HRVH Digital Exhibits & Collaborative Collections

Welcome to the Hudson River Valley Heritage digital exhibits and collaborative collections. They contain digitized images from contributing organizations throughout the Hudson River Valley.

Click on the exhibit's name to view the exhibit.

			Atlases of The Hudson Valley The Atlases of the Hudson Valley collection includes hundreds of colorful and detailed historic maps of New York.s Hudson River Valley from multiple atlases. These late 19th and early 20th century maps were created during a time of recognition of the Hudson River.s importance in transportation and commerce in New York State. The maps are full of intricate details including the location of landmarks like lighthouses, railroads, ice houses, ferry and steamboat landings, schools, churches, cemeteries, factories, parks, brickyards, wharfs, docks, and bodies of water. The maps also indicate the land and home owners at the time the surveys were completed. Several of the atlases also contain lithographs, statistical tables and business directories. The atlases in this collection are from several contributing organizations.

			A Notion to Sew The inspiration for "A Notion to Sew" came out of a two year project to inventory the furnishings and household items of the Hasbrouck family at Locust Lawn, a sprawling farm complex featuring the Federal era house of Josiah Hasbrouck. This stately 1814 house later became the home of Levi and Hylah Hasbrouck and their five children. Using photographs, letters and other archival materials, this exhibit examines a group of talented and energetic women whose family history goes back to the earliest days of settlement in New Paltz and offers viewers a glimpse of their handiwork.

			Around the Table: Early Cooking in the Hudson Valley This exhibit explores the many facets of everyday cooking and food preparation and what they meant to people in historical upstate New York. A recipe including boiled calves feet and a balloon fly trap are among some of the oddities that are not only interesting but very telling of contemporary concerns and beliefs. Cooking utensils, receipts and recipes create a detailed picture of culinary practices, diet, measurement and even provision costs in the nineteenth century.

			As the Seasons Turn As the Seasons Turn is an exhibit of greeting cards from the late 19th to early 20th century, most of which were donated to Historic Huguenot Street by Annette Innis Young. The collection contains Valentines, Easter, Christmas, New Years, and Birthday cards along with gift calendars. Several of the greeting cards are addressed to members of the Hasbrouck, Innis and Young Families, with their original envelops and personal notes from the sender. The exhibit also includes four handmade Valentines, from the Dingman family. The HHS greeting card collection contains over 400 cards – a selection has been chosen for this exhibit.

			Before Hudson: 8000 years of Native American History and Culture Before Hudson: 8000 years of Native American History and Culture, illustrates the history of the people living in this area prior to European contact. Based on archaeological finds from Historic Huguenot Street, this exhibit demonstrates that the history of this area did not start with Henry Hudson. Rather that for thousands of years prior to "discovery", the people who inhabited this land had a developed, fascinating culture. More than eighty projectile points, pottery fragments, trade beads and other artifacts have been unearthed and cataloged into the collection at Historic Huguenot Street.

			Best Threads: Fashions of Warwick, New York circa 1900 This exhibit includes a selection from the Joslyn Collection of glass plate negatives. Duane Joslyn donated the entire collection, numbering in the hundreds, to The Historical Society of the Town of Warwick, NY.

			Binary Visions: 19th-Century Woven Coverlets from the Collection of Historic Huguenot Street This online exhibit builds upon the exhibition entitled, Binary Visions: 19th-Century Woven Coverlets from the Collection of Historic Huguenot Street, a collaboration between the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at the State University of New York at New Paltz and Historic Huguenot Street. Featured here is a selection of 19th century woven coverlets, along with photographs and historical documents from the Permanent Collection of Historic Huguenot Street, that provides additional information about woven coverlets and carpet weaving.

			Celebrations of the Hudson This exhibit consists of photographs, postcards, souvenir booklets, programs and other materials related to the 1909 Hudson Fulton Celebration. The items were contributed by the Hudson Area Association Library, the Nyack Library, the Newburgh Free Library, and the Hudson River Valley Institute.

			Civil War Collection of James T. Thitchener James T. Thitchener, wrote a series of letters home during his brief period of service in the Civil War while under Company I. of the New York 124th Volunteers Regiment. He enlisted on August 16th 1862 and was mustered to position of Private on September 5th 1862 at the age of 25. He is known to have fought in the battle of Chancellorsville, and was maimed in the battle of Gettysburg, on July 2nd 1863, less than one year after enlisting. He survived his injuries, but died relatively young at the age of 36 on August 31st 1872.

			Civil War Letters of Johannes Lefevre This collection of letters reveals the story of young Civil War soldier Johannes Lefevre. While mustered in with the 156th New York Volunteer Army, Johannes fights in many battles including the famous Battle of Winchester. His letters cover many topics, from concern for girls to discussion of camp life and the horrors of war. Although he is severally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek, doctors assure his family that he will recover shortly. Tragically, however, Johannes succumbs to gangrene in a Virginia hospital far from his family back home in New Paltz.

