Ulster County’s 6^th Annual Cultural Heritage Week Includes Events Offered By Historical And Cultural Organizations Throughout The County

Kingston, NY- County Executive Mike Hein announces Ulster County’s 6^th annual Cultural Heritage Week which will be held from October 21^st through October 30^th.  County Executive Hein joined Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, the Ulster County Historical Society, and the Ellenville Public Library & Museum to open a special exhibit “Ulster County Women of Note” at the Matthewis Persen House Museum & Cultural Heritage Center in Kingston to highlight Cultural Heritage Week.  Many events are scheduled throughout the County to commemorate Ulster’s rich history and tradition and can be viewed in the County Executive’s Cultural Heritage Calendar available online.  

“Stepping into the Matthewis Persen House is like turning back time, where you can imagine the conversations of freedom and revolution being held in the old tavern,” said County Executive Mike Hein.  “We are fortunate to have so much amazing history all around us, with many extraordinary organizations who devote their time to preserving history, educating residents and visitors, and promoting Ulster County and its rich culture.  I am pleased to be joined by Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, the Ulster County Historical Society and the Ellenville Public Library & Museum to open their extraordinary exhibit `Ulster County Women of Note.´ I encourage all residents and visitors to visit the Persen House and I want to thank Nina Postupack and her staff for all they do to preserve this beautiful part of our history.  I also invite everyone to attend all of the wonderful activities happening in the County from October 21^st – October 30^th and the calendar of events can be found on our website and at http://ulstercountyny.gov/cultural-heritage-week.  I want to thank all of the participants in this year’s Cultural Heritage Week for providing activities and events during the week and for all they do throughout the year.  ”

Nina Postupack, Ulster County Clerk

"I would like to thank our County Executive, Michael Hein for his continued support and his help in promoting Ulster County's rich history by choosing the Persen House as the venue for declaring Ulster County's 6th annual Cultural Heritage Week." said Nina Postupack, Ulster County Clerk.  "As County Clerk I am so pleased to be hosting with County Executive Hein the unveiling of the exhibit `Ulster County Women of Note´ at the Persen House, as he proclaims a week-long celebration of cultural and historical events throughout Ulster County."

Geoffrey Miller, Ulster County Historian

“My thanks to County Executive Hein for hosting Ulster County Cultural Heritage Week.  Each year it provides the historical community with the opportunity to focus on the rich history of Ulster County and offer new programs and presentations to enhance our understanding of the past,” said Geoff Miller, Ulster County Historian.  “This year, the featured “kick-off” exhibit at the Matthewis Persen House, `Women of Note,´ produced by the Ulster County Historical Society and the Ellenville Public Library, offers us a long overdue perspective on the often overlooked contribution women have made to the development of Ulster County.”

Richard J. Remsnyder, Ulster County Tourism Director

"Cultural Heritage Week is not only a vibrant celebration, but also an opportunity to experience and learn about the history of diversity in our County," said Ulster County Tourism Director Richard J. Remsnyder. "Historical tourism is an important segment of the tourism industry and we are fortunate to have County Executive Hein's ongoing support and continued promotion of local history and culture, as well as a wide variety of cultural heritage organizations who help create an amazing annual event."

During Ulster County Cultural Heritage Week, some of the other activities being offered to the public include:

• The Ulster County Clerk will be displaying several exhibits including: Manufacturing Midtown: Records Reveal Kingston’s Industrial Past featuring documents from the County archives with photos from the collection of the Friends of Historic Kingston and includes 37 factories that once existed around the turn of the 20^th Century, as well as, Industry in Ulster; Gysbert’s Inventory: A Reflection of 1665 Dutch Life; and Daily Dutch: Exploring Aspects of Dutch Life through the Records
• Ashokan Center’s Fall Family Fun Festival
• D&H Canal Historical Society & Museum’s Five Locks Walk & Film Screening of “Lost Rondout: A Story of Urban Removal”
• Ellenville Public Library & Museum is having a presentation by Town of Wawarsing Historian Bucky Green to share images and stories of Ellenville’s early days based on his book “Images of America, Ellenville” and is also coordinating an Oral History Project with the Sound & Story “Cube”
• Friends of Historic Kingston is celebrating 50 years and has loaned Ulster County a large illustrated map published in 1853 by Olvier J. Tilson & P. Henry Brink  which can be viewed on the 2^nd floor of the Ulster County Office Building.  They are also displaying an exhibit at their gallery titled Treasures from the Collection which contain many items that have never been seen by the public
• Hudson River Maritime Museum is celebrating Halloween with the Legends of the Hudson River with family friendly programs at the Museum and the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
• The Matthewis Persen House Museum & Cultural Center will display the Ulster County Women of Note Exhibit
• NYS Covered Bridge Society will have displays and information about existing and past covered bridges in Ulster County which will be set up inside Perrine’s Covered Bridge
• Reher Center for Immigrant Culture & History invites the public to its exhibit Rondout Revisited to learn about Kingston’s Waterfront District from 1820 through the urban renewal years
• The Old Dutch Church will be having Historic Cemetery Tours
• Historic Huguenot Street’s – Haunted Huguenot Street
• .........and much more.

The National Register of Historic Places lists more than 160 sites in Ulster County alone. A calendar of events for Ulster County’s Cultural Heritage Week can be viewed at http://ulstercountyny.gov/cultural-heritage-week and can be found on the County’s websites: www.UlsterCountyNY.gov and www.UlsterCountyAlive.com.  For more information contact the County Executive’s office at 845-340-3800.                                                                      

Pictured Above: 1) County Executive Mike Hein and Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack with members of various historical organizations in Ulster County at the Matthewis Persen House Museum & Cultural Heritage Center in Kingston, NY; Below: County Executive Mike Hein and Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack.