About & Contact - Dutchess County Historical Society

Telephone

You can generally speak to someone by phone Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, some exceptions.

Call 845-471-1630 during those periods. We can't accept voicemail. It is always preferred, in that is reduces misunderstanding, to submit your request at this page.

E-mail

Please use contact@dchsny.org for general enquiries.

Postal Mail

DCHS
PO Box 88
Poughkeepsie, NY 12602

In Person

Given other research requests and demands, we are not able to address in person "on demand" requests, please use our enquiry form.

That said, we are located at NY State's Clinton House, 549 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, corner of (entrance from) North White Street. See map below.

Board of Directors

There are currently 16 board members and an Ex-officio member.

Lou Lewis, President
Christine Altavilla, Vice President
Jack Cina, Treasurer
Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer, Secretary
Michael Boden
Rob Doyle
Eileen Hayden
Julia Hotton
Tom Lawrence
Candace Lewis
Antonia Mauro
James Nelson
Melodye Moore
Elizabeth Strauss
Janna Whearty
Elizabeth Wolf, Esq.
Ex-Officio: William P. Tatum III

Mission

The Dutchess County Historical Society conserves the past to educate for the future by procuring, promoting, and preserving the history of Dutchess County. We are proud to be known for our publications, educational outreach, and collection of archival materials, photographs, and objects inclusive of the entire county. Our Annual Yearbook, published since 1914, is the oldest continuously published annual in New York State. In addition, 14 books on local history bear the Historical Society's imprint. Exhibits, lectures, history awards, conferences, and a Living with History Series (tour and lecture of homes), 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.

Advisory Board

Steven Effron
Brad Kendall
Steve Lant
Dr. James Merrell
Dr. Dennis Murray
Al & Julia Rosenblatt
Fred Schaeffer
Dr. Paul Sparrow
Denise Doring VanBuren
Mary Kay Vrba

Library, Collections & Research Requests

With limited resources we can not take research requests or "look-up" by phone. Please use this online form .

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.

There is a backlog on such requests as a single specialist reviews these on a weekly basis.

Physical Location (not a mailing address).

Clinton House
549 Main Street, Poughkeepsie

The Dutchess County Historical Society at Clinton House. Built circa 1765 for Hugh Van Kleeck, Clinton House is now a state-owned historic resource named to honor George Clinton, the first governor of New York State and former Vice-President of the United States. Although Clinton did not reside here, the house was likely used as a meeting place for New York State legislators during the period when Poughkeepsie was the capital of New York State. The house is now home to the Historical Society's offices, library and collections and provides quarters for the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.