History Room

Local History Talk: “Draining the Swampish Ground” of Colonial New York (Thursday, April 27)

The History Room’s April collaboration with the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History is a virtual talk by Kate Mulry. In the late seventeenth-century the English sought to bring political order to the empire through projects of environmental improvement. This talk explores why drainage orders were often among the first …

Local History Talk: “Draining the Swampish Ground” of Colonial New York (Thursday, April 27) Read More »

Image of the Rensselaerville manufactory.

Local History Talk: The History of Chocolate in the Hudson Valley (Saturday, February 11)

Join Culinary Historian Peter G. Rose for her talk on the History of Chocolate in the Hudson Valley. Ms. Rose will discuss the early trade by the Valley’s Dutch settlers in the 17th century and the subsequent manufacturing developments of chocolate through the 18th century into the late 19th century. There will be free samples …

Local History Talk: The History of Chocolate in the Hudson Valley (Saturday, February 11) Read More »

Lindenwald’s Amazing Historically Accurate Wallpaper (Monday, December 12)

Lindenwald, Martin Van Buren’s historic home, is awash in amazing historically accurate wallpaper. Join Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Museum Specialist, Mike Wasko, to learn about how the park reproduced wallpaper using historical evidence, the reproduction of the wallpaper, and the result of the rooms being returned to their original state. Date/Time: Monday, December 12, 6pm – …

Lindenwald’s Amazing Historically Accurate Wallpaper (Monday, December 12) Read More »

Forged by Fire: The Life and Legacy of Harry Howard (Thursday, November 10)

The library, in collaboration with the FASNY Museum of Firefighting and the Greenport Historical Society, presents a lecture on FASNY’s current exhibit celebrating the 200th Birthday of Harry Howard, Chief of the New York City Volunteer Fire Department (1857-1860). Featuring artwork and documents, the exhibit recounts Harry’s life, accomplishments, philanthropy and legacy as it relates …

Forged by Fire: The Life and Legacy of Harry Howard (Thursday, November 10) Read More »