POUGHKEEPSIE … As the nation prepares to recognize Rev250, this year’s 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Dutchess County Government is supporting local programming and events through Destination Dutchess and in partnership with local historical societies to engage residents and visitors alike with stories of how the Revolution impacted Dutchess County – during the war and in the ensuing 250 years. Fifteen local municipal historical societies have been awarded a total of $87,000 in grant funding allocated in the 2026 Dutchess County Budget.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution is more than a historic milestone. It’s a powerful reminder of how everyday people with a shared hope, conviction and courage worked together to build something extraordinary: our collective American dream. It is a reminder that the values of justice, freedom and unity continue to shape who we are today – both in Dutchess County and in America – and our county is proud to support the recognition of this monumental milestone in our nation’s journey. I encourage all our neighbors to celebrate this anniversary at one of our communities’ local events.”
Each of the County’s 20 municipal historical societies were eligible for the grant, honoring their longstanding efforts to preserve local history and educate the public. A total of nine projects – reviewed and recommended by a review committee comprised of representatives from the County Executive’s Office, County Legislature, County Clerk’s Office, Destination Dutchess and Dutchess BOCES – were awarded funding. Projects range from dramatic productions and augmented-reality experiences to historical trades demonstrations and open houses at historic sites.
The 2026 County Budget also provided funding support to Destination Dutchess for a series of experiential Rev250 community events, including RevCon: Dutchess County in the Revolution, a free, family-friendly event featuring reenactors showcasing camp life, uniforms and tactics, held on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Franklin D. Roosevelt President Library and Museum, 4079 Albany Post Road in Hyde Park.
Other events include the County’s popular Tavern Trail, which returns this summer with a focus on the American Revolution. The Tavern Trail is a unique collaboration that pairs local food and drink with engaging stories from County Historian William P. Tatum III, this year spotlighting Dutchess County’s role in the 1776 Real Time Revolution. Information about the four upcoming Tavern Trail events as well as other Rev250 events is available on Destination Dutchess’s website, destinationdutchess.com.
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2026 Dutchess County Rev250 Programming Grant-funded programs:
Continental Army Livestock Demonstration, RevCon: Dutchess County in the Revolution, FDR Library, Hyde Park, June 13th, 10 AM-4 PM – Dutchess County’s signature Rev250 event returns to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park on June 13th, featuring reenactors, scholarly speakers, interactive hands-on displays by local historical societies, and a unique livestock demonstration. How did George Washington’s Continental Army move supplies through the Thirteen Colonies, especially with the British Navy controlling many waterways? Join the team from Rock Hill Farm in Pawling, NY, and the Dover Historical Society to witness a demonstration of oxen and draft horses in action. Jim and Jake, a team of Percheron horses, weigh in at 2500 pounds each, while Chip and Dale, the two oxen, come in at 1800 and 1900 pounds. Their weight speaks to the massive muscle required to pull wagons, cannon, and sleds across the primitive roads of New York. The Dover Historical Society received $3,400 to bring the challenges of period transportation to life.
Quaker Meeting House Tour, Pawling and LaGrange, June 14th, 1-4 PM – The wildly successful multi-town Quaker Meeting House Tour returns to Dutchess County again in 2026, kicking off in June and continuing through November. Sites in Clinton, Hyde Park, Stanford, LaGrange, Millbrook, and Pawling will feature tour programs, fresh exhibits exploring Quaker life, and a variety of hands-on activities including augmented reality experiences. The Little Red Schoolhouse at 2 Dr. Fink Road in Freedom Plains and the Oblong Meeting House at 3 Meeting House Road on Quaker Hill in Pawling will kick off the tour season. For information on the individual sites and open dates, visit www.meetinghousetour.com. The Clinton Historical Society received $13,835 to underwrite this program, which links sites together across six towns. Free and open to the public.
Freedom Day, Freedom Park, LaGrange, July 5th, 11 AM-2 PM – The LaGrange Historical Society received $6,430 to host an extravaganza event celebrating the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. Attendees will meet George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Baron von Steuben while enjoying a period music performance by the Young Colonials Fife and Drum Corps. Period artisans will be on hand practicing trades including cooking, spinning wool, and blacksmithing. The event will also feature a colonial crafts table for the kids. Free and open to the public.
Colonial Crafts Day, East Fishkill Historical Society, Hopewell Junction, August 8th, 10 AM-4 PM – Join the East Fishkill Historical Society at 68 Kensington Drive in Hopewell Junction for a day of colonial-era craft demonstrations. See skilled artisans demonstrate the skills that made life possible in 18th-Century Dutchess County: blacksmithing, woodcarving, gunsmithing, cooking in the beehive bake oven and more. The centerpiece to this day will be a special demonstration of colonial iron smelting in a bloom furnace, the first public presentation of its kind in Dutchess County. Free and open to the public. The East Fishkill Society received a grant of $4,800 to support this programming.
Amenia’s Spycatcher Play, Amenia Town Hall, Amenia, August 21st-23rd – The Amenia Historical Society will present multiple performances of their original script and first production of Amenia’s Spycatcher, the story of Ephraim Paine. Paine served as a justice of the peace for Amenia, Dutchess County Judge, and delegate to the Continental Congress. At home in eastern Dutchess, he played a crucial role in finding Loyalist Tory spies and securing the ultimate success of the Revolution. This play explores how local residents navigated questions of allegiance, authority, and justice during the Revolutionary War. The Amenia Historical Society received a grant of $15,000 to produce these performances.
Colonial Tavern Experience, The Elmendorph Inn, Red Hook, September 19th – Explore tavern life in the years around the American Revolution at Historic Red Hook’s Elmendorph Inn. This rare surviving Albany Post Road tavern in the Village of Red Hook will debut a hands-on experience featuring reproductions of common items found in taverns, immersive soundscapes to bring the tavern to life, and a talk-back station inviting visitors to reflect on how civic participation looks today in Red Hook. Costumed interpreters in period attire will be on hand and the historic kitchen will be open for a cooking demonstration. Historic Red Hook received a grant of $15,000 to underwrite the exhibit and programming.
Harlem Valley Glimpses Play, Old Drovers Inn, Dover, September 23rd, 5:30 PM – Town of Dover Historian Val LaRobardier brings the long history of eastern Dutchess to life through a series of vignettes based on the experiences of outstanding local residents. Actors will perform dramatic readings of this original script, which explores character ranging from indigenous elder Eunice Mauwee to French General the Marquis de Chastellux. This event will take place in the Preston Barn Catering Hall at Old Drovers Inn. The Dover Historical Society received $7,526 to write and produce this play.
