Spring updates
Renderings by Avery Zucker
At this time next year, the D&H Canal Historical Society will be opening the new D&H Canal Museum and Mid-Hudson Visitor Center in the historic 1797 DePuy Canal House on Main Street in High Falls. In anticipation of this event, the board, staff, and consultants have been engaged in research, planning, and design of the new facility, with careful attention being paid to maintaining the historic integrity of the building. The Society opted to take advantage of the extraordinary real estate market and sold the old Museum building this past January after inventorying and moving all their collections to the new storage area of the “new” building.
The new roof was finished in 2018, the north addition was rebuilt in 2019, and, in the last year and a half, we have been concentrating on the interior spaces. All new electric and HVAC installations are in process and the transformation of the 20th century kitchen addition includes new bathrooms, floor, and lighting to accommodate the Visitor Center. The first floor of the 1797 and 1827 sections of the historic building are being gently restored, and will serve as the major exhibit space under plans being developed by the well-respected exhibit design team of Christina Ferwerda and Paul Orselli. Our exciting and engaging plan employs interactive, hands-on displays to tell this important story in a clear and concise manner and will reward repeat visits by offering opportunities to dig deeper into this fascinating history.
Staff have taken advantage of the Covid shut-down to initiate D&H TV, which has become our primary way to provide programming over the past year. Over 70 videos are available, including guided tours of the old Museum, behind-the-scenes video of the move and construction, Powerpoint presentations by our Historian, and tours of publicly accessible extant D&H Canal sites. You can even view the virtual wine tasting event by Advisory Board member Kevin Zraly. This season, the museum will not be open but a monthly Sunday Afternoon With Our Historian will offer both in-person and virtual access to the D&H Canal history and our collections. In addition, our Historian, Bill Merchant, will be a guest guide every other Sunday on the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s solar-powered boat, Solaris.
When we open, the site will become an attraction for tourists and eco-tourists, and Museum visitors seeking to learn about the D&H Canal, how it operated, and its links to American history. The new Mid-Hudson Visitor Center will enlighten travelers to the many cultural attractions, parks, hiking trails, and other recreational opportunities, as well as the bounty of area culinary sites. There are many wineries, cider mills, distilleries, and micro-breweries to be enjoyed in the region. The National Historic Landmark Five Locks Walk now connects to the NYO&W Rail Trail and High Falls is only 3 miles from the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, a part of the NYS Empire State Trail. The Visitor Center will also host pop-up events from some of these many attractions, as well as the D&HCHS lecture and film series.
We hope to see you all at the grand opening next year!
Jack Braunlein
Executive Director
