./r^ ...^^^^ [uimiMiii"."!;;??lv?- iL:TKr ..li'il !,!•■;; Ipllplip^^^^^^ d*?Vm*MTiEB KINDERHOOK, N. Y., THE VILLAGE BEAUTIF THE STORY OF TO-DAY !OME five miles east of the Hudson River, in the heart of Columbia County, on a high rolling plateau overlooking the val- ley of the Hudson, nestles the village of Kinderhook. Nature has adorned the cite with a lavish hand. Scenes more beautiful are rarely found in any region, for here God and man have striven together in all that combines to make a haven of rest amid the splendors of rural surround- '"^* The village is bordered on every side with large productive farms, where modern methods prevail in cultivating the soil. The Kinderhook Creek, famed m song and story, flows along its eastern border from its source in the Taconic Mountains on its wmdmg way to where it empties into the majestic Hudson. The streets are wide and well laid, overarched by the lordly elm and stately maple. In the center of the village a triangular granite-bordered park adds to the attractiveness of the business section of the com- munity. J Here the main state roads diverge east and west from the Berkshire Hills to the Catskill Mountains, and north and south from Albany to New York. Touring parties in their autos from all over the Empire state pass through the village on their journey to and fro. Bordering the main streets, concrete sidewalks extend in every direction, and electric arc and incan- descent lights dispell the gloom of night air of modern progress, combined with rus The third rail electric system of tl Southern Railroad Company connects wit transit line the village and its adjoining he Albany and Hudson, covering an hour's Capitol City and thirty minutes to Hudson, at either end with the Boston and Alban the New York Central, and other trunk traverse the state. Village life in Kinderhook leaves 1 desired. With a population of one thou its people enjoy all the social advantages part of an aristocratic community, when and fumes of industrial plants are lacking. The Lindenwald Grange Hall, forme Kinderhook Academy, serves as a mee recreation and lecture auditorium for the t or more members of the Grange. The Village Hall, besides being the 1 Fire Department, which is one of the best ped in the state, also serves as a place entertainment. Religious worship is a conspicuous tr villagers,°the different churches having a tendance than those in many communit population. The various denominations < Dutch Reformed, Episcopal, Methodist A. M. E. i ; • The Kinderhook High School among rural insti- tutions ranks with the best in the state, and is housed in a well constructed building, and is devoted not only to the higher education of the children of the village but of the surrounding farms. Kinderhook Chapter, No. 264, R. A. M., was or- ganized February 22, 1872, and is one of the largest organizations of Masons in the county. It is comfort- ably quarted in the Lindenwald Hotel, and here the local chapter Eda, of the Eastern Star, also maintains its quarters. Three hotels for the accommodation of tourists and commercial travelers add to the bustle of the village. The National Union Bank organized in 1853 has a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, serves Kinderhook and many of the adjoining villages, and the neighboring territory in a financial way. The Kinderhook Knitting Company, which oc- cupies a modern electrically equipped three story brick building on the village square, | highest grade of knit goods which find a ket throughout the entire country. T gives employment to many who prefer ol industry to the tilling of the soil. Telephone and telegraph service co lage and farms and the general trade st to-date in every respect. There has lately been completed th dern fireproof garage between Albany keepsie, capable of housing thirty machii expert repair department attached. So Kinderhook, charms the tourist a: of to-day. And as in the days