Columbia County NY Celebrates 250

06/02/2026

🏛️ 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮: The Long Trek to Albany! 🏛️

While our beautiful landscape was rich with history during the Revolutionary War, Columbia County didn't actually exist yet. Back then, this entire area was still under the jurisdiction of Albany County.

Imagine needing to file a land deed, settle a legal dispute, or register a will, but having to travel all the way to Albany to do it! In 1776, that meant a grueling, multi-day journey by horseback or boat just to access basic government services. 🐴

To solve this logistical nightmare—and to support the booming new whaling port in Hudson—the State Legislature officially created Columbia County a decade later on April 4, 1786! 🎉

When we finally broke away, the county brought government closer to home, starting with just seven original towns:
🌾 Kinderhook
⛰️ Canaan
🏡 Claverack (first county seat!)
🌲 Hillsdale
🍇 Clermont
⚓ Germantown
🚜 Livingston,
...and the City of Hudson! 🏢

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website!
(link in comments)

Be sure to follow us to keep up with all the latest happenings in Columbia County!

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade & Festival on June 13th at noon. Share this post with the local history buff in your life!

06/02/2026

Getting ready for the BIG parade and festival Hudson Flag Day Parade has been working very hard to bring you a wonderful day!! Be sure to join us, activities at the waterfront in Hudson NY starting at noon, the parade kicks off at 4pm (it is shaping up so nicely!!!) lots of food vendors, crafts, free activities for kids, and we finish up the day with spectacular fireworks, as Columbia County celebrates America's 250th!! A special thank you to the Flag Day platinum sponsors A Colarusso & Sons and Columbia County!

Send a message to learn more

05/26/2026

🇺🇸 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮! 🇺🇸
Columbia County’s Revolutionary Kitchen Wars!

The Boston Tea Party wasn't the only time early Americans pushed back against unfair tea prices... ☕️ Check out this story of rebellion against price gouging during the Revolution.

Right here in Columbia County, everyday citizens staged their own fierce protests during the Revolutionary War to fight back against skyrocketing prices and hoarded goods.

In 1777, Continental currency was rapidly losing value and wartime shortages were hitting local kitchens hard. When opportunistic merchants or Loyalists in the region began hoarding precious commodities like tea, rum, and sugar to drive up prices, local Revolutionary committees and frustrated residents refused to stand by.

In districts across Columbia County — including Claverack and Kinderhook — the "Committees of Safety" had strictly regulated the price of daily essentials. But when merchants ignored those rules and tried to profiteer, angry crowds (often led by formidable local women) took matters into their own hands.

They marched on the stores, seized control of the scales, weighed out the tea, sugar, or rum themselves, and forced the shopkeepers to sell at the fair, pre-war “fixed price.” It wasn’t stealing — it was community-enforced economic justice during one of the darkest years of the Revolution.

Economic survival was just as important as the battles being fought on the fields.

Today, you can explore this rich history in Kinderhook at the Mercantile at the Vanderpoel House, where the spirit of local heritage lives on through exhibits and stories from Columbia County’s past.

Share this post with the local history buff in your life! 🤗

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website!

05/19/2026

🇺🇸 Tuesday 250 Trivia 🇺🇸
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆!

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade & Festival on June 13th at noon.

🇺🇸 Tuesday 250 Trivia 🇺🇸
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆!

Did you know that the Mountain View Cemetery in New Concord (East Chatham), NY, is the final resting place for 28 known veterans of the American Revolution?

These men answered the call during America’s fight for freedom. Their stories of service, sacrifice and the lives they led are a powerful reminder of the role Columbia County and her people played in securing our nation's independence 250 years ago!

This Saturday at 2pm, join the Town of Canaan Historian Dodie Gearing for a special 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 at the Mountain View Cemetery. You'll hear mini-biographies of 17 of the soldiers buried in the cemetery.

Mark your calendar and come honor these local heroes!

📍 2784 County Route 9, East Chatham, NY
(Please park on the street - handicapped parking only on the cemetery grounds.)

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Share this post with the local history buff in your life!
Check out all historical sites in Columbia County on our website - link in comments.

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade & Festival on June 13th at noon.

05/13/2026

🇺🇸 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 🇺🇸
Honoring 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗸

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade & Festival on June 13th at noon.

