The Empire State - New Paltz, Hyde Park, Austerlitz

New York

(Sightseeing and seeing friends)

June 20, 2018 - June 25, 2018

New Paltz, NY - Settled by Huguenots (i.e. Protestants) from France in the late 1600's.  They left France because of religious persecution and originally settled further up the Hudson river in areas where Dutch immigrants had settled years before. They were heavily influenced by Dutch culture and language.  They bought the land which became New Paltz but remained living where they were.  The son's of the original Huguenot settlers were the ones who built homes on the land their parents owned in the New Paltz area.

The Dubois House - currently used as the visitor center for the Huguenot Village.
Built in 1705 it doubled as "the fort" for the village, a colonial requirement for every village in case of Indian attack.  

The Bevier House - built in 1698.

Abraham Hasbrouck House - built in 1712

The Jean Hasbrouck house - built in 1712

Deyo house.  The original stone portion of the house was built in 1692. 

Some examples from the interiors of these homes.  The owners were wealthy people who often owned slaves to do the work around the house.

 

If you have any Huguenot heritage this is a particularly interesting place to visit.  They also have an  archives which is in one of the buildings where you can research.  

Hyde Park, NY - Springwood: Franklin Delano Roosevelt's childhood home.

Front

Rear

Left side

Living room

Dining room

I guess you might call this the family room.

Trunk lift - refitted for use as an elevator for FDR after he was crippled by polio.

One of the bedrooms.

Bathroom - the toilet was in a separate room to the left.

Another bedroom

FDR and Eleanor's bedroom

Eleanor's private room

Monument to Franklin and Eleanor who are buried just in front.

Hyde Park, NY - The Frederick Vanderbilt Estate

Approach to the mansion.
It stands on countless acres of land with it's back to the Hudson River.

The oval gathering room

Skylight which lights the gathering room.

The dining room

Close up of the dining room table

Bottom portion of the grand staircase.

 

Living room

Ladies parlor

Glass in the skylight

One of the bedrooms as it would have looked when the family was away.

Bedroom.  Notice the wooden structure around the bed to the left.

Bedroom

Spacious bathroom

Servants day room in the basement

Part of the kitchen in the basement

Austerlitz, NY - Woodland Hills Campground where our friends Elsie and Fred spend their summers.

Our rig is directly behind the one in the foreground.  It was such a beautiful setting.

View from beside our campsite.

Our friend Elsie and Fred Saars.
We met them while we were all researching in Salt Lake City in 2009!
Finally re-connected after all these years.
Haven't laughed so hard for so long in quite awhile.