346 or email [email protected]
Cost: $85/person
Today we celebrate mothers. There were many mothers who lived at Staatsburgh, but we wanted to share this lovely picture of Beatrice Mills Forbes (the Countess of Granard) and her daughter, Lady Eileen Forbes. Beatrice had four children and Lady Eileen was her second. In the past year, we have even welcomed several of Lady Eileen's grandsons (and even a great-grandson) to Staatsburgh!
Happy Mother's Day to every kind of mother!
The soaring and pristine white portico columns against the clouds are a thing of beauty!
Announcing the Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh!
The Friends of Mills Mansion has changed its name to more closely align with the official name of the estate (Staatsburgh State Historic Site) while still keeping the Mills family close to its heart. The new logo, designed by board member Diane Matsakis, celebrates the grandeur and magnificence of the Stanford White architecture.
Check out the Events tab to learn more about their next event on June 1st.
Notice to Site and Park Visitors for Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28: on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 26-28, Staatsburgh and Mills State Park will be the location of a West Point cadet military training exercise throughout the park (also to be conducted in Norrie State Park). Cadets, identifiable in military attire, will be moving throughout the park, engaged in various activities. They will be carrying facsimile, non-functioning firearms. Please be assured that New York State Parks is working closely with West Point on all arrangements, to maintain safe enjoyment of the parks and site by visitors.”
I Love My Park Day is almost here! Saturday May 4, 10am to 2pm. Fun outdoors, wonderful people, snacks from our local business sponsors and T-shirt swag (while they last). Register at: https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day/find-event
For more info about Staatsburgh's event during this statewide day of volunteerism, visit the link here or call us: (845) 889-8851.
#ilovemyparkday #nystateparks
More than 135 state parks, historic sites and public lands host I Love My Park Day. Registration for 2019 is now open! View participating events/locations and register on the map, or register using the regional lists below the map.
Staatsburgh State Historic Site's cover photo
We will be closed for tours tomorrow, Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019. The grounds are open as always from dawn to dusk!
Staatsburgh State Historic Site's cover photo
Thanks Poughkeepsie Journal for this great article about our Tales of the Titanic tours that begin this weekend. Sat, April 13th is full, but there is space on April 14 at 3pm and April 28 and May 12 at 1pm. Call 845-889-8851 to reserve!
Relive history of the opulent design of the doomed RMS Titanic in a series of special tours starting this weekend at Staatsburgh State Historic Site.
On this date 107 years ago, the Titanic was midway through her maiden voyage. Spirits were high and no one could have predicted the tragic fate of the ship on April 14th.
Our Tales of the Titanic theme tours will begin this weekend. Tours on Saturday, April 13th are fully reserved, but there is still space available on Sunday, April 14th at 3pm.
(Photo: A Dining Room on the ship)
The New York History Blog recently published an interesting blog about Ruth & Ogden's great-nephew (Ogden's Reid's grandmother was Ogden Mills' sister).
Ogden Rogers “Brownie” Reid, the six-term former congressman, ambassador, and New York Herald Tribune editor who died recently, was a link to a bygone era.
Spots are still available in Staatsburgh's school vacation program, "It's a Gilded Life!"
Offered on 2 days: Tuesday April 16 or Thursday April 18, 10:00 am to noon
Kids ages 8-11 will explore what life was like at the mansion 100 years ago, touring the rooms like a weekend guest of the Mills family, and then being put to work to see how the estate’s servants prepared for a fancy dinner party. Hands-on and interactive learning and fun!
Explore the beautiful grounds along the river and picnic after!
Reservations required: (845) 889-8851. Cost: $5 per child; $12 for families of 3 or more children
April Programs at Staatsburgh - https://mailchi.mp/cfb16f1004f6/april-programs-at-staatsburgh
Staatsburgh is gearing up for the season! We will re-open for house tours on Thursday, April 18th. We will be open Thursday - Sunday from 11am-5pm (Last tour at 4pm) through Sunday, October 27, 2019. However, please note: we will not be open on Easter Sunday. In addition to these regularly s...