🇺🇸 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 🇺🇸
Honoring 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗸

This week, we shine a light on Mary Rolland Thomas Whitbeck (1812–1906), a cherished “Real Daughter” of the American Revolution who made her home in Hudson for nearly two decades.

Daughter of Revolutionary War veteran Caleb Thomas of the Albany County Militia, Mary carried a direct family link to the fight for independence in the Hudson Valley. She settled in Hudson on Green Street, where she lived with her son Richard and daughter Nancy until her passing in 1906 at nearly 95 years old.

A proud and active member of the Hendrick Hudson Chapter, NSDAR (which she joined in 1899), Mary was known for her sharp mind and community spirit. She was especially generous in supporting the chapter’s early library collection, housed in the historic Robert Jenkins House.

Among her notable gifts was a beautiful chess set that had once belonged to “Madame Livingston”* — an heirloom already over a century old at the time. Chapter records proudly highlighted this donation as a special contribution from a “Real Daughter.”

As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary, stories like these bring history to life here in Columbia County — where the Hudson River, local militia efforts, and key Revolutionary supply lines played a critical role in our nation's independence.

Come explore our rich heritage and historic sites on our website! (link in comments)

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!

Share this post with the local history buff in your life!

* Who was “Madame Livingston”? The local history books are unclear. Watch this space for an upcoming feature on Margaret Beekman Livingston, who may have been the original owner of the chess set mentioned above!

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade & Festival on June 13th at noon.

05/07/2026

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮! 🇺🇸

Did you know that a massive iron chain forged at Columbia County’s historic 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 once stretched across the Hudson River as a key Revolutionary War defense?

In 1777, American forces anchored this heavy chain—supported by booms and rafts—across the river near Fort Montgomery to block British warships from sailing north. The iron links were crafted here in Columbia County at the Ancram Iron Works.

The chain worked effectively against the British fleet, forcing the ships to halt. However, when Gen. Henry Clinton’s troops encountered the chain, they landed on shore, overpowered the American defenders, disconnected the chain, and proceeded upriver — eventually burning Kingston, New York's Capitol at the time.

Though the barrier was eventually bypassed, this bold early effort highlighted the importance of river defenses and helped pave the way for the even stronger "Great Chain" later installed at West Point.

Columbia County iron played a vital role in this daring attempt to protect the Hudson, turning a local iron forge into a powerful symbol of Revolutionary resistance. 💪⚓

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival on June 13th at noon.

Share this post with the local history buff in your life! 🤗

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website!

04/22/2026

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮!

As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary this summer, we offer some fun facts about Columbia County’s role in the American Revolution! Watch for 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 posts leading up to the Hudson Flag Day Parade and festival in Hudson and ultimately to the semisesquicentennial on July 4th 2026.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 that Kinderhook was a hotbed of Loyalist (Tory) activity during the fight for independence?

While Patriots rallied for freedom, many local families remained fiercely loyal to the British Crown. The Kinderhook district saw residents arrested, suspected of conspiracy, and even using homes as staging points for supplies and support for British forces under General Burgoyne.

One powerful story stands across the street from Martin Van Buren's birthplace: the unassuming red-brick Tory House (Peter Sander van Alstyne House). Built by a Dutch farmer and judge, it became a symbol of loss when van Alstyne was arrested in 1776, forced into exile, and ultimately had to forfeit his home and lands under New York’s Forfeiture Act.

Thousands of New York Loyalists — more than from any other colony — faced similar fates, with many fleeing to Canada in search of a new life.

Today, this quiet historic home on Route 9 tells a lesser-known side of our Revolutionary story: one of loyalty, war, heartbreak, and resilience.

📍 Visit Kinderhook to explore the village’s Revolutionary War sites, walk the historic streets, and uncover the full picture of Columbia County’s complex past.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website (link in comments)

04/22/2026

For today’s 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮, we’re digging into a Revolutionary War mystery hidden in our own backyard: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁. 🇺🇸⚔️

If you look for this battle on a map of Massachusetts, you’ll come up empty. That’s because despite the name, this clash actually took place right here in Columbia County!

🕵️‍♂️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿?
History usually names battles after their location, but this one was named after the people who fought it.

