DUTCH HISTORY can be elusive – it’s rarely taught in our schools and with so many disparate parts it often follows a meandering, convoluted path and connections are obscured. Historian/filmmaker Stephen Blauweiss brings this history to life in a fun and engaging way, using a vast array of quality images, maps, and timelines. What was once opaque becomes clear and understandable as the stories unfold and connect on multiple levels.


THE COLOR ORANGE, for example, represented the Dutch Royal Family, who created the world’s first tricolor flag in the 1570s with orange, white, and blue. These colors continue to represent several New York State municipal flags, including New York City and Albany. Just before England seized control of New Netherlands, New York’s namesake — the Duke of York — had a daughter, Mary II, who married William III, the Dutch Prince of Orange. When England created New York’s counties, they used names honoring their royalty: Orange County was named for the Dutch Prince of Orange, William III, who in 1689 became King of England, sharing the throne with Mary II. Yes, that William and Mary.


STEPHEN BLAUWEISS’ DETAILED PhotoTalk presentation will cover Dutch history and its relationship to New York in a way rarely seen before, with topics new, old, and unexpected. Included will be: pre-New Netherlands Dutch history; the Northern Renaissance masters of painting, mapmaking, and tapestry; the first central bank and modern stock exchange; Dutch liberalism and its connection to the Federalist Papers and US Constitution; the stories behind Dutch names in New York, and much, much more.

Filmmaker, historian, graphic designer, and author Stephen Blauweiss is a native of Manhattan who has taught computer graphics at Pratt Institute. Deeply immersed in New York history for over 40 years, he has been connected to the Hudson Valley for 25 years, with a special focus on Kingston and Woodstock. Stephen has made over 75 short films, many related to the arts in the region; 20 have aired on PBS. He co-produced the documentary Lost Rondout and has co-authored two books about Kingston.