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Historic sites recall our history

Historic sites recall our history

Hiddenhurst Farm in North East, New York, was the estate of businessman Thomas Hidden.

Natalia Zukerman

The Wappingers, part of the Lenape People, lived along the Hudson River, forming the foundation of the region’s heritage. Their land, Lenapehoking, spanned from the Catskills to New Jersey. European settlers later expanded farming, commerce, and politics. Visitors today can explore historic sites ranging from colonial homes and Revolutionary War landmarks to 19th-century schools and churches.

These are a few of the sites that offer glimpses into the rich historical and cultural legacy of Dutchess County.

Akin Free Library
Pawling, NY
Victorian stone building from 1898.

Beekman Meeting House
LaGrangeville, NY
Quaker meeting house and cemetery from 1809.

Madam Brett Homestead
Beacon, NY
Oldest building in southern Dutchess, early 18th century.

Bykenhulle
Hopewell Junction, NY
Greek Revival house, mid-19th century.

Dover Stone Church
Dover Plains, NY
Notable 17th-century geological and cultural site.

Innisfree Garden
Millbrook, NY
Chinese-inspired public garden from 1930.

Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground
North of Millerton, NY
One of the oldest cemeteries in Dutchess County, with burials dating back to 1701.

John Kane House
Pawling, NY
George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolution.

Irondale Schoolhouse
Millerton, NY
Late 1850s one-room schoolhouse, relocated to the rail trail and restored for community use.

Oblong Friends Meetinghouse
Pawling, NY
1764 Quaker meetinghouse.

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Hyde Park, NY
Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s home.


Coleman Station.Natalia Zukerman

Coleman Station Historic District
North East, NY
A 3-square-mile historic farming area.

Troutbeck
Amenia, NY
Historic estate hosting key civil rights meetings.

Vanderbilt Mansion
Hyde Park, NY
Beaux-Arts mansion, built 1896-1899.

Wethersfield Estate
Amenia, NY
Public garden with over 20 miles of trails.

Howland Library
Beacon, NY
Now The Howland Cultural Center, the original Howland Library was designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the 1870s.

Graham-Brush Log House
Pine Plains, NY
A historic two-room log structure with a wood frame lean-to, built around 1776.

Hiddenhurst
North East, NY
This home was the estate of businessman Thomas Hidden and built in the early 20th century

Parker Training Academy Dutch Barn
Red Hook, NY
One of the last New World Dutch barns in the Hudson Valley, built between 1790 and 1810.

Elmendorph Inn
Red Hook, NY
1750s house is oldest building in Red Hook; now a community center.

Ezra Clark House
Millerton, NY
Intact 1780 brick farmhouse is second-oldest in Coleman Station.

Beth David Synagogue
Amenia, NY
A 1929 synagogue built by a small, local community of Russian Jewish emigrants.

Tioronda Bridge
Beacon, NY
One of the last bowstring truss bridges in the U.S., built between 1869 and 1873.

The Village Diner
Red Hook, NY
Originally built in 1951, this diner reflects the mid-20th-century diner style.

Natalia Zukerman

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Lelah M. Somers

Lelah M. Somers

DOVER PLAINS — Lelah M. Somers, 97, a longtime Dover Plains, New York, resident, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, New York. Lelah was born on July 3, 1929, in Pawling, New York, to the late Byron and Lelah (Watts) Brill. Lelah grew up in Pawling and on Nov. 22, 1946, in Pleasant Valley, New York, she married James F. Somers, Sr. Mr. Somers passed away on Sept. 3, 1970. Lelah worked for New York State as a therapy aide for thirty-years and as a senior companion for New York State for thirty-two-years, with specific care provided to the mentally disabled.

She enjoyed taking care of the mentally disabled, was a wonderful mother to her four children, always putting her family first. She is survived by her son, James F. Somers, Jr. and his wife Donna of Dover Plains; two daughters, Doreen Monica of Wingdale, and Frances “Fran” Horton of Dover Plains, who was also her caregiver for many years; seven grandchildren, Debbie, Margie, Leah, Stephanie, Deirdra, Benji and Jimmy and several great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, and her step-son, Kenny Elliott. In addition to her parents and husband, Lelah was predeceased by her daughter and son-in-law, Carol “DeeDee” Maile and Gil Maile, her son-in-law, Stephen Monica, and her son-in-law, Benny Horton as well as her companion of over forty-years, Andrew “Mac” McAlravey and her siblings, Ferris Brill, Eleanor Barryann, Richard Brill, William Brill and Barney Brill.

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Provided

For a young artist considering college, the question isn’t simply whether the work is good enough. It’s which work to show, which school might be the right fit and even whether a creative life can lead to a sustainable career.

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A colorful life together at Atelier Valla

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Bleacher and Everard Photography

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Jane Herold’s beautifully simple dinnerware.

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As the leaves across Litchfield and Dutchess counties rush to make it to the ground, your last chance to peep autumn is fast approaching. On Oct.17 and 18, the 10th annual Clay Way offers peepers a route to follow lined with unique art that rivals the area’s natural beauty.

The two-day event is a ceramics-focused open studio tour through northwestern Connecticut, with a few studios peppered in just over the border in Dutchess County. Featuring nine open studios and 25 participating artists, the tour promises a wide variety of work, from decorative objects to grand vessels and a whole world in between.

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