Come show that love! We are grateful to all our FB and other friends who support us, and Saturday May 4 is one more opportunity to show the love, on I Love My Park Day. We will be doing landscaping, raking and debris gathering from 10 am to 2pm, making the place look beautiful and ready for the full season. Register online and come out to have "hands-in-the-dirt" fun...and get a T shirt and snacks!
Online registration is open!
https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day/find-event
Has anyone ever hung a family marriage certificate on their wall? Ruth Livingston Mills hung the 1745 marriage certificate of her great-great grandparents on the wall of her Staatsburgh home. In the newest addition to our Hidden Treasures of the Collections blog series, we look at this important document.
One of the initial hopes for this blog was to create an avenue that showcased some of Staatsburgh's collections that are not always noticeab...
Historic clothing specialist and creator, Kjirsten Gustavson gave a delightful presentation on the layers of clothing required to create the well-dressed upper middle-class woman of the 1880s
Space Available for March 3rd Tea & Talk at Staatsburgh - https://mailchi.mp/7852b0b3db63/space-available-for-march-3rd-tea-talk-at-staatsburgh
Staatsburgh's Winter 2019 Gilded Age Tea & Talk series sold out very quickly, but we have four last minute openings for tomorrow's tea. We will serve tea, scones, sandwiches, and a dessert in Staatsburgh's historic dining room! Costume historian Kjirsten Gustavson will give her popular talk entit...
Due to some cancellations this morning, we have 3 spots open for our 1:00 pm tea program today, with Don Fraser speaking on "Gilded Age Scandals." The cost is $35 per person, which includes tea, scones, sandwiches, and sweets! For more information or to reserve these spaces, please call 845-889-8851. First come, first served!
*Update: The program is now full, but we do have a waiting list*
We have a couple spots left in our family program, "Ice is Nice!" on Saturday, March 16, 1:00-3:00 pm. For kids ages 7 - 12 and family, this program will explore the history of ice harvesting and the science of ice and...make ice cream!!
Kids will learn about how people preserved food before refrigerators, look at ice harvesting tools, hike in the woods to an historic ice house, and more. Reservations required: (845) 889-8851. $8/child or $15 for family of up to 3 kids.
We had a wonderful time touring and lunching with several of our volunteers today. Curator Maria Reynolds gave the group a private version of her public curator's tour, "A Closer Look..." with some special behind-the-scenes adds, and then we enjoyed yummy food provided by The Friends of Mills Mansion, our great support group and advocates. If you are interested in joining the ranks of our volunteer corps, we'd love to hear from you! (845) 889-8851 for more info and an application.
Rita de Acosta Lydig's book Tragic Mansions is the subject of our most recent blog entry. Rita was part of the Gilded Age social elite and friends with Ruth & Ogden Mills. She lived a full life and towards the end of her life wrote a book that reflected on the futility of the fashionable life.
Life and relationships in wealthy Gilded Age society is a fascinating topic, but there are only a few first hand accounts from the women who...
Staatsburgh State Historic Site's cover photo
This wonderful workshop will be taking place at Staatsburgh this summer. If you are interested in a career in conservation, click the link below to find out more information about the program!
Apply by March 31 to participate in FAIC's Preventative Conservation workshop Staatsburgh State Historic Site, June 2-15. This immersive, hands-on program is geared towards pre-program conservation students, individuals considering a career in conservation, or those working in housekeeping in a historic house. There is no registration fee and includes housing, meals, and a travel stipend. The workshop is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities Find out more:
The exhibits crew from the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites is here today to install our newest exhibit about Staatsburgh's servants. The exhibit is entitled "In the Service of Perfection: Staatsburgh's Elite Servants" and features unique interactive elements. We are really excited to debut this new exhibit!
