The Mountain Eagle - Greene County Historical Society

Established in 1929, the Greene County Historical Society received its official charter from the University of the State of New York in 1939.

A Project by Jessie Vedder

The founding of the Greene County Historical Society in 1929 was an event several years in the making. Over a decade prior, just after the close of World War One, the Board of Supervisors of Greene County voted to bestow Jessie Van Vechten Vedder of Leeds, NY with the title of Greene County Historian - the first in our County's history. Mrs. Vedder discharged her duties with incredible proficiency, but the endeavor was a solo affair requiring monumental effort. By 1929 Jessie Vedder had stirred up enough interest among several prominent citizens to form a Society dedicated to the work she was tasked with. Ever since that time the Greene County Historical Society has worked to facilitate and enable the work of the County Historian, our 14 Municipal Historians, and a vast gathering of private individuals who crave a deeper understanding of the nationally significant story of Greene County.

Our Mission

The permanent charter of the Society states, "the object of this Society shall be the preservation of historical matter relating to the history of Greene County in particular and New York State in general, and to create an interest in all matters of historical information; collect, receive, preserve and safely keep historical records, documents, books, paper maps, manuscripts, letters, journals, relics and things which may establish or illustrate the history, growth and progress of the County of Greene and its surroundings, and to establish a Museum therein for their preservation."

To that end the Society:

Sponsors a wide variety of education programs and activities for children and adults.
Operates the Vedder Research Library as an archive and special collections.
Operates the Bronck Museum to promote awareness of local heritage.
Publishes the Quarterly Journal for Society members.
Maintains the Greene County Historical Register to document, recognize and encourage the preservation of historical structures and sites throughout Greene County.
Encourages close contact with other historical societies, museums and local historians in an effort to promote awareness and wider understanding of Greene County's past.

As a not-for-profit organization the Greene County Historical Society seeks its funding through endowments, grants, memberships, and fundraising. Through this continued support, the Society is able to operate the Bronck Museum and Vedder Research Library.

More than 300 years of Hudson Valley history are embodied in the campus of architecturally significant buildings which comprise the Bronck Museum. After eight generations of management as a working farm the property transferred into the care of the Greene County Historical Society under a provision of the will of Leonard Bronk Lampman. This legacy is a permanent memorial to his mother Adelaide Ely Bronk Lampman, a lineal descendant of Pieter Bronck, original grantee and first builder of the 1663 house. The Greene County Historical Society maintains the Bronck Farmstead as its headquarters and as a museum housing a collection of significant historical artifacts which reflect the region's history.

Off-Site Programming

Current Programs:

Chocolate: A Not So Sweet History - Explores the historical development of chocolate production and consumption in colonial America.

The Lives of Women in America - A candid exploration of the physical and social realities of women's lives during various historical periods.

Dutch Foodways - An exploration of the social, cultural and economic role of food in Old and New Netherland.

Food Through History - A look at food from the Mohican Indians to space travelers including the foods eaten, methods of preparation and the utensils and appliances they used.

The Van Bergen Overmantel - An opportunity to discuss and investigate this historically significant landscape painting of Dutch colonist Martin Van Bergen's farm in Leeds c. 1731.

Tulip Mania - Explores horticultural and financial history of tulips in early seventeenth century Holland.

Custom Program - GCHS can work with you to develop a custom program, refer to the fee schedule for further details.

Program Fees:

Local Basic Fee $50.00: This includes a presentation, any equipment needed for the program, hand-outs and transportation within a 30 mile round trip for current listed programs.

Out of Area Basic Fee $70.00: This includes a presentation, any equipment needed for the program, hand-outs and transportation in excess of a 30 mile round trip for current listed programs.

Custom Programs: GCHS is happy to work with customers to create a custom program or lecture on a relevant topic, separate fees may apply, please consult the Bronck Museum Curator to discuss this option for your group or organization further using the contact details below.

To Make Arrangements: Please call Shelby Mattice, Bronck Museum Curator at (518) 731-6490 at least 30 days in advance of the desired date. Be prepared to discuss the type of program which you would like and the expected audience. The requested fee will be computed at that time.

Beecher Scholarship

The Greene County Historical Society established the Raymond Beecher Scholarship in 2007 to honor Greene County Historian Dr. Raymond Beecher on his 90th birthday. Dr. Beecher passed away in 2008 but left behind a rich legacy. He authored several books on local history including Letters from a Revolution, Under Three Flags, Out to Greenville, and Kaaterskill Clove: Where Nature Met Art. Dr. Beecher also published a weekly column, "Greene Gleanings" in the Catskill Daily Mail, was a Trustee Emeritus of the Society, Librarian Emeritus of the Society’s Vedder Research Library, and the driving force behind the Society's intervention in the preservation of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and the 1706 Jan Van Loon House in Athens.

The scholarship is available to any high school senior who resides in Greene County, and a $1,000 award will be given to the winner. Applicants are expected to complete a 3-5 page article related to Greene County History. All articles must be original, written in acceptable English style, word-processed and double-spaced. A Work Cited page or Bibliography should accompany all articles. The quality of resources used will be a factor in the selection of the winning essay. The Vedder Research Library (located on the grounds of the Bronck Museum) is open for primary source research. It is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am-4pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm. A panel of three Society Trustees will judge each applicant's project. Articles submitted may be published in the Society’s Quarterly Journal. Students should submit their project to: Beecher Scholarship, GCHS, Inc., PO Box 44, Coxsackie, NY 12051. (Don’t forget to include your address, phone number and high school with your submission.) All submissions must have arrived to the judges by mail at the above address before May 15 annually.

Announcement of the scholarship will be given at graduation or award ceremonies at the student’s high school. An article may also appear in the local newspapers regarding the scholarship winner. Payment of the award will be given to the student at their graduation or award ceremony.

Questions about the Scholarship may be directed to Society Operations Manager Jennifer Barnhart at (518) 731-1033. If you have questions about your subject or available resources you may also try contacting the Vedder Research Library here.