POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – As the nation prepares to recognize Rev250, the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026; 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. Nineteen local municipal historical societies have been awarded a total of $100,000 in mini-grant funding allocated by the Dutchess County Legislature in the 2025 Dutchess County Budget.
Will Truitt, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature, said, “It’s important for Dutchess County to invest in projects that honor the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. These projects preserve our past and inspire a deeper understanding of the values that shaped our nation and continue to guide our country today. My fellow legislators and I are proud to have supported the funding that will make these events possible.”
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 23 projects, reviewed and recommended by a review committee, comprised of members from the County Executive’s Office, County Legislature, County Clerk’s Office and Dutchess BOCES funding, were awarded mini-grant funding. Projects range from lecture series and presentations to historical re-enactments and open houses at historic sites.
The 2025 Dutchess County Budget also provided funding support to Destination Dutchess for a series of experiential Rev250 community events. These events include this weekend’s RevCon250 on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., a free, family-friendly event at the Franklin D. Roosevelt President Library and Museum in Hyde Park with Revolutionary War reenactors showcasing camp life, uniforms and tactics.
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 Dutchess County Historian William P. Tatum III, this year spotlighting Dutchess County’s role in the 1775 Real Time Revolution. Information about the four upcoming Tavern Trail events as well as other Rev250 events is available on Destination Dutchess’ website.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Rev250, 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.”
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2025 Dutchess County Rev250 Programming Grant-funded programs
Amenia Historical Society, Presentation on the Journal of Cadwallader Colden, Jr: A Tory Seeks Mercy from the Committee of Safety, $1,350 – Researcher and lecturer Jay Campbell, presenting a program on local resident Cadwallader Colden, who was a Loyalist imprisoned in Amenia during the American Revolution. The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. at 2 p.m. at the Amenia Town Hall Auditorium.
Beacon Historical Society, Map of Fishkill Landing & Matteawan in the American Revolution, $4,105 – Create an informative and colorful map identifying the diverse people, gathering places, military operations, artifacts and exhibitions, and other points of interest from the Revolution in the area now covered by the City of Beacon.
Clinton Historical Society, Quaker Meeting House Driving Tour, $5,369 – In collaboration with the Hyde Park, LaGrange, Millbrook, Pawling and Stanford historical societies, the Crum Elbow, Creek, Oblong and Nine Partners meeting houses will host open house events on the first Sunday of each month through November.
Dover Historical Society, Old Upper Road Exhibit, $4,236 – An exhibit launch event featuring the Old Upper Road that will include retractable banners, speakers with a Zoom attendance option, and a magazine-style publication, building on the Town of Dover’s 2024 Rev250 launch event, “Two Letters from George Washington.”
Dutchess County Historical Society, Rev250 Encore Edition, $3,000 – The publication of 300 paper copies and online publication of a Dutchess County Historical Society “Encore Edition,” including articles from previous editions of the Yearbook (dating back to 1914) on the topic of the Revolutionary War and its aftermath in Dutchess County.
Dutchess County Historical Society, Rev250 Traveling Banner Exhibit, $2,700 – This traveling exhibit of two sets of six banners will describe Dutchess County people, places and events within the themes of Rev250: Unfinished Revolution, Power of Place, We the People, American Experiment and Doing History. The banners will also have a permanent place on the DCHS website.
Dutchess County Historical Society, Lafayette’s American Journeys of Freedom performance, $10,000 – This short play depicts the Sept. 16, 1824 visit of Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the Revolution, to Poughkeepsie, connecting Lafayette with local residents and events up to 1865. A live performance will be recorded and edited to create a 20-minute distributed to high-school history teachers and students, accompanied by a teaching aid booklet, and will be available on the DCHS website.
East Fishkill Historical Society, Rombout Colonial Days event, $2,900 – This living history event, held Sept. 27-28 at the Brinckerhoff House Historic Site, is a collaboration between the communities of Beacon, East Fishkill, Fishkill, LaGrange and Wappinger in the former Rombout Precinct explains the state of Dutchess County in 1775 by talks and demonstrations focused on the local inhabitants and their loyalties to the patriot cause or the King of England.
Fishkill Historical Society, Cemetery Crawl brochure, $1,450 – A booklet and a website with information describing the colonial cemeteries in Fishkill, the residents of the time and their history. The tomb stones have unique carvings and sayings. Soldiers of the Revolutionary War and leaders of the Patriots are buried in these cemeteries. The program will be launched in August at the Van Wyck Homestead in Fishkill.
Fishkill Historical Society, The Fateful Hour performance, $6,200 – This play is a re-enactment of the debates in 1788 between Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the New York State Delegation at the Poughkeepsie Court House with live performances for 11th-grade U.S. History students, as well as a recorded version that will be available online.
