"River Crossings" Contemporary Art Exhibition at Olana and Thomas Cole National Historic Site

“River Crossings: Contemporary Art Comes Home,” a new joint exhibition of works by contemporary American artists at Olana, located in Hudson, NY and Thomas Cole National Historic Site, located across the river in Catskill, NY.

Both houses feature examples of artists' work and amazing views of the mountains and landscape that were inspirations for the Hudson River School artists.

In this experimental show, juxtaposed with the traditional art are 28 contemporary artists' work, including Cindy Sherman, Chuck Close, Charles LeDray, Valerie Hegarty, Maya Lin, Martin Puryear and more, matching up the young and old. For more information on tickets, go to: http://www.rivercrossings.org/

The Basilica Hudson - 19th Century Factory

The 19th century railway wheels factory and then a glue factory, The Basilica Hudson, has marked a new chapter in it's rich history. Over the last decade the building has turned into a community gathering space hosting fundraisers, art exhibitions, film festivals, photo rental studio, music and theater events venue. Read more about The Basilica Hudson here.

For more information contact:

E-mail
info@basilicahudson.com

Address
110 Front Street
Hudson NY 12534
518.822.1050

Events
events@basilicahudson.com

Rental
rental@basilicahudson.com

Website
http://basilicahudson.com/

Hudson :: Way Back When

SepiaTown lets you view and share historical images from around the globe and here are a couple from Hudson, NY - Circa 1900-1929.

Hudson Opera House Winter Walk

Hudson Opera House
Winter Walk
Saturday, December 4, 2010
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Hang on to your hat, your scarf and your gloves! The annual extravaganza known as Winter Walk sweeps into the City of Hudson at 5 pm on Saturday evening, December 4, ushering in the holiday season and celebrating winter itself.

Produced by HOH, the 14th annual Winter Walk transforms Hudson's commercial district into a festive thoroughfare where both the traditional and the quirky mingle to create a celebration unlike any other. Acknowledged as one of the premier holiday events in the Hudson Valley, Winter Walk attracts visitors from near and far who join the residents of this small, energetic river town to revel in the delights of the evening.
Read more...

Did you know...?

Did you know that the original inhabitants of the City of Hudson, NY were the Mohican Indians? In the 17th century a Dutchman by the name of Franz VanHoesen purchased a large tract of land, which included the area of Hudson, plus parts of Greenport. As the city developed, settlers arrived, some with houses which had been prefabricated in Nantucket. Way ahead of their time!

A sizable number of these families were Quakers. They established rules and regulations and laid out the city on a grid pattern. In 1785 the City of Hudson became the first chartered city after the Declaration of Independence and the third city in the State of New York. The local economy included whaling, sealing and oil. As the city transitioned from a seaport town to an industrial city, the new economy took shape and knitting and cotton mills opened and flourished. The Allen Paper Car Wheel Works and many other small manufacturers brought business into the city.

Even though the economy of Hudson began to declined towards the end of the 1800s, the city managed to retain and preserved it's rich architectural heritage. Many of the buildings in Hudson are in the National Register of Historic Places.

As Hudson moves in the new millenium, it still maintains its original landscape and, at the same time, is experiencing a revitalization and has also distinguished itself as a regional center for contemporary art.

Pumpkin Walk at Olana State Historic Site

Olana in Autumn! To benefit the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, Inc., MHACGC will hold their fourth annual fundraising Pumpkin Walk at Olana. Family Entertainment from 4:30-6PM; walk starts at dusk. $5/person.

For information, please call the Mental Health Association at (518) 828-4619, x302. Olana State Historic Site ● 5720 Route 9G, Hudson, NY, 12534 ● 518-828-0135 www.nysparks.com ● www.olana.org

Hudson-Athens Lighthouse

In early 1873 construction to build a lighthouse began on the Hudson River between the city of Hudson and Athens, New York. A blog dedicated to lighthouses "A Lovely Shore Breeze..." posted some interesting facts worth reading.

Open to the public, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society runs boat trips and tours to the lighthouse during the summer through the fall on August 14th and September 11th and October 9th.

Check the Society's website for more information: http://www.hudsonathenslighthouse.org/history.html

Rip Van Winkle Bridge Celebrates it's 75th Birthday

On July 2, 1935 the Rip Van Winkle Bridge opened to traffic and connected Catskill, NY and Hudson, NY. The 13-span cantilever bridge over the Hudson River is 5,040 feet long and 145 feet above the river. At the time passenger cars were charged $.80 plus $.10 per passenger, maximum of $1.00. Pedestrians and bicycles also had to pay.

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, about 15,000 vehicles cross the Rip Van Winkle Bridge each day.
The cost of the original bridge was $2,400,000.

Kaaterskill Falls in Palenville

Kaaterskill Falls located across the river in Palenville is the highest two-tiered waterfall in New York State. The upper tier measures at 175 feet and the lower tier at 85 feet tall.

The water levels this time of year are high and you can see this spectacular view, however, in the late summer the water flow can reduce to a trickle.

Take NY Route 23A West through Palenville for about 3 miles through a sharp hair-pin turn. The parking lot is on the left. Be careful walking along the shoulder of the road as you head to the trail and be sure to wear good hiking shoes.

For more information, check out Epinions.com (http://www.epinions.com/content_178503454340)

Discover Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Here's a wonderful culinary discovery:

Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a family owned and operated restaurant, located in both NYC and Westchester. The restaurants serve locally grown food from the family's farm in the Berkshires and delivered daily to each location.

Read about the history, the proprietors, the farmers and why they love what they do!

http://bluehillfarm.com

Bon Appetit!

River Views of the Hudson River School

Across the river, at the Thomas Cole House the"River Views of the Hudson River School" exhibit is on display. Artists included in the show are Thomas Cole, Sanford Gifford and Jasper Cropsey. A series of guided hikes are also available to view where the paintings were set. The exhibit runs until October 11, 2009.

Cedar Grove The Thomas Cole National Historic Site
218 Spring Street
Catskill, NY 12414
http://www.thomascole.org

Oak Hill Newest Event Site

Oak Hill Estate located in Hudson, NY was built around 1793 by John Livingston. With a view of the Catskill Mountain, the estate sits on 100 acres along the Hudson River. The Livingston family had many homes built and this is the only one that remains and is still in the Livingston family! The event site can accommodate up to 300 people and is available for weddings, dinner dances, fundraisers, luncheons and many more. Call for more information:

Oak Hill Estate
184 Oak Hill Road
Hudson, NY 12534
(617) 331 1874
http://livingstonwedding.com

A New Gallery at Olana Opens for Visitors

AP Photo

On the second floor of Frederic Edwin Church's historical house, "Olana", opens The Evelyn and Maurice Sharp Gallery. The inaugural opening this past May coincided with the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage up the river. The first exhibit "Glories of the Hudson: Frederic Edwin Church's Views from Olana" will show through October. The never publicly exhibited sketches of the river were Church's view from his property. For more information on tours, hours and directions go to: http://olana.org

Hudson Library Celebrates it's 50 Year

Hudson Area Library on State Street is celebrating it's 50 year anniversary!

Read about Friday's gala celebration in the Register-Star.

Founded in 1959, the historic federal style building was built in 1816. Originally an orphanage, the building was donated to the Hudson City School District to turn it into a library. Up until that time Hudson was the only city in New York State without a library!

To get involved, join Friends of the Hudson Area Library.
Call (518) 828-1792 for more information.