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In addition to operating and maintaining our historic buildings, we open our two museums to the public from April to December with the help of our devoted volunteers. The Society also sponsors lectures of historical and community interest, educational tours, special exhibits of our collections, and special events that promote an appreciation of our history. We work to preserve and collect our local historic treasures and to provide educational information to those studying local history. Press blue button for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.

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The Post Office c1838 is located in Bedford Village. An example of Greek Revival style, the Post Office was originally a harness shop. It has been the village Post Office since around 1900. It first stood next to the Library but was moved in 1930 to make room for the Fire House. It was purchased in 1972 by the Society and enlarged in 1975 so that the Post Office could remain in the village.

Press blue button for more information about the Bedford Historical Society and its historic properties.

At the comer of Guard Hill and Succabone Roads stands a tall, handsome brick tower which is a landmark and a source of joy and some amusement to the townspeople. This is the famous Sutton Clock Tower, and this is the story behind it.

In the late 1880s when the Sutton family moved to their country home in Bedford, Mrs. Sutton was homesick for New York City. Among other things, she missed the sound of the city's church bells. Thereupon Mr. Sutton installed in his barn a huge clock, an E. Howard time and strike model with a 550-pound bell. After Mrs. Sutton’s death, the property was sold. The barn was dismantled but the clock and bell were rescued and in 1939 a group of neighbors raised $3000 to build a tower to house the clock. They then donated the tower to the Town of Bedford. Since 1985, the Historical Society has leased the tower and maintains the clock. A small group of neighbors, known as the Clock Winders, takes turns winding the clock, which is accurate to this day as the chimes ring the hours across the surrounding fields and meadows.

Things To Do
Boat Launch
Cabin Rental, RV Camping, and Tent Camping
Fishing
Hiking / Walking
Historic Wine Cellars
Museum
Nature Study
Pavilions
Picnicking
Playground
Swimming Beach

Winter Activities
Cross-country Skiing

A National Historic Landmark, the 18th-century stone manor house is the centerpiece of the property. It features a fine collection of Georgian and Federal period furnishings, many original to Van Cortlandt Manor. Of particular note is an extraordinary kitchen on the ground floor, with original hearth, beehive oven, and extensive collection of cooking equipment and utensils. Also on the grounds is an 18th-century tavern situated on the historic Albany Post Road at the site of a ferry crossing over the Croton River. The tavern showcases an extraordinary collection of vernacular Hudson River Valley furnishings and evokes fascinating tales of travel and transport in the post-revolutionary period. Press blue button for photos and more information about Van Cortlandt Manor.

Attractions
Gardens
Guided tours of the house and grounds
Stone manor house
Tenant farmer's house and tavern

The word is Great fun for the kids and children of all ages, as costumed guides demonstrate and invite visitors to try blacksmithing, brick making, open-hearth cooking and more from the past.

With pleasing proportions and marvelous acoustics, the Theater has been touted as “one of the finest municipal halls in eastern New York State” by Alvah French History of Westchester County, “A jewel of a theater on the Hudson” by Robert Sherman New York Times and “Acoustically superb” by Lou Cevetillo Opera Critic Gannett Newspapers. Press blue button for the Irvington Town Hall Theater - Children's Theater, Box Office, House Map, and more.

The Great Hunger Memorial “A section of V. E. Macy Park has been renamed so that the history of the Irish who fled to Westchester in the 1840s to escape poverty and famine will never be forgotten".

Point of Interest: The Great Hunger Memorial

Things To Do
Fishing
Great Hunger Memorial
Picnicking
Playground

Winter Activities
Cross-country Skiing
Ice Skating

In 1958 the house and thirty of the original acres were purchased from Eleanor Jay Iselin’s heirs by Westchester County and transferred to the State of New York, which opened it to the public in 1964 as John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. The historic house is open most of the year, and can be seen by a guided tour through twelve beautifully furnished period rooms, restored to an 1820's appearance. Specialized tours and education programs are available by appointment. The historic site now encompasses sixty-two acres, including lovingly-tended formal gardens, magnificent woodland walks, rolling meadows, and a cluster of 19th century farm buildings. An 1820's schoolhouse and an 1830s barn are open for touring.

