A three-site exhibition on the American Revolution developed collaboratively by the Hudson Area Library, the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History and the Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will open March 5th at the Hudson Area Library.
In addition to the three exhibits, each institution will have related programming throughout the year. The Library will offer a three-credit Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) class on the exhibit for local teachers.
The library will also have a follow-up exhibit on the effect of the war on the neighboring indigenous tribes, including an examination of the history of the Esopus people. It will be researched and curated by Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley who studies local Eastern Algonquian languages, history and folklore.
Each institution’s exhibit focuses on a different aspect in local history of the fight for independence:
The Hudson Area Library exhibit, “Patriots of Hudson in the Revolutionary War,” profiles local residents who fought in the Revolutionary War or who contributed to the fight for independence. Several went on to help found the City of Hudson. The exhibit is on view March 5 – June 30, 2026 (during library hours, when the room is not in use).
The opening reception will be Thursday, March 5, at 6 pm in the library’s Community Room. Registration is required for the opening; email brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org.
The library’s exhibit was made possible by the Rheinstrom Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
The Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History’s exhibit is titled From “Glorious Revolution toward Independence: America’s Forgotten First Revolution.” The exhibit will be on display at 46 Green Street Studios in Hudson in July 2026.
It focuses on how the peoples of the former Dutch colony of New Netherland in what is now New York, New Jersey, and the three lower Pennsylvania counties (Delaware), created, during the Glorious Revolution of 1689-1691, a unique American identity that influenced the movement for independence from Great Britain eighty-five years later.
The Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution exhibit, “Who Were Our Patriots?,” will be at the Hendrick Hudson Chapter, NSDAR, Historic Robert Jenkins House at 113 Warren Street in Hudson in the Spring/Summer of 2026.
This exhibit will flesh out the lives of selected Revolutionary War patriots. Included will be those to whom several of the chapter’s members proved their lineal descent and thus qualified for membership in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Also included will be “forgotten patriots” – Native American and Black American patriots and at least one woman. Local ties, if any, will be emphasized, and when possible, relevant social issues will be explored. The focus is on remembering heroines and heroes from 250 years ago.
The Hudson Area Library History Room houses a collection that pertains to the history of the City of Hudson, the towns of Greenport and Stockport, as well as Columbia County and New
York State. The History Room also hosts the Local History Speaker Series at the library, offering free monthly talks on diverse topics related to local history.
The History Room is open Saturdays, 10 am to 1 pm and Wednesdays, from 6 pm until 8 pm and by appointment. Online research requests for information on local history are also available. To inquire about an appointment email brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org or call 518-828-1792 x106.
The Hudson Area Library is located at 51 North 5th Street in Hudson, NY.
Read more about the American Revolution in New York State.
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