In May 1777, a signifigant Loyalist recruitment plot was uncovered in Livingston Manor. A desperate call for help went out, and the militia from Egremont, MA, grabbed their muskets and marched over the Taghkanic hills to assist our local 9th Albany/Claverack Regiment. Because the Egremont men were so instrumental in the victory, the name "Battle of Egremont" followed them home—even though the smoke cleared on New York soil.

📍 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻?
This didn't happen on a single battlefield...instead it was a tense, two-day pursuit through the rolling Columbia County landscape:

📌 𝗧𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰: The first shots were fired at the Jury Wheeler farm near the eastern border.

📌 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲: A major confrontation broke out near the "Great Lake." Imagine 100 Loyalists facing off against the militia right where families now spend their summers!

📌 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗲: The fighting continued as the militia pursued the Loyalists through the woods toward what was then known as "Nobletown."

📜 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲?
This wasn't just a small neighborhood spat. British General Burgoyne was preparing to invade from the north, and local Loyalists were secretly organizing to join him. By stopping this recruitment ring, these neighbors-turned-soldiers secured the Hudson Valley just months before the pivotal Battle of Saratoga.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website (link in comments)

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival on June 13th at noon.

04/22/2026

Such a rich history. Right here in Columbia County!! Who knew?

For today’s 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮, we’re digging into a Revolutionary War mystery hidden in our own backyard: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁. 🇺🇸⚔️

If you look for this battle on a map of Massachusetts, you’ll come up empty. That’s because despite the name, this clash actually took place right here in Columbia County!

🕵️‍♂️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿?
History usually names battles after their location, but this one was named after the people who fought it.

In May 1777, a signifigant Loyalist recruitment plot was uncovered in Livingston Manor. A desperate call for help went out, and the militia from Egremont, MA, grabbed their muskets and marched over the Taghkanic hills to assist our local 9th Albany/Claverack Regiment. Because the Egremont men were so instrumental in the victory, the name "Battle of Egremont" followed them home—even though the smoke cleared on New York soil.

📍 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻?
This didn't happen on a single battlefield...instead it was a tense, two-day pursuit through the rolling Columbia County landscape:

📌 𝗧𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰: The first shots were fired at the Jury Wheeler farm near the eastern border.

📌 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲: A major confrontation broke out near the "Great Lake." Imagine 100 Loyalists facing off against the militia right where families now spend their summers!

📌 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗲: The fighting continued as the militia pursued the Loyalists through the woods toward what was then known as "Nobletown."

📜 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲?
This wasn't just a small neighborhood spat. British General Burgoyne was preparing to invade from the north, and local Loyalists were secretly organizing to join him. By stopping this recruitment ring, these neighbors-turned-soldiers secured the Hudson Valley just months before the pivotal Battle of Saratoga.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
Start planning yours on our website (link in comments)

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival on June 13th at noon.

04/14/2026

Keep tuned in for more fun facts as Columbia County celebrates the 250th birthday of America!

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮!

As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary this summer, we offer some fun facts about Columbia County’s role in the American Revolution! Watch for 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 posts leading up to the Hudson Flag Day Parade and festival in Hudson and ultimately to the semisesquicentennial on July 4th 2026.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 that Kinderhook was a hotbed of Loyalist (Tory) activity during the fight for independence?

While Patriots rallied for freedom, many local families remained fiercely loyal to the British Crown. The Kinderhook district saw residents arrested, suspected of conspiracy, and even using homes as staging points for supplies and support for British forces under General Burgoyne.

One powerful story stands across the street from Martin Van Buren's birthplace: the unassuming red-brick Tory House (Peter Sander van Alstyne House). Built by a Dutch farmer and judge, it became a symbol of loss when van Alstyne was arrested in 1776, forced into exile, and ultimately had to forfeit his home and lands under New York’s Forfeiture Act.

Thousands of New York Loyalists — more than from any other colony — faced similar fates, with many fleeing to Canada in search of a new life.

Today, this quiet historic home on Route 9 tells a lesser-known side of our Revolutionary story: one of loyalty, war, heartbreak, and resilience.

📍 Visit Kinderhook to explore the village’s Revolutionary War sites, walk the historic streets, and uncover the full picture of Columbia County’s complex past.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
...𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮!
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