of old, heartstrings of those who have gone be maintains a warm spot in the hearts ol leave its borders now, and follow pursuit) WILL KINDERHOOK — THE CHILDREN'S CORNl THE STORY OF YESTERDAY ERMONS, according to our Shakespeare, are sometimes found in stones ; and so we turn to the houses and streets of our towns and villages to learn the story of the days of long ago. The founding of Kinderhook harks back to the early days of the settlement of New Amsterdam by the Dutch. Perhaps it was in the generation following the discovery by Hendrick Hudson in 1609 of the river that now bears his name. The word " Kinderhook " signifies in the Dutch tongue "The Children's Comer " and is supposed to have been ap- plied to this locality by Hendrick Hudson himself on account of the many Indian children, who had assembled on the bluffs along the [river to watch his strange vessel sailing up the stream. However, the name of Kinderhook appears on a map of New Netherland as early as 1614. In 1656 a traveler from Holland wrote of Kinderhook as being cipal settlements along the Hudson. The settlers who were mostly Holland Swedes, built their houses along the river i along the banks of the Stockport, Kinderhoo Creeks. In its early days Kinderhook embraced a Stuyvesant and part of Chatham, Stockport . had at that time about double its present are. some twenty thousand eight hundred acres, about double its width, and extends from about eight miles. Previous to the settlement of the territor man, presumably about 1640, the country w a tribe of the Mohican Indians, under a chief who possessed the entire tract, inclusive of ' lage site. Owing to many adversities the settlement grew but slowly In 1714 its population including children and slaves, ""^^'ialy^afc^f^^^^^^^ f» t"'- in^ in the village were built, with huge oaken timbers hewn rom the fore^f on the premises and of brick brought from Holland. The two earliest of these bear the dates, 1721 ^'^^The^Dutch church traces its history as far back as 1660. For fifty years thereafter a pastor from Albany held irregular services there. , „ . , ^„ i .l_ In 1712 the church was ormally ^^g^^'^f^'f^fg*?! first nermanent structure bmlt about 1730. In 181.J-ia fh" second structure was built on the s.te of that now oc- cuDied This building was destroyed by fire m 1867, and rS^miructed in 1869. The Methodist church was organ- iSdhi 1843, and a meeting house built m 1844. In 1871 ivTnresent church was dedicated. St. Paul's Episcopal ?hurcTwal organized in 1850. Its building aed-^,- 1852, was remodeled and enlarged in 187Z. Ihe cetnei ^- Ve SsTfch^St 3ttfn'Ki^fe\ook was Hendrick Abelsen. He combined with his duties the of f ice of church nrecentor, and the term bf his service was some time previ- Sis to 1700. In 1778 Andrew Mayfield Carshore opened an English school, which later became the K»nderhook Acldemy In 1823 a new building was erected which £ter became -adequate, and a larger one was buiU m 1 836, which is now used as the Grange Hall. 1 he present Grammar and High School was built in 1877. The history of the old houses of Kinderhook would fill many a page. The Centennial Mansion, built by David Van sSiaack in 1774 entertained many men promment m Amer- icanSoTy. In 1777 General Burgoyne passing through here as a prisoner of war, was entertained at the mansion. Later Aa^^n Burr was a guest. In Martin Van Buren s time Henry Clay, Washington Irving, Thomas H. Benton, SiGTs'WriS, William H. Marcy, Samuel Tilden, and many ^^^^TheTaVAlerHoTestead near Lindenwald was built in 1737 and here was bom the gifted Peter L Van Alen, who was kUled in a duel by William H. Crawford^ after- waJds sLretary of the Treasury under President Munroe. Here alsriived Katrina Van Alen, the prototype of Katnna Van Tassel, the belle of Washington rving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Nearby stands the old white schoolhouse on the very site of the school of Ichabod