About & Contact

What we believe & what we do:

The Dutchess County Historical Society (DCHS) remains committed to being the most meaningful source of Dutchess County history, a commitment in place since its 1914 founding. We do this through the responsible archival stewardship of tangible objects, and the restless and energetic interpretation and presentation of its history to the public.

DCHS conserves the past to help us understand the present and prepare for the future.

We are proud to be known for our community outreach through a wide range of publications, awards, exhibits, programs, talks, writings, videos, and oral histories. Our Annual Yearbook, published since 1914 and the oldest continuously published annual in New York State, is fully available online. In addition, 14 books on local history have been published.

Online and traditional exhibits, lectures, history awards, conferences, and special presentations a round out programming for members of the Historical Society and the community at large. DCHS is a not-for-profit organization. We rely on support from memberships, gifts, grants, and donations.

The Dutchess County Historical Society is a tax-exempt, charitable, non-profit organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

\Watch a 2-minute video introduction.

Please submit requests in writing. To facilitate the most accurate and helpful response to you, please use this online form for questions related to the library, collections or research. In terms of genealogical requests, we frequently can not add to what is now broadly available online unless a family has left us information through a Collections Gift. Bill Jeffway, Executive Director.

Board of Trustees

Rob Doyle, President
James Nelson, Vice President, Nominating Chair
Jack Cina, Treasurer, Finance Chair
Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer, Secretary
Michael Boden
Jim Brands
Peter Bunten
Tom Cervone
Peter Forman
Eileen Hayden, Membership Co-chair

Karen H. Lambdin
Antonia Mauro
Melodye Moore, Collections Chair, Publications Co-chair
Wayne Nussbickel, Development Chair
Rick Soedler
Elizabeth Strauss, Membership Co-chair
David Turner
Andrew Villani, Program/Comms/PR Chair
William P. Tatum III, Ex-Officio, Publications Co-chair

Advisory Board

Steven Effron
Brad Kendall
Steve Lant
James Merrell

Dennis Murray
Al & Julia Rosenblatt
Fred Schaeffer
Denise Doring VanBuren

Local Vice Presidents

Amenia, Julian Strauss
Beacon, Diane Lapis
Beekman, vacant
Clinton, Craig Marshall, Chair
Dover, Valerie LaRobardier
Dover, Caroline Reichenberg
East Fishkill, Rick Soedler
Fishkill, vacant
Hyde Park, vacant
LaGrange, vacant
Milan, Vicky LoBrutto
Millbrook and Washington, Jim Inglis, Alison Brooks Meyers

Millerton, Ed Downey
North East, Jane Rossman
Pawling, Bob & Nancy Reilly
Pine Plains, Dyan Wapnick
Pleasant Valley, Marilyn Bradford
Poughkeepsie, Michael Dolan
Red Hook Town, Elisabeth Tatum
Red Hook Village, Sally Dwyer-McNulty
Rhinebeck, David Miller
Rhinebeck Village, Michael Frazier
Stanford, Kathy Spiers
Union Vale, Fran Wallin
Wappinger, Beth Devine

Postal Mailing Address & Physical Location

DCHS
6282 Route 9
Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Our former Post Office Box is no longer in use.