This summer, the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society (RJHS) presents Sites to Celebrate: Local History Revisited, open from Saturday, July 12, from 2–4 PM and running through October 26, 2025.
The exhibition highlights12 historic Roe Jan sites—ranging from familiar landmarks to newly rediscovered places—each with a story of preservation or renewal. Weekend programs include special guided Sunday visits to featured locations. (schedula and registration below)
At the museum (open Saturdays and Sundays, 2–4 PM), visitors will find photographs, documents, and artifacts that illustrate the sites’ history and ongoing importance to our community. Fittingly, RJHS itself is housed in a former Methodist church restored more than 40 years ago.
The show reflects collaboration among the RJHS Board, Copake Historic Preservation Committee, Copake Grange, Copake Iron Works, and many local contributors.
Special site visits (registration required) include the former Bash Bish Inn, Copake Pure Water & Ice Co. Icehouse property, The Copake Union Free School, the Craryville Depot, the Copake Iron Works Historic District, Mill Success, Boston Corner’s Massachussetts State boundary marker, and Historic Hillsdale’s town center. Admission to the museum and tours is free; donations are welcome.
An orientation video, using a “then and now” approach, offers a visual overview of the sites, showing how they’ve evolved and are being repurposed today. It will play continuously at the museum and online at www.roeliffjansenhs.org.
NOTE: SITE VISITS ARE FREE, BUT ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER FOR SITE VISIT. YOU MAY USE THE LINK (BELOW) TO SUBMIT YOUR SITE VISIT CHOICES.
To read all about our next site visit click here
All SITE VISITS ARE AT 2pm UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
Sunday, September 28th - 2 PM
Copake Lake Icehouse Property,
Copake Lake
Ross Mauri
Friday, October 10th - 2 PM
Copake Bicycle Auction, Copake
Copake Bicycle Auction, Copake - 2 PM
Special Tour by Mike Fallon
of the Preview of the Bicycles displayed at
Copake Auction House..
Sunday, October 19 - 2 PM
Historic Hillsdale, NY - including the Hillsdale General Store, Pulver House & Garden, Roe Jan Brewery and Twisted Sisters Coffee House.
Sharon Flitterman-King, Matthew White, Stephanie Sharp and others...
Sunday, October 26 - 2 PM
Gallatin Community Church, Gallatin
Please Note: The Gallatin Church can accommodate a large group for both Church and Revolutionary War period
Cemetery tours next to the church building.
Melissa Curtis
and Louisa Ruby (Gallatin Town Historian)
All SITE VISITS ARE AT 2pm UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
SITE VISITS SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 27 -
Mill Success, Pumpkin Hollow, Taghkanic
Carolyn Wheeler
Sunday, August 3 -
Copake Iron Works Historic Site in Taconic State Park
Edgar Masters. NOTE THIS SITE VISIT IS @ 1PM
Sunday, August 10th - 2 PM
Astor Guest Cottage, West Copake
Ali & Casey Kochey.
Sunday, August 17th - 2 PM
Former Sites of the Bash Bish Inn in Taconic State Park
Jane Peck
Sunday, August 24th - 2 PM
Boston Corner 1731 Survey Marker, Ancram
Jane Peck and others from the Boston Corner Community Organization
Sunday, September 7 - 2 PM
Copake Little School, Copake
Stephanie Sharp
Sunday, September 14 - 2 PM
Sweet-Sherman Homestead & Copake Grange 935, Copake
Catherine Mikic and Janet Mackin
Sunday, September 21 - 2 PM
Craryville Depot Complex &
the Peter Crary House, Craryville
Karl & Lily Skuggevig and Dan Pelosi
To register for one or more of the scheduled site visit-tours, please send an email to roeliffjansenhs.org, and type ‘Site Visit Request’ in the subject line. An RJHS board member should respond by return email within 24 hours. All site visits take place on Sunday afternoons. Most site visits are limited to 15 participants. Please make request not less than three days prior to the event.
HUDSON RIVER BANK & TRUST FUNDS RJHS EXHIBITION CATALOGUE:
RJHS extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Hudson River Bank & Trust for generously funding the production of a vibrant, full-color catalogue for our summer exhibition, *Sites to Celebrate: Local History Revisited*.
This catalogue will not only serve as a stunning visual record of the exhibition but will also provide a comprehensive overview, enriched by insights from our dedicated historic preservation partners.
The catalogue will become available during the run of the exhibit.
Sites to Celebrate: Local History Revisited – the Exhibition, and now - The Video!
Produced by the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society (RJHS), this 37-minute video is a fascinating introduction to our 2025 summer exhibition, Sites to Celebrate: Local History Revisited. The exhibition highlights over a dozen historic preservation and adaptive reuse efforts across the Roe Jan region.
Created in partnership with the Copake Historic Preservation Committee, Historic Hillsdale, the Copake Grange, and other community groups, the project reflects a shared commitment to preserving the region’s rich architectural and cultural heritage.
Featuring original documents, vintage photographs, rare artifacts, and recently unearthed tools, the exhibition brings local history vividly to life. Informative panels and multimedia displays—including this orientation video—explore each featured site and its broader historical significance.
Many of the sites shown in the video are included in our guided site visit tours, offered on select Sundays throughout the summer. For the full schedule and to register, go to RoeliffJansenHS.org, or see our profile.
The museum exhibition extends to Oct. 26th, Saturdays & Sunday 2 to 4 pm
The RJHS - 8 miles Road,
Copake Falls, NY