Transportation by Road and by Water is the theme of this 2-part Autumn lecture series jointly sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society and Historic Hudson (HistoricHudson.org) as part of the CCHS 100th Anniversary (1916-2016)
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Lecture One:
"All Roads to the River" by Peter Cipkowski Saturday, Nov 12, 2016 4-7pm 
East Gate Toll House (Hillsdale)
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"All Roads to the River: the 1799 Columbia Turnpike and Historic Toll Houses" Two Toll Houses still stand on either end of Route 23 in Columbia County - both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Known as the East Gate (Hillsdale) and the West Gate (Greenport), they marked the beginning and end of Columbia County's first turnpike, established in 1799 by the New York State Assembly. Peter Cipkowski's presentation will explore the story of the Columbia Turnpike, and its part in demonstrating the Hudson River's importance as an artery of inland commerce and its place in Columbia County's history. Several historic districts, historic places, and landmark buildings line the route from the Massachusetts border to the Hudson River. It will also describe the efforts underway to preserve the existing toll houses and identify Route 23 as a scenic byway with historic importance. Peter Cipkowski is fascinated by local history and enjoys telling its story. With bachelor and master's degrees in history and education from Bard College and Carnegie Mellon University, Peter is the author of two books, several plays, and has overseen program and business development at Scholastic, McGraw-Hill and Pearson. He is currently on the executive team that produces an innovative web-based learning system called Think Through Math. Peter is President of the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society which serves the towns of Ancram, Copake, Hillsdale, Gallatin, and Taghkanic. He is also Supervisor in the Town of Hillsdale. LOCATION: Kinderhook Village Hall (2nd Floor Concert Hall) 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook, NY 12106 Join us for a glass of wine or other beverage following the lecture! Reception at: James Vanderpoel House 16 Broad Street, Kinderhook, NY 12106 TICKETS: Advance Tickets $15 At the Door: $15 Members (CCHS or HH) $ 20 Non-Members |
Lecture Two:
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"...events that shaped the port of Claverack Landing (Hudson), as it was then called, for a century and a quarter before the arrival of the Nantucket whalers." When Seth and Thomas Jenkins arrived at the future site of the City of Hudson in the early summer of 1783, they found not a desolate wilderness, as some have described it, but rather a small flourishing port. For over a 120 years, the Dutch inhabitants of the region had developed a prosperous community serving as an anchorage for ships carrying raw materials from inland farms to markets down river and delivering European manufactured goods to inland communities in exchange. This lecture looks at the history and the exciting events that shaped the port of Claverack Landing, as it was then called, for a century and a quarter before the arrival of the Nantucket whalers.
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