Drive Through History 
Get out and explore the historic beauty of Columbia County with our self-guided road trips.
Download the maps and be sure to tag @CCHS_NY and use the hashtag #DriveThroughHistory as you make your way around the County!
There’s so much fascinating history and heritage around Columbia County, and traces of the past may be found down every state highway and country road. While our museums are temporarily closed, let CCHS be your guide for these scenic road trips to explore everything from local legends to our most significant political, educational and religious sites. We’ll be unveiling more road trips throughout the summer and fall, so check back here or subscribe to our email newsletter to stay up to date.
Please Note: Some historic structures featured here are privately-owned and/or residences. Please respect the privacy of current inhabitants and refrain from approaching or entering the property unless it is clearly marked as a museum or public space.
 Arts & Letters
Throughout its history, Columbia County has been a sanctuary for artists, writers, performers and creatives of all kinds seeking inspiration. From the mountain views that were immortalized by Hudson River School painters to the idyllic Austerlitz berry farm where poet Edna St. Vincent Millay lived and wrote, artistic energy flows through every part of Columbia County. Come along for this inspiring ride through our creative past.
Federal Architecture
In the years following the Revolutionary War, as our federal government was being built and refined, American architecture underwent its own transformation.

Follow  this self-guided tour to see some of the most noteworthy Federal structures in Columbia county, from the James Vanderpoel 'House of History' to the mansions of Hudson's early proprietors.

Lights, Camera, Road Trip

We may be 2,852 miles from Hollywood, but Columbia County has long been a favorite of filmmakers. From Martin Scorsese to Ang Lee, some of cinema’s greatest legends have given our neck of the woods a starring role in their movies.  Others, including producer James Ivory, have even made Columbia County their home.
Explore our historic movie moments on this self-guided DriveThroughHistory tour.
Patriots & Patroons
Buckle up for a bumpy journey through Columbia County's political past! From America’s eighth president to a drafter of the Declaration of Independence, discover the many local figures who crossed the national political stage. Download the map here.

Hidden Hamlets

Columbia County is comprised of one city, four villages and eighteen towns. Tucked among them are lesser-known hamlets with their own fascinating origins and civic identities.

From Blue Stores to Buckleyville, from Cheviot to Smokey Hollow, this tour explores some of Columbia County's smaller communities, past and present.
Schoolhouse Stories
In the 18th and 19th centuries, one-room schoolhouses were the heart of American education. In Columbia County alone there were more than 100, some of which operated well into the 1960s!

Download the map and learn about this bygone era on a tour of former one-room schoolhouses around the County.

Good Apples

Agriculture has long been the lifeblood of Columbia County, and apple farms make up the “core.”  But did you know that some of our orchards have been operating for over 200 years? Or that Dutch settlers are to thank for apple cider donuts? Download the map and learn the stories behind our most historic and iconic apple farms.
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Sacred Spaces (Part I)
Columbia County’s pastoral landscapes are dotted with historic places of worship and cemeteries that preserve the deep spiritual traditions of the area. 
​​Download the map, to visit churches and cemeteries of the Roeliff Jansen region of Columbia County. Then Download Part II, to explore Sacred Spaces of northern Columbia County
Dutch & Mohican Heritage
Henry Hudson, an English captain exploring for the Dutch, sailed to North America in 1609 in search of a Northwest Passage. While he did not find a route to Asia, he did discover an untapped supply of "soft gold"—beaver pelts—that would help make the Netherlands a major power in the global fur trade. The Dutch did not do this alone, however. Shortly after Hudson's voyage, the Europeans formed crucial trade relationships with the region's Indigenous peoples, including the Mohicans who lived and hunted in what is now Columbia County. But Dutch gains brought devastating losses, and within 150 years the local Native population was reduced to virtually zero. This driving tour follows the rise and fall of both the Dutch colony of New Netherland and the Mohican peoples—two cultures that are forever entwined in the history of Columbia County.
Artifacts of Industry
If you’ve ever wanted to know the stories behind Columbia County’s mill and factory ruins, this road trip is for you. Download the map and hit the road to discover how western Columbia County was shaped by its many diverse industries, including whaling, mining, and ice harvesting.
Legends & Folklore
Love learning about obscure stories that don’t always make it into the history books?  Columbia County is full of them.
​Download the map, hop in the car and explore the legendary folk tales, strange occurrences and larger-than-life legends that once roamed this region of the Hudson Valley. 
Sacred Spaces (Part II)
Some of the County’s most diverse religious sites can be found in northern Columbia County, from Hudson to Valatie and many points in between.

Download the map to explore the sacred spaces of this region, including the Persons of Color Cemetery, a Quaker meeting house, and the County’s very first congregation.
All 'Drive Through History' Road Trips and Maps posted here are © 2020-2021 Columbia County Historical Society, New York, All Rights Reserved.
Offered for individual use only.