			Education in a Valley Fair This exhibit explores the growth of education in the New Paltz area from the early Huguenot days through the twentieth century. It is a collaborate effort of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at Elting Library, Historic Huguenot Street and the Sojourner Truth Library at the State University of New York at New Paltz, and is based on materials from their respective collections.

			Fort Orange, New Paltz Photographs taken by Sergeant Thomas Burke as well as letters written home by Private Merville Harrington, highlight the guarding of the Catskill Aqueduct in Ulster County during World War I.

			From My Pen and Power: The Julia Lawrence Hasbrouck Collection For nearly four decades, Julia Lawrence Hasbrouck diligently kept a diary, using it to chronicle her role and responsibilities as a 19th century wife, mother and daughter. Her meticulous entries, written between 1838 to 1873, reflect her opinions and views of these experiences. Her seventeen diaries, as well as daguerreotypes, portraits, school composition books, piano forte sheet music and two diaries kept by her daughter, comprise The Julia Lawrence Hasbrouck Collection. The chronological scope of her writing paired with her descriptive and personal style, provide a detailed account of private and public life of the early Victorian era as experienced by a white, middle class, northern woman.

			Hidden Heritage: The Story of Reverend James Murphy Hidden Heritage is an exhibit within The Missing Chapter: Untold Stories of the African American Presence in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

			Marlboro Free Library 100 Years Celebration The Marlboro Free Library has been serving it's community for a 100 years (1911-2011). This exhibit portrays the different locations of the library in the town of Marlboro, NY over the years from December 9, 1911 to the present, as well as providing a history timeline.

			Mary Ann Thorne Chadeayne Collection This collection contains photographs, genealogical information, letters, a signature album and images of quilts and other textiles, pertaining primarily to the family of Mary Ann Thorne Chadeayne.

			Quilts of Historic Huguenot Street

			Storied Objects: A Material History of New Paltz This exhibition brings together a collection of artifacts, tools, knick-knacks, books, clothing, and other items that collectively tell the stories of New Paltz, New York.

			The Acting Debut of Robert Montgomery The famous motion picture star Robert Montgomery made his acting debut in 1921 while enrolled at Pawling School in Pawling, New York; he played the part of Mrs. Ralston in the play "Nothing But the Truth" presented on February 5, 1921. This exhibit documents his acting debut as well as many other aspects of his life at Pawling School (renamed Trinity-Pawling in 1947).

			The Civil War Letters of MEEKER G. GRIFFIN The seven letters in this small collection detail some of the events relating to the Civil War experience of Private Meeker Griffin. Griffin mustered in Company C of the 56th Regiment of the New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and later transferred to the Navy on December 31, 1863. One of the highlights of the collection is Meeker's mention of his visit with President Abraham Lincoln.

			The Colonial Manuscript Collection Images of archival documents relating to the early development of the town of New Paltz, NY, settled by Huguenot immigrants from northern France in 1678. Types of records include wills, receipts, contracts, town tax lists and meeting minutes, and family letters, written in French, Dutch, and English, primarily concerning the financial and legal activities of the first few generations of the town. English translations of foreign-language items are provided.

			The Life and Death of Leah Catharine Deyo Leah Catharine Deyo was born in New Paltz, NY in 1818 and resided in the Hudson Valley until her death in 1849. This exhibit chronicles different aspects of Leah Catharine's life and offers a glimpse into the daily life of a mid-nineteenth century woman.

			The Missing Chapter: Untold Stories of the African American Presence in the Mid-Hudson Valley This online exhibit contains images of historic documents and descriptive text concerning the African American presence in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Images include historic photographs, bills of sale, last wills of testament, estate inventories, runaway slave notices, court cases, slave laws, journals, ledgers, and correspondences.

			The Photography of Erma DeWitt This exhibit presents a snapshot of the people, places and events that took place in Ulster County during the 1940’s and 50’s, through the lens of local photographer, Erma DeWitt (1907-1999). The majority of photos were taken in New Paltz and Marbletown.

			The School Letters of Rachel Eltinge 1863-1865 Rachel Eltinge, born in 1847 in New Paltz, NY, began attending the New Paltz Female Academy in 1863. During her stay at the Academy she wrote numerous letters to her friends and family, describing everything from mundane daily tasks to important local events. This exhibit not only features Rachel Eltinge’s correspondences but also family photographs and genealogy, giving both clarity and life to words on paper.

			Women of the Hudson Valley This exhibit shares stories of women in the Hudson Valley and was developed through the collaborative effort of several organizations in the region.