Historic Red Hook to host Then and Now Festival Saturday, June 3
By Rick East, Trustee
Postcard from HRH collections showing East Market Street in the early 20th c. and photo of Market St. today.
Local residents passing by the Elmendorph Inn each day may think of our historic group, Historic Red Hook, as a bunch of old codgers sitting around debating the minutiae of dates and historical events. (Although we do like to brag about the fact that Red Hook is home to the oldest Society for the Detection and Apprehension of Horse Thieves. (We have their earliest meeting minutes in our collections, and yes, their group still meets today! )
But Historic Red Hook is much more than that. Our mission is to engage the community in conversations about Red Hook’s unfolding story. We accomplish this by collecting, preserving, and promoting Red Hook’s history, maintaining the historic Elmendorph Inn as a community center, creating dynamic public programs, and partnering with local community organizations.
One of Historic Red Hook’s greatest accomplishments is the creation of The StoryStudio. Launched in June of 2019, The StoryStudio is designed to feature rotating local history exhibits, provide easy access to historical information and our extensive archives, and contain a mini-studio for the recording personal stories. Unfortunately, it was temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we will celebrate its re-opening this June at the Then and Now Festival.
History didn’t just occur 200 years ago or 100 years ago. Instead, we create history every day, all the time. Our past isn’t only about wars, and it doesn’t only involve our most prominent citizens. It is created by all of us. All of us have a story to tell.
History is your unique journey–the stories handed down through generations of your family, the memories of your childhood, the events that have shaped your life here in Red Hook–and all of your stories become a part of our community’s story. And now we want each of you to tell the rest of us your story.
And so, we invite you to join us on Saturday June 3rd from 11 am until 4 pm for our Then and Now Festival – a day to celebrate the past, present, and future of Red Hook. We will be offering a self-guided Walking Tour/Scavenger Hunt, exhibiting historic maps of the surrounding area, as well as photos of local homes and businesses from both then and now. There will be an exhibit of the architectural styles utilized in the “pattern book” homes built in town. You can discover the history of the Elmendorph Inn, it’s restoration, and learn about the unique history of the Red Hook United Methodist Church.
Volunteers have been hard at work the past several months preparing and moving our collections into the StoryStudio..
There will be tours of The StoryStudio, conversations about discovering your own genealogy, and an introduction to our upcoming historic house marker program.
There will be an exhibit of vintage farming equipment, and on display a 1949 Farmall and a 2021 Massey Ferguson tractor - farming has come a LONG way since 1949. There will also be a 1919 Model T Ford, and the latest Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Truck. Getting around has come a long way, too!
Our last festival, History Happening, was in 2019! We’re excited to bring back a day dedicated to history and community.
You can experience the processes of restoration for colonial windows, old barns, and see how Windsor chairs are made. There will be spinning, artisanal crafts, and furniture restoration.
And there will be an exhibit of how music has influenced our culture of the past 200 plus years as well, complete with a working 1954 Admiral television. Who remembers The Dinah Shore Chevy Show?
The Hudson Valley Food Dude will be parked alongside the Elmendorph Green to provide refreshments, and Rose Hill Farm will be on hand as well. There will even be a DJ on site all day to spin “the music of our lives” – songs spanning the history of music in the United States, everything from “The Star-Spangled Banner" to Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Martina McBride, and Sugarland.
This vibrant and family-friendly event promises a day filled with laughter, fun, and nostalgia. Take part in a variety of activities, including lawn games that will ignite your competitive spirit, old-school contests that will transport you to a bygone era, and artistic endeavors that will unleash your creativity and memories.
So, please mark your calendars and join us for a festival celebrating our town – whether you’re a newcomer or lifelong resident. There will be something for everyone – and we will all make a little Red Hook history together. We hope to see you there!
Information regarding the event can be found at www.historicredhook.org/thenandnow. And you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram @historicredhook.