Due to a cancellation, we have 4 spots available for our previously sold out Gilded Age Tea & Talk, Sunday, February 10. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the talk will be about love stories during the Gilded Age. The cost is $35 per person, which includes tea, scones, sandwiches, and sweets! For more information or to reserve these spaces, please call 845-889-8851.
It is a great time of year to go skating! I would not trust the Hudson River at this point, but there are several indoor and outdoor ice rinks throughout the Hudson Valley. We were thrilled to learn that our very own Ruth Livingston Mills loved to ice skate. Read our most recent blog to learn more!
While researching Ruth Livingston Mills, one of the last things I expected to find, was a news article that extolled her skills as an ice sk...
Bureau of Historic Sites paper conservator, Michele Phillips, visited yesterday to replace fragile 18th-century documents in the mansion's Library that had previously been receiving detrimental amounts of light (lux hours). We are happy to have these items, each a piece of the Livingston family story, back on view. Other framed paper items in the room have now "disappeared" temporarily for conservation treatment.
Staatsburgh State Historic Site's cover photo
Staatsburgh State Historic Site
Staatsburgh State Historic Site's cover photo
We missed this beautiful rainbow this morning, did anyone else see it?
Rainbow over the Hudson behind the Mills Mansion (Staatsburgh State Historic Site) in Staatsburg this morning 1.6.19
photo (c) Alan Strauber
The last Holiday Whodunit program is Sunday, December 30. Families can drop in between 1:00 and 3:00 pm to solve this year's "history mystery" by talking with "servants" and "guests" of the Mills family. No reservations needed; perfect for young detectives, ages 7-12, on school vacation! For more info: (845) 889-8851
Merry Christmas Eve! We hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful holiday. We re-open on Wednesday, December 26 and will be open every day through Monday, December 31 from 12-4pm. In the meantime, check out our most recent blog on Christmas crackers!
During the Gilded Age, place settings for Christmas dinner would frequently include a Christmas cracker. First created in Victorian England...
2019 Winter Tea & Talk Series at Staatsburgh -
Below find the dates for the 2019 edition of our popular Gilded Age Tea & Talk series. Now in its 5th season, we look forward to new speakers, some old favorites, and our Staatsburgh special blend of Harney & Sons tea. Enjoy tea along with sandwiches, scones and treats in the formal dining room...
Some more nice coverage of Pieter Estersohn's gorgeous new book, Life Along the Hudson, featuring Staatsburgh, among other stunning Livingston homes.
If you are looking for a last minute gift, our shop has several more autographed copies and we are open Sunday from noon to 4:00pm.
Here is a shot of Pieter when he was at Staatsburgh doing the photography for his book.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2018-12-17/life-along-the-hudson-book-review-new-york-s-last-aristocrats
If you are looking to get in the holiday spirit this weekend, we are OPEN today and tomorrow (Sunday) from 12-4 (last entry at 3:30). The mansion is decorated in the lavish style of the Gilded Age!
We will be closed Christmas Eve & Day, and open the entire week of December 26-31 from 12-4.
A very festive evening at the mansion, with beautiful music, crafts and elegant fun! Thanks to all the people who joined us for the evening, and MrsDutchessCounty, who lent the evening special glamour! Thanks to Lost in the Woods, and Synchronicity, who graced the mansion with beautiful and festive music! And thanks to the Friends of Mills Mansion and our amazing volunteers, who keep us going!
Spots are still available in the school vacation craft workshops, "Make a Mouse House," at 10:30am on December 26 and 28. Kids ages 6-10 listen to a story about Mistletoe Mouse, hunt for mouse houses in the mansion's historic rooms (decorated for Christmas) and then create their own mouse houses to take home. Reservations required, an adult must accompany. $8 per child; $15 for a family of up to 3 children. (845) 889-8851.