Crane, the or.gmal of whom Tn that tale was Jesse Mervin. It should be re- membered that it was here, while Irving was a guest of Judge Van Ness at Lindenwald in 1809, he found the the characters in that famous story. , _. _ , Lindenwald Mansion was built m 1797 by Van Ness, who was an officer in the French wai ward a commander of the regiment at the de goyne in 1777. One of his sons, William P. Va succeeded him as master of the homestead, wa friend of Aaron Burr and was the bearer ot th and was also Burr's second at the duel with Hamilton. . , . n -j . Martin Van Buren, the eighth President a States, was born in Kinderhook, December 5 rudely constructed house conducted m part as stood on a knoll on the old Post road near the C of this house is embodied in another on the sa Van Buren was the first American-born Preside decessors were all born under the English tlag < Great Britain. He was also the first representai Empire State to occupy the White House. He Vice-President nominated by a national convent held the same distinction in respect to the Presi more public offices of consequence than any ott statesman. His years were freighted with distm ice to his party and country. His was a strong cl gracious manners. The disciple of Jefferson, th^ Jackson, the inspirer of Tilden. Van Buren 1 place in the Democratic heart. When Van t from public life about 1841 he purchased with its two hundred odd acres bordenng on th Judge William P. Van Ness, under whom he 1 studied law in New York. Here he lived the life gentleman. The " Sage of Kinderhook, lh< Fox " " The Little Magician were some of th< bore, and his home was the Mecca for many men and other prominent men of his day^ eighty years of age he died at his home in Km 24, 1862, and rests in the village cemetery v granite shaft marks the spot. . ^. , , , It is claimed that the town of Kinderhook more public men than any other town in the c other special mention might be made ot the lat al John W. Philip, U. S. N., who was born here, and for a long time resident of the viilag words when commanding the battleship 1 exa victory of Santiago, puts him by the side c knight. Sir Philip Sidney. Turning to his crevj the destruction of the Spanish cruiser Oquend. " Don't Cheer, Men— the Poor Devils Are Dyii c (^ THE KINDERHOOK CREEK AND THE COVERED BRIDGES c THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS FROM LOVER'S LEAP, KINDERHOOK J^ ^ ^ c < ACROSS THE VALLEY TO PROSPECT HILL c # ® REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH BETHEL A. M. E. CHURCH c a c r w •ij THE VILLAGE SQUARE, LOOKING NORTH r ( c L i r RESIDENCE OF MRS. GEORGE D. EARL RESIDENCE OF MRS. AARON J. VANDERPOEL RESIDENCE OF LEWIS L. MORRELL RESIDENCE OF HON. CHAS. D. HAINES ( ( BROAD STREET, LOOKING WEST FROM THE SQUARE \ " LINDENWALD " THE HOME OF MARTIN VAN BUREN Built by Judge Peter Van Ne»i in 1797 r m PORTRAIT OF MARTIN VAN BUREN THE HOUSE IN WHICH HE WAS BORN HIS MONUMENT IN THE VILLAGE CEMETERY THE PLACE AS IT IS TODAY _F r c c Q mmmmmMmmmmm^ RESIDENCE OF JAMES ADGER REYNOLDS RESIDENCE OF FRANK B. VAN ALSTYNE RESIDENCE OF GERRIT S. COLLIER RESIDENCE OF MRS. BARENT VAN ALSTYNE ALBANY AVENUE, LOOKING NORTH FROM THE SQUARE I VILLAGE CEMETERY AND MONUMENT TO MARTIN VAN BUREN } r RESIDENCE OF FREDERICK W. HOWARD RESIDENCE OF DATUS C. SMITH RESIDENCE OF HON. ALONZO H. FARRAR RESIDENCE OF MISS ELIZABETH WYNKOOP r r L c^ e *. :'^;v'i?f gi^;:!f:iii;iii|i^S;i,, VJIUUMJliJlVJ'ktL. HUDSON STREET, LOOKING SOUTH FROM THE METHODIST CHURCH r rii G Ikl € ■ I ■II UI PBIIIIIIII ■WMb gSMiPfr: fki THE OLD VAN ALEN HOMESTEAD, Built in 1737 THE WHITE SCHOOLHOOSE ON THE SITE OF THE ICHABOD CRANE SCHOOL OF THE "LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW" c G m k''ft & 'Kl RESIDENCE OF^ EDWARD RISEDORPH RESIDENCE OF FRANK PALMER RESIDENCE OF DR. T. FLOYD WOODWORTH RESIDENCE OF GEORGE W. RAUTMYER c m ^fer'-ilS«»SttV5.^«*»«W«^»*»f53t'^Wt««M!!!* I yt^^w^n^MBf M