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Things to Do
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Plan
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About
Thousands upon thousands of people visit Dutchess County each year, and they come here for all different reasons. Its wondrous natural beauty, its world-class cuisine and craft beverages, its vibrant arts and culture scene — these are only a few of Dutchess County's biggest attractions.
Not to be overlooked, however, are Dutchess County's many historical sites. Significant events have transpired here in Dutchess, and iconic people have called it home.
With several exciting events planned for the weekend of Oct. 12–14, I Love N.Y. makes it possible to step back in time along its Path Through History and explore Dutchess County's rich heritage. Here's a look at what’s on the calendar:
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Sunday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at Locust Grove Estate, Poughkeepsie
Enjoy a kid-friendly day in the gardens at the Italianate mansion and summer home of telegraph inventor Samuel F.B. Morse. Find more than 30 decorated pumpkins, as well as quite a few whimsical photo ops, hidden among the flowers and trees on this scavenger hunt/story walk on the grounds of the historic mansion. Costumes encouraged! Be sure to check out the beautiful historic trails leading down to the Hudson River's edge. Bring a picnic to enjoy under the trees. Click here for more information.
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Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12 and 13, 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park
Vanderbilt Mansion is a stunning example of Gilded Age splendor along the Hudson River. Walk the same steps trodden by new-money nobility, Hudson River School artists and renowned landscape designers. A park ranger will guide participants through the estate and will point out details about the natural history of Hyde Park and the surrounding scenery. To register, click here.
Related: The Dutchess Tourism Story Finder History and Heritage Trail
Sunday, Oct. 13, 12, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. at Mount Gulian Historic Site, Beacon
Enjoy a guided tour of this historic homestead, built by the Verplanck family around 1730, as well as the 18th-century Dutch barn and heritage garden. Learn about Mount Gulian's many fascinating residents through the years, including Patriot General Friedrich Von Steuben, who established his headquarters at Mount Gulian during the Revolutionary War and later started what was America's first fraternal veterans organizations, the Society of Cincinnati; and James F. Brown, an African American man who was born into slavery in Maryland, escaped to freedom in New York, was hired by the Verplanck family as a free man and worked for many years as the estate's master gardener, coachman, general laborer and most trusted property manager; and Robert Newlin Verplanck, who after graduating from Harvard reported to the Union Army during the Civil War and became an officer in the newly formed United States Colored Troops, leading a regiment of African American troops into battle against the Confederates in Virginia. Artifacts on display during the tour will span the 18th through the 20th centuries and include antique books, furniture, and an array of Revolutionary War items. Call (845) 831-8172 or email info@mountgulian.org to book your reservations.
Ongoing at Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburg
• Staatsburg Village Walking Tour (Oct. 12, 10 a.m.): This 90-minute walk in the Village of Staatsburg will examine the Mills family's close relationship with the village and highlight hidden locations that demonstrate Ruth and Ogden Mills' lasting legacy beyond the estate walls.
• "The REAL Gilded Age: America's Elite in the Downton Abbey Era" (Oct. 12, 2 p.m.): Led by a costumed interpreter, the tour shows how the Mills family and their servants conducted a busy weekend of high society entertaining at their opulent Gilded Age mansion and highlights the real-life characters and themes that parallel Downton Abbey and HBO’s "The Gilded Age."
• "History Hidden in the Woods" (Oct. 13, 10 a.m.): This 90-minute guided hike will lead visitors through Mills and Norrie State Parks, exploring the history of three historic estates: from Staatsburgh's founding as a gentleman's farm in the 1700s to the development of The Point and Stonehurst estates in the 19th century.
• "A Life in Service" (Oct. 13, 2 p.m.): See the Mills family's 79-room mansion through the eyes of the servants who worked there, as they rose before dawn and toiled until after midnight. The tour — led by a costumed guide — will include visiting the unrestored servants’ hall.
• "Black Staatsburg: The Gilded Age Black Community of Staatsburg" (Oct. 14, 2:30 p.m.): This tour highlights the free Black community of Staatsburg during the Gilded Age and examines census records and historic maps in the larger context of race relations during that time to reveal the triumphs and struggles of generations of African Americans in the Hudson Valley.
Sunday and Monday, Oct. 13 and 14, 1–3 p.m. at Mesier Homestead, Wappingers Falls
Head to the Mesier Homestead for volunteer-led tours of the Colonial-era home, built in 1741, covering the early history of the village and the story of Adolphus Brower, a Dutch miller, and Peter Mesier, a Tory loyalist merchant from New York City. Step inside the home of the settlers to what we now call the Village of Wappingers Falls.
Sunday, Oct. 13, 4:30–6 p.m. at Innisfree Garden, Millbrook
Discover the histories of Chinese and Japanese landscape design in the unique land-art experience of Innisfree Garden. Slow Fox Farm and Brewery in Rhinebeck presents a tasting of local craft beverages, an important element of the region's history.
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