John Jay: First Chief-Justice of the United States
John Jay during the latter part of his life resided in the northern part of Bedford, NY. The annexed sketch of his life is from Blake's Biographical Dictionary: "John Jay, LL.D., first chief-justice of the United States under the constitution of 1789, graduated at Kings, (now Columbia College) in 1764 and in 1768 was admitted to the bar. He was appointed to the firstAmerican congress in 1774. Being on the committee with Lee and Livingston to draft an address to the people of Great Britain, he was the writer of the eloquent production. In the congress of 1775, he was on various important committees,performing more service perhaps than any other member except Franklin and John Adams. In May, 1776, he was recalled to assist in forming the government of New York, and in consequence his name is not attached to the Declaration of Independence... Though not a member of the convention, which formed the constitution of the United States, he was present at Annapolis and aided by his advice. He also assisted Madison and Hamilton in writing the Federalist. In the convention of New York he contributed to the adoption of the constitution. He was appointed chief justice by Washington, December 26, 1789. In 1794, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and succeeded in negotiating the treaty that still goes by his name. Chief-Justice John Jay was governor of the state of New York from 1795 to 1801. The remainder of his life passed in retirement. He died in 1829, aged 84."

Attractions
Audio-Visual Programs
Bridle Path Demonstrations
Educational Services
Gardens
Gift Shop
Group Tours
Hiking
Historic Site
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Scenic Views
Self Guided Tours

The Thomas Paine Memorial Building is located north of the Paine Monument at the corner of North Avenue and Valley Road in New Rochelle. The construction of this building began May 30,1925 when the great American inventor Thomas A. Edison turned the first spadeful of earth. For years this beautiful old building has housed our library and museum collection. Press blue button to explore the Thomas Paine National Historical Association.

The Herrick House is a restored Victorian building that was owned by Dwight S. Herrick, a prominent Peekskill attorney. The Peekskill Museum was presented to the Field Library by Mrs. Ida M. Adams by deed dated January 3, 1944. It is one of Peekskill's most famous Victorian houses. The house was designed by the famous architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and Bigelow. The Herrick House is a fine example of a "well to do" Victorian home - with a spacious staircase, library, parlor and a fireplace with Dutch 'Delft' tiles depicting Biblical scenes.

The house was built between 1873 and 1877, occupied by the Herrick family until approximately 1912. Mr. Herrick's picture, presented to the Museum by Jennie Mabie in 1948, hangs on the wall in the front foyer, ready to greet visitors as Mr. Herrick would have done. The house itself was published in the best architectural journal of it's day, "The American Architect and Building News" on June 2, 1877. More recently, the house has been mentioned by Vincent Scully, a professor of Art History at Yale, in his book "The Single Story". Press blue button for more information about the Herrick House and the Peekskill Museum.

Completed in 1913 for John D. Rockefeller by architects Delano and Aldrich, Kykuit has been home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Kykuit commands a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and occupies a landscape of extensive stone terraces, formal gardens, and glorious fountains designed by landscape architect William Welles Bosworth. The gardens include Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller's extraordinary collection of 20th-century sculpture. The house itself contains fascinating collections of art, fine furniture, and Chinese ceramics. Horse-drawn vehicles and classic automobiles from the family's collection fill the coach barn.

Tours include an introduction to each part of Kykuit, the main floor of the house, the art galleries, terraced gardens with classical and 20th-century sculpture, and the Coach Barn with antique carriages and classic cars. The sculpture collection, sited throughout the grounds, includes works by Pablo Picasso, Aristide Maillol, Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson, and many others.

The Union Church of Pocantico Hills features stained glass windows created by two modern masters: Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Marc Chagall (1887-1985). Commissioned as memorials by members of the Rockefeller family whose estate, Kykuit, is nearby, the windows include the final work of Matisse, completed just two days before his death, and the only cycle of church windows created by Chagall in the United States.

On behalf of his family, Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller commissioned Matisse to create a rose window in memory of his mother Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (1874-1948), a distinguished patron of the arts, a founder of the Museum of Modern Art, and wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Before his death, Matisse had finished the design and had also selected the colors and exact type of glass to be used in the window. His daughter carried out his instructions, and the window was dedicated on Mother's, Day 1956.

David Rockefeller, representing his brothers and sister, commissioned Chagall in 1963 to design a similar memorial to their father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. who had died in 1960. The large window "The Good Samaritan" was installed and dedicated in 1965. Chagall created eight smaller windows in the sanctuary, seven of which are devoted to Old Testament subjects. The eighth window, established as a memorial to Michael Rockefeller (1938-1961) who was lost in New Guinea, has a New Testament theme.

Attractions
Stained Glass Windows by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall

With its varied terrain, landscapes and miles of wooded trails, the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides a variety of activities in all seasons. There are areas for picnicking, lean-to camping, fishing and cross-country skiing. The park is home to the Trailside Nature Museum, which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs year-round.