Historic Red Hook, Rev250 Speakers’ Series, $5,000 – A fall speaker series, running from September to November, at the Elmendorph Inn and available in a hybrid format with five presentations examining the Revolution’s impact on Dutchess County and the evolving cultural landscape of the Hudson Valley before, during and after the war.
Historic Red Hook, Pamphlet on 250+ Years of Engaging Citizens, $5,500 – This pamphlet, sent to every residence in the town of Red Hook, will chart the ways Red Hook residents have organized, advocated, and adapted to claim their rights and build their community through the story of the Elmendorph Inn.
LaGrange Historical Society, Rev 250 Speakers’ Series, $4,469 – Two lectures by Dr. Paul Lockhart highlighting the American Revolution in Dutchess County with a focus on Baron von Steuben and his headquarters at Mount Gulian historic site, free and open to the public on July 23 at 6:30 pm at Mount Gulian in Fishkill and at the LaGrange Library on July 24 at 6 p.m.; both are free and open to the public.
LaGrange Historical Society, Freedom Day event, $4,638 – The July 5 event at Freedom Park features a reading of the Declaration of Independence by a George Washington re-enactor; the winners of the Freedom Day essay contest reading their essays and receiving their awards; the launching of Knox’s Cannonball Run, a virtual mission for fitness enthusiasts to walk along the 1775 Revolutionary War era Henry Knox trail; and a performance by the Young Colonials Fife and Drum Corps playing American Revolutionary songs.
Little Nine Partners Historical Society, Pine Plains: Spirit of the Revolution in a Small, Rural Town, $9,475 – This free event, held at the historic Graham-Brush home on Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature several performances, as well as a re-enactment and encampment by a local history class; cooking demonstrations; tours of the host site and a blacksmith demonstration. Additionally, "Widow's Weeds," a new play in commemoration of the nation's 250th birthday which recounts the compelling true story of a Pine Plains Revolutionary War widow and her 1842 application to claim her husband's pension, will be hosted at the Stissing Center for Arts and Culture at 4 p.m.
Millbrook Historical Society, Quaker Meeting House Exhibit Banners, $5,470 – The creation of four exhibit banners to complement each of the aforementioned Quaker meeting house open houses, highlighting the history of the community’s Quaker population, their role in the abolition and temperance movements, and their contributions to the economic and social life of Dutchess County.
Millbrook Historical Society, Dutchess County Quakers Speakers’ Series, $5,000 – Two lectures on Quaker life in Dutchess County will be presented at the Nine Partners Meeting House in Millbrook: Prof. Sarah Gronningsater will speak on June 29 from 2-3 p.m. on Quakers, Manumission, and Abolition; Prof. Carl Lounsbury will speak on July 27 from 2-3 p.m. on the architecture of the Nine Partners meeting house and how it reflected the local environment.
Pawling Historical Society, Virtual Exhibit: Washington in Pawling, a Quiet yet Crucial Chapter, $9,745 – This immersive project brings to life the history of George Washington's stay in Pawling during the autumn of 1778. By recreating the historical context of Washington's campgrounds, visitors experience the challenges, decisions and pivotal moments of the Revolutionary War through the lens of Dutchess County.
Pleasant Valley Historical Society, How Transportation Transformed the Growth of Pleasant Valley exhibit, $2,349 – An exhibit, scheduled for Aug. 10 at the Mill House Museum, will feature authentic antique cars and gas pump; a working model P&E railroad; a video, “How the Automobile Changed the Hudson Valley: A View Through Postcards;” and a display on the history of Dutchess Turnpike.
Poughkeepsie Public Library District Local History Room, Preparing for Revolution Big Read Project, $2,500 – This program will help fund the Library District’s annual Big Read program this year, which is focused on Rev250, more specifically the lead up to 1776 and the desire for American independence from Great Britain.
Rhinebeck Historical Society, Rhinebeck Walking Tour, $2,478 – This walking tour will identify historic sites within the Village of Rhinebeck, especially those that have some bearing on Rhinebeck's role in the Revolutionary War to educate the public and to create a permanent record of the importance of these sites.
Stanford Historical Society, Rev 250 Speakers’ Series, $1,000 – Two free lectures by Prof. Dillon Streifeneder, held at the Stanford Free Library: The first is scheduled for July 18 and will examine how Revolutionary change occurred in relation to government institutions by looking at Northeastern Dutchess County between 1774 and 1777; the second, scheduled for Sept. 19, will look at how different Stanford looked in 1793 when it became an independent town, paying particular attention to changes in governing institutions and the relationship that inhabitants of the newly elected Town of Stanford had with county and state-level authorities.
Union Vale Historical Society, Rev250 Speaker Series, $1,100 – A presentation at Tymor Park by Prof. Dillon Streifeneder about the revolutionary government in Dutchess and the impact of the Revolution on the home front. The talk will focus on Union Vale’s natural environment - from Clove Spring to Fishkill Creek and the surrounding forests and countryside - shaped Revolutionary War events and informed settlements, migration, economic development and innovation.
