Historic Sites Columbia County Museum - 1916 5 Albany Avenue, Kinderhook The Columbia County Museum, open to the public since 1985, was originally built as a Masonic Temple in 1916. Today it houses the Columbia County Historical Society's offices, research library, collections storage, and exhibition spaces. Staff and volunteers organize educational programs and aid in genealogical research as well as many other activities. Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday Noon to 4:00 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through November 5th. Call for additional hours or for special group tours. Donations are welcome. The Columbia County Museum is located at 5 Albany Avenue, Kinderhook, just north of the stoplight in the Village of Kinderhook. Luykas Van Alen House - 1737 Route 9H, Kinderhook The Van Alen house is undergoing restoration during the 2006 season. This project was funded by a generous grant from the Federal Save America's Treasures program, the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, foundations, and individuals. Visits to the site may be arranged by contacting the Society. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968, the Luykas Van Alen House is a restored house museum representing 18th-century rural Dutch farm life. The house, featuring parapet gables, Dutch doors, and entrance stoops, stands as a testament to traditional Dutch architecture in the Hudson River Valley. The Luykas Van Alen House interior is typical of the domestic settings in which many Hudson Valley Dutch farmers and merchants lived and worked. Large, jambless fireplaces dominate each room, with iron cooking utensils and period furnishings preserving a moment in time. Children's programs take place over the summer months. School groups enjoy hands-on activities in the spring and fall, such as preparing cookie dough for an 18th-century recipe and hetcheling flax in the garret. Following the restoration of the Van Alen House, the furnishings will be reinstalled for the 2007 season. Visitors during the 2006 season will see the c1850 one-room Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse, learn about the Native American habitation at the site based upon the archeological findings of two recent excavations, and witness historic preservation in progress. Hours: Thursday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sundays 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Admission: Adults $3.00; Senior (65) and students $2.00; Members and children under 12 free. Combination tickets available at a reduced price. The Van Alen House is located on Route 9H just south of the village of Kinderhook. James Vanderpoel House - c1820 Route 9, Kinderhook The James Vanderpoel House is a distinguished example of Federal period architecture. Originally the home of a prominent lawyer and politician, James Vanderpoel, and his family, the house and its furnishings reflect an elegant lifestyle in a prosperous, early 19th-century village. The fashionable Federal style emphasized lightness of proportion, symmetry, and delicate ornamentation. From the formal parlor to the children's bedroom, the James Vanderpoel House is being restored to its original 1820s appearance. An annual craft fair and children's programs are held on the grounds. Group tours emphasize the restoration process as well as 19th-century culture in Columbia County. Hours: Thursday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sundays 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Admission: Adults $3.00; Senior (65) and students $2.00; Members and children under 12 free. Combination tickets available at a reduced price. The James Vanderpoel House is located on Route 9 in the Village of Kinderhook, just south of the stoplight. Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse - c1850 Route 9H, Kinderhook (on the grounds of the Luykas Van Alen House) The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse is a 19th-century building that served as a school into the 1940s. It takes its name from Washington Irving's schoolteacher in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Irving's Ichabod Crane was modeled after Jesse Merwin, the schoolmaster who taught in this school district at the time of Irving's visits to this area in the mid nineteenth century. The schoolhouse was moved to the Luykas Van Alen House property in 1974 and is restored to its 1920s appearance. It is included in the tour of the Van Alen House and welcomes school groups for a hands-on, one-room-school experience in the spring and fall. Hours: Thursday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sundays 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Admission: Admission fees are included with the Van Alen House tour. The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse is located on Route 9H, just south of the Village of Kinderhook.