The Holiday Whodunit is underway, and the mansion is full of super-sleuths! Come by today before 3:00pm, or any Sunday in December from 1-3pm, to find whodunit! No reservations needed; (845) 889-8851 for info.
Not every elegant mansion is Mills-sized!
Tiny furniture fit for a king? That's exactly what Miniatures by June Clinkscales creates. Check out her miniature-making process, here.
During June 2018, aspiring conservators from around the country attended a 2-week intensive preventative conservation workshop at Staatsburgh sponsored by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. After the workshop, several of the participants wrote blog entries about their experience and a specific aspect of the workshop. The second blog, written by Andrew Foster, examines fire suppression in Gilded Age homes.
During June 2018, aspiring conservators from around the country attended a 2 week intensive preventative conservation workshop at Staatsbur...
Calling all Detectives! The annual Holiday Whodunit will be held every Sunday in December from 1-4pm. Children become detectives to solve a history mystery. Mrs. Mills' beautiful new wig is missing and we need your help to find out who took it! All children who submit a guess will be entered into a drawing to win a gift certificate to Oblong Books (Courtesy of Oblong Book & The Friends of Mills Mansion)
Come anytime between 1pm & 3pm and plan for about an hour visit!
Cost: $8/Adults, $6/Students & Seniors, Children 12 & under are free
The halls are decked, the lights are on, and we are ready to welcome you to a Gilded Age Christmas! We are open for touring and gift shopping today from 12-4.
We will be open Thursday - Sunday, 12-4pm (last entry at 3:30) through December 31.
Spaces are still available in our Christmas Cracker Craft Workshop, Saturday, December 1, 10:30 am. A fun parent-child craft, Christmas crackers are festive ornaments that open with a bang, revealing small gifts within. Appropriate for ages 10 & up. Reservations required:
Cost for workshop is $8/person, or $20 for a family group up to 5 people. Afterwards, you can tour the decorated mansion (site admission applies to tour). (845) 889-8851.
75 Mills Mansion Drive Rd 1
Staatsburg, NY
12580
Metro North to the Poughkeepsie Station, taxi to Staatsburgh State Historic Site Amtrak to Rhinecliff station, taxi to Staatsburgh
| Thursday | 11:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 11:00 - 17:00 |
| Saturday | 11:00 - 17:00 |
| Sunday | 11:00 - 17:00 |
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Historian Kjirsten Gustavson describing the topic of her Aug 26th talk and bike tour, "Women on a Wheel" History and exercise in a wonderful outdoor mix, a perfect program for for adults, teens and tweens. For info and reservations, call (845) 889-8851
If you've ever wondered what we are up to in the Butler's Pantry during the Gilded Age Tea & Talk programs, here's the "big reveal".....we're waltzing! Please join us in waltzing and other period dances at the mansion on Sunday, April 29, at 1:00pm, when we offer beginner dance instruction in the formal dining room, instructed by Joe Donato, of the @Hudson Valley Dance Depot Reservations required, $15/person; $12 Friends of Mills Mansion (845) 889-8851 for more info.
Earlier this month, Century 21 Department Store held a photo shoot at Staatsburgh. The images and a great video are currently on their website until Wednesday, 8/24 (www.c21stores.com). Take a look at the slideshow to see the way Staatsburgh was featured in these shots! #c21stores
This past summer, we were fortunate to have I LOVE NEW YORK shoot aerial video footage of the beautiful grounds of Staatsburgh State Historic Site and the surrounding Mills-Norrie State Park. They even captured gorgeous views of the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse and the majestic Hudson River. Enjoy!
Thank you again to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for lending us this amazing World War I era tank. As they moved it back to the Aerodrome today, we were able to take a video of the tank in action!
Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Klyne Eso
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81 RTE 9, Hyde ParkVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
US-9, Hyde ParkHyde Park Train Station Museum
34 River Rd, Hyde ParkChancellor Livingston Chapter, NSDAR
77 Livingston St, Rhinebeck