Things To Do
Camping
Equestrian Trails & Horseback Riding
Fishing
Gardens
Hiking & Walking Trails
Museum
Nature Study
Picnicking
Play equipment is available in two areas of the park

Winter Activities
Cross-Country Skiing

The centerpiece of this National Historic Landmark is an 1838 Greek Revival mansion with soaring Corinthian columns built by Peter Augustus Jay atop the footprint of his father and grandfather’s original home “The Locusts” reusing original timbers and nails from the same house. Visitors can literally see the layers of history being uncovered here. The PA Jay House is being carefully restored and managed by the not-for-profit organization, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) for use as an educational facility hosting Programs in American History, Social Justice, Landscape Conservation and Environmental Stewardship. The house is an official project of the Save America’s Treasures Program and at 170 years old, it is the oldest National Historic Landmark in New York State to be using an energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling system.

The Jay site is also listed on Westchester County’s African American Heritage Trail. John Jay is well known for advocating emancipation, serving as President of the Manumission Society and establishing the first African Free School. Press blue button for tour information, hours, and more about the Jay Heritage Center.

Point of Interest: Rye Playland has the distinction of being America's first totally planned amusement park and prototype for today's successful theme parks. Dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, Playland has provided family fun since 1928. Often referred to as "Rye Playland", it is America's only government owned and operated amusement park.

Philipsburg Manor is a historic site of great historical importance. Once the headquarters of a large Hudson Valley manor, the site vividly interprets aspects of the history of colonial New York and the system of racially-based slavery which helped keep the estate running in the 18th century. The visitor center at Philipsburg, located on Rt. 9 in the village of Sleepy Hollow, offers a wide range of services and changing exhibitions, and also serves as the visitor center for Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate.

Philipsburg Manor is a late 17th/early 18th-century milling, farming, and trading complex owned by an Anglo-Dutch family of merchants. Philipsburg Manor was tenanted by farmers of diverse European backgrounds, and operated by enslaved Africans. In 1693, Frederick Philipse, a carpenter who rose to become the richest man in the colony of New York, was granted a charter for 52,000 acres along the Hudson River by William and Mary of England. Historically, the site is of particular interest because of the size of the enslaved community and the highly developed nature of this 18th-century commercial property.

Featuring a stone manor house filled with a handsome collection of 17th-and 18th-century period furnishings, this famous house also includes a working water-powered gristmill and millpond, an 18th-century barn, a slave garden, and a reconstructed tenant farm house. The grounds are home to historic breeds of cattle, sheep, and chickens.

Points of Interest: Philipsburg Manor is a living history museum. Guides in 18th-century costume conduct tours of the site and numerous special events are held throughout the year. One of many fun things to do with children in the Hudson River Valley.

Attractions include: The Greenhouse Cafe, Picnic grounds, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery located next to Philipsburg Manor, Tours of Kykuit that originate at the Philipsburg Manor Visitor Tourist Center.

The house that presently stands on this property was built in 1933 by Dr. Voislawsky after the original Van Cortlandt dwelling was destroyed by a fire. This three-story Colonial style mansion was modeled after George Washington’s Virginia home, Mount Vernon . . .

Enjoy the wonderful Midsummer Night Music Series featuring varied fare of classical, show tunes and more. Spend a magical evening under the stars and listen to the “Midsummer Night Music” concerts featuring the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra on four Saturdays this summer at Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial in Somers. Each concert will feature varied and exciting musical fare to appeal to music aficionados of all kinds, so pack a picnic supper, sit back and enjoy the music.

Things To Do
Botanical Specimens
Chinese Friendship Pavilion
Formal Gardens
Open Grass Meadow

Midsummer Night Music concerts at Lasdon Park

Gates open at 5 pm for picnicking; the music begins at 6 pm. Tickets will be sold at the gate on the evening of the performance. In case of rain, concerts will be cancelled. Call for tickets prices.

The Castle has changed very little in its first century. Much of the original interior woodwork and furnishings, which were built by a team of carpenters brought from Germany, still remain intact. Designed for graceful living and entertaining, the Castle has been renovated into a luxury hotel. In 1981, the town of Tarrytown designated the Castle a historic landmark, protecting the outside structure from ever being changed.

The Equus restaurant and General's bar, open to the public, occupy elegantly appointed rooms and an enclosed veranda with splendid views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. Press blue button for menus, photos, and more about The Castle on the Hudson.

