The 1894 renovation of the Deyo House by a descendant of the New Paltz Patentees marked a seminal moment in the history of New Paltz. Our special tour, Gilding the Lily," will take guests inside the historic Queen Anne style house, looking at the 19th century design influences of the home and speaking to the societal and political themes of the era that allowed for this ostentatious display of wealth. As 1894 renovation changed how the past was to be interpreted along Huguenot Street, the tour will also explore the earliest efforts to form a historical society on the street.

Tour guide Kevin Cook is a longtime resident of Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) and a frequent volunteer. Cook is an accomplished landscape painter who is strongly influenced by nineteenth century romanticism. He has received a Painting Fellowship from New York Foundation of the Arts, exhibited at the American Consulate in Hong Kong as part of the Artists in Embassies Program, and has been an educator at the Samuel Dorsky Museum at SUNY New Paltz. Kevin’s work can be seen on the sets of TV’s Billions, as well as on a CD cover by The New York Pops. He is represented in a number of galleries and has a strong regional following. The Hudson Valley Almanac has written that “The Hudson River School of painters would easily recognize Cook as one of their own.”

$18 General Admission

$13 Discounted Admission (For HHS members, seniors, students, active military personnel and their families, veterans, and kids 13-17 years old)

$8 Children’s Admission (For children 7-12 years old)

Free Admission (For children 6 and under)

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.