News from the Street

HHS completes Jean Hasbrouck House wall masonry and reaches fundraising goal!

The masonry is complete and the restoration crew is at the end of their phase of the project. The project's structural engineer, Dave Biggs, has given his approval and is very pleased with DeBrino Caulking & Associates, the firm contracted to perform the work. The only remaining exterior work is to install the glass in the window frames. As we complete exterior work, we are beginning interior restoration and the development of new furnishings and education plans. These plans will be developed over the next year in preparation for a reopening of the house in May 2008. Thanks to the family associations, our members, and other contributors, we have reached our fundraising goal of $250,000 to match the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures Grant.

Archeology at the DuBois Fort!

Archeologist Jay Cohen and his team have finished with their archeological investigation near the DuBois Fort. The dig forms part of a larger project by the Village of New Paltz to install a new sewer line to solve overflow problems in New Paltz. The most significant archeological finds were architectural, such as the subterranean European pit house with stone hearth that clearly points to the first dwellings lived in by the original Huguenot settlers after arriving here in 1678. The archeologists have also found evidence of a Native American longhouse, which is very exciting to the historical community. Human remains were found on the site, and they are believed to be Native American because of the depth and burial style. However, our archeologists followed the Native American Graves Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and ceased digging in that particular area immediately after the burial was discovered. The discovery of the burial necessitated that the Village make some changes to the original engineering plans for the sewer line installation. HHS met with the New York State Historic Preservation Office and relevant Tribal Nations to develop a protection plan for the burial and nearby historic buildings, the DuBois Fort, and the Bevier-Elting House.

Old New Paltz Day: What's In a Name?

Save the date! Old New Paltz Day will be coming to Huguenot Street on Saturday, September 8th. Old New Paltz Day is the new name for what in the past has been called alternately Stone House Day and Colonial Street Festival. The name change reflects the desire of HHS to broaden the event's appeal while also reaching out more directly to the New Paltz community. A Steering Committee has been formed and is meeting regularly to develop the program and handle the particulars of the event. More information will follow in the months to come. Anyone interested in volunteering for the planning of the event should contact HHS Director, Eric Roth via email at eric@huguenotstreet.org or by phone at 845-255-1660.

Richard Heyl de Ortiz hired as HHS Communications Specialist!

HHS is pleased to announce that it has hired Richard Heyl de Ortiz as Communications Specialist. In this new role, Richard will help HHS to improve its advertising, marketing, and public relations, as well as to handle our publications. Richard brings a wealth of nonprofit experience to HHS. He currently serves as a board member of the Elting Memorial Library in New Paltz and is a Co-Executive Director at the Court Appointed Special Advocates in Kingston. He has also previously held development and administrative posts with the Youth Resource Development Corporation in Poughkeepsie and the William Way Community Center in Philadelphia.

Updated December 20, 2006.

American Museum of Natural History Performs Equipment Test At HHS

On October 13, Historic Huguenot Street was visited by a team from the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The purpose of the visit was to conduct a test of new ground-penetrating radar equipment that the Museum purchased for use in major archaeological projects. Ground-penetrating radar is used in archaeological work to locate areas with a higher concentration of materials without having to disturb the soil. HHS was chosen as a test site due to the efforts of SUNY professor Joseph Diamond and his colleague, Jay Cohen (currently the head of the sewer project dig being conducted on Huguenot Street). The Museum has agreed to provide the Historical Society with a full record of their findings in the test areas along the Street.

HHS Makes Travel News In USA Today

Historic Huguenot Street was named as one of USA Today's "10 Great Places to Toast German Heritage."

While most of the other locations on the list focus on areas settled by German immigrants, the authors argue that the New Paltz story holds great appeal for Deutschophiles who take pride in the religious tolerance practiced by their seventeenth-century ancestors. The article appeared in the October 6th issue.

HHS Wins State Archives Award

The Huguenot Historical Society has been selected by the New York State Archives and the Board of Regents as a recipient of the 2006 Annual Archives Award for Program Excellence in a Historical Records Repository. This award commends HHS "for developing an outstanding archival program that is an integral part of the society's mission".

The award was presented to Director Eric Roth and Curator of Collections Leslie LeFevre-Stratton at a ceremony at the State Education Building in Albany on October 23.

Susan Stessin-Cohn Wins State Archives Award

Susan Stessin-Cohn, HHS Archives Specialist, has been selected by the New York State Archives and the Board of Regents as a recipient of the 2006 Bruce W. Dearstyne Annual Archives Award for Excellence in the Educational Use of Local Government Records by an Educator. The award cites two packets used by Stessin-Cohn to train teachers in the uses of historical records, Who'll Weep for Me? and The Builders of Ulster County: A Curriculum on the History of Immigration.

The award was presented at a ceremony at the State Education Building in Albany on October 23.

New Exhibits Available Online

Two new HHS exhibits are now accessible to the public online.

"The Summers Lasted Forever" is a collection of photographs, documents, and reminiscences from local residents regarding the 1940s and 1950s in the New Paltz area, and especially along Huguenot Street. From ration cards to presidential visits, it is a remarkable assemblage of history and memory.

The Early New Paltz Collection is in a different vein. Rather than recent history, this exhibit brings the more distant past to life. Digitized documents and manuscripts from the 1600s and 1700s are available to view in this rare opportunity to see the past as it was written by those who lived it. While some documents are in French and German, translations are provided as well.

Work Vehicle Needed

HHS seeks a donation of a van or truck for our Maintenance department, preferably a 1995 or newer model. Vehicle must be roadworthy and in good working order. Please contact Linda Pate, Curator of Buildings and Grounds, to make donation arrangements. She can be contacted by telephone at (845) 255-1660 x 107, or by e-mail at linda@huguenotstreet.org. Thank you to anyone who can assist us!