Features
Outdoor dining

Circa 1838. Lyndhurst, a historic site of the National Trust, is a preeminent architectural landmark. It resides on a 67-acre park representing 19th century architecture, decorative arts, and landscape. Overlooking the Hudson River in Tarrytown, NY, Lyndhurst is one of America's finest Gothic Revival mansions. The architectural brilliance of the residence is complemented by a park-like landscape and a comprehensive collection of original decorative arts. Its noteworthy occupants included: former New York City mayor William Paulding, merchant George Merritt, and the railroad magnate and Wall Street tycoon Jay Gould.

In the late 1830s, William Paulding acquired property high above the Hudson River overlooking the Tappan Zee. Lyndhurst was first conceived in the minds of architects A. J. Davis and William Paulding who constructed the country villa in 1838 and called it "Knoll". In 1864 Lyndhurst was acquired by George Merritt who hired Davis to more than double its size. In 1870, they also built one of the largest private greenhouses in the world.

In 1880, Jay Gould purchased the estate and renamed it Lyndhurst. The 1870 greenhouse that burned was replaced in the Gothic Revival style. The Goulds redecorated the house and embellished the spectacular art gallery with works by Corot, Courbet, Bouguereau, and others.

The important "gardenesque" landscape is the work of Ferdinand Mangold, a master gardener who worked at Lyndhurst for forty years. Many of the landscape features created by Mangold, his predecessors, and successors, are preserved. The spectacular specimen trees are of special interest.

The romantic Gothic Revival design immediately drew attention to the building. Critics called it "Paulding's Folly" because its fanciful turrets and asymmetrical outline were unlike most homes constructed in the post-colonial era. Fascination with the property continued for decades and, as ideas of wealth and status changed with the growing nation, so did the estate, reflecting the tastes and interests of wealthy New York.

Point of Interest:
Lyndhurst is adjacent to Washington Irving's Sunnyside. The ability to walk between these two historic sites has a special appeal. At present, visitors may walk along the publicly maintained Croton Aqueduct Trail from Lyndhurst to West Sunnyside Lane. A pathway connecting Lyndhurst and Sunnyside along the riverfront will shortly be open. If you are a tourist or local resident exploring the Hudson River Valley, be sure to include this landmark in your list of sights.

Washington Irving was born in New York City on April 3, 1783 (1783 - 1859) as the youngest of 11 children. His father was a wealthy merchant, and his mother, an English woman, was the granddaughter of a clergyman. Early in his life Irving developed a passion for books. He studied law privately but practiced only briefly. From 1804 to 1806 he travelled widely in Europe. After returning to the United States, Irving was admitted to the New York bar in 1806.

Washington Irving was a short story writer, essayist, poet, travel book writer, biographer, and columnist. He is best known for the short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". Washington Irving also held diplomatic posts in Great Britain and Spain.

Sunnyside is one of the most famous historic landmarks in the Hudson Valley. This important house and landscape enjoys a quiet and unspoiled riverside setting in Tarrytown, New York. Sunnyside is adjacent to Lyndhurst, a historic landmark of distinction open to the public, to which it is possible to walk via the Croton Aqueduct Trail.

Sunnyside and its Romantic landscape are presented to visitors by guides dressed in the costume of the mid-Victorian period. You may take a guided tour of the house and grounds, or purchase a grounds-only ticket for a self-guided experience.

Point of Interest: For children, Sunnyside offers "Irving's Traveling Totes" that come stuffed with five to seven engaging family activities, a brief guide, a Talk Back card for feedback related to the activities, and a blank book for visitor responses. Visitors can learn about Washington Irving by reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow picture book and It Looks Like Spilt Milk, which, though not written by Irving, celebrates the life of the imagination, something Irving aspired to do. Children can play the Sunnyside Matching Card game and join in for a Scavenger Hunt. Dominoes, a 19th-century game, rounds out the experience. If you are a tourist or local resident exploring the Hudson River Valley, be sure to include this landmark in your list of places to see.

Attractions include: Seasonal Café, Sunnyside Tours, Museum Shop, Picnic Grounds.

Bring your family and experience the wonder of the Hudson River Valley with special programs and events geared especially for children.

Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, New York, may be the most popular site in the Hudson Valley for children. This working 17th century farm and trading center features demonstrations of early farm techniques with oxen, cows, and sheep. A working water-powered grist-mill is fascinating for children of all ages. Demonstrations of spinning and open-hearth cooking in the tenant farmer's house are scheduled frequently.