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The Town of Rochester does not have a public library. Rochester residents are welcome to use libraries in Ellenville and Stone Ridge.
The Ellenville Library is housed on Center Street in Ellenville. The library has approximately 400,000 volumes, plus periodicals and audio visual media. They are a member of the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council and have access to this inter-library lending program. Terwilliger House, an elegant turn of the century house functions as a local history museum, with changing displays of products from local industries and books, pictures and documents relating to local history.
Tel: 647-5530
The Stone Ridge Library is tucked into two connecting historic stone houses and offers an on-site inventory of books, tapes, videos, records, periodicals, large print books and a local history collection. The library is a member of the Mid-Hudson Library Association and benefits from an inter-library lending program. As a community center, it features a children’s story hour, an adult lecture series, a Brown Bag Boutique and a community meeting room that features changing exhibitions of local artists’ work. The library publishes a quarterly members’ newsletter that contains library news and book reviews. The annual Library Fair in the spring is a popular fundraising event. There is
an annual fee for Rochester residents to use this library.
Tel: 687-7023
The beginning of the Museum and library of local history and genealogy in the Town of Rochester goes back almost twenty years, when a small group of volunteers banded together to preserve the historic heritage of the Town. Friends of Historic Rochester was incorporated in 1988 and the group began collecting historical data and artifacts at that time.
The Museum and library building, located at 12 Main Street, Accord, NY, is named for two of the original prime movers of Friends who strongly promoted the establishment of a museum for the Town: Percy W. Gazlay and Eleanor S. Rosakranse. In 2005, the Museum acquired the extensive Eleanor Rosakranse Genealogical Research Collection which is comprised of hundreds of books and documents. Mrs. Rosakranse spent nearly fifty years in genealogical research and bequeathed her collection to the Museum upon her death.
Also featured at the Museum is a “picture wall” covered with 8”x10” prints of old-time local postcards and photographs of buildings, people, and events; about 300 pictures so far and we are still soliciting more. We can scan and immediately return the originals to their owners, although we do have originals that were donated directly. Additionally, other items of interest at the Museum include: oral histories recounting the “Old Days and Ways; copies of the Cemetery Book, an inventory of the more than 70 cemeteries in the Town; full sets of The Accordian which has been published quarterly since 1989; numerous volumes on local history; and, notebooks with photographs and written material on many historic assets of the Town – stone, frame and brick houses, barns and other
outbuildings, railroad stations, churches, and one- and two-room schoolhouses.
The Museum is open every Wednesday from 12 noon to 3 p.m. for use by genealogical researchers. A local genealogist with over forty years of research experience is usually present at these times. The library has the Friends computer data bank of tens of thousands of names of genealogical interest which is available during these hours. This data bank is focused directly on the Town of Rochester and Ulster County families, and is a great research tool referencing sources and connections.
The Museum can be opened by appointment at other times. For more information, please call 845-626-7104 or 845-687-9998.
The Little Ones Learning Center is an early literacy program for children from birth to early elementary age. Sponsored by the non-profit organization, Friends of Little Ones Inc., the Little Ones Learning Center is located inside the Rochester Reformed Church at 5142 Route 209, Accord. The program is free; all children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. LOLC provides an educational resource for parents and small children and access to over 2,000 pre-school books. Program hours are Wednesdays 10-12 AM and Saturdays 10-12AM. Program coordinator, Debby Skogman, may be reached at 626-4112.
The Palentown Schoolhouse Museum (circa 1860)
The Palentown Schoolhouse Museum is located on Palentown Road (off of Route3/Samsonville Road, Kerhonkson). A schoolhouse may have been built on this site, as early as the 1830's. A deed dated 1851 refers to the property as Philip's Meadow and leases it to the common school district #10. According to family members, the present building was constructed by Horace Dymond in the mid 1860s on land donated by the family. In September 1988, the schoolhouse was designated a State and National historic landmark. The 300 pound school bell, still remains in place on the roof. The window shutters replicate the design of a shutter found in the woodshed attic.
A small group has formed to protect and care for this historic treasure. The Museum is open for viewing from July to October, on the 2nd and 4th Saturday from 1 - 3 PM. School and group tours can be arranged by appointment. Call 845-626-4281 or 845-626-7628 for additional information.
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