2022 Community Guide

Welcome 04

Chamber Foundation 05

Life in Columbia County 08

Map of Columbia County 16

Our Villages & Municipalities 18

Transportation 22

Health Care 26

History & Heritage 30

Education 36

Real Estate 44

Economy 45

Recreation 50

Arts and Theater 54

Local Food & Agriculture 58

Shopping, Dining & Lodging 68

Weddings 74

Year-Round in Columbia County 78

Member Benefits 82

Membership List 87

Distributed by:

Columbia County Chamber of Commerce

1 North Front Street, Hudson, NY 12534

Tel: (518) 828-4417 • Fax: (518) 822-9539

mail@columbiachamber-ny.com

www.columbiachamber-ny.com

William Gerlach
President & CEO

Amy M. Kneller
Office Manager

Debbye Byrum
Membership Director

Mark Fingar
Board Chair

Photography:
Dan Region
Susan Lynch Smith

Zach Neven: Artist, Photographer & Painter

Wedding Section Photos:
Molinski Photography

Photo Art by Ken Bovat

This is a MetroMedia, A Town Square Publications
Company, publication created and produced for the
Columbia County Chamber of Commerce

Copyright © 2022 MetroMedia, a company of
Town Square Publications, LLC. 14300 Kenneth Rd.,
Ste. 210 Leawood, KS 66224
913-951-8413 | www.MetroMediaPublishers.com

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication. The Chamber and MetroMedia assume no responsibility for misinformation. Please contact the Chamber with any additions or corrections. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the Chamber and MetroMedia is prohibited.

Managing Director | David Small

Director of Production | Ryan Moore

Pre-Production Manager | Stefanie Nugara

Graphic Designer | Mike Nickells

Sales Executive | Josh Rose

Live, Work, Play, Stay

Live, work, play, stay and start a business in Columbia County

Welcome to Columbia County Chamber of Commerce! We all have had our share of personal and professional challenges over the past several months, but we are back and more optimistic than ever.

It has been confirmed over these past few months that Columbia County is a great place to live, work, play and have a business. A recent NY Times article showed with statistics released by the United States Postal Service that Hudson’s zip code was the busiest forwarding zip code in the country during the Covid period.

With many new people moving to and visiting Columbia County the Chamber serves as a great navigator and resource for them to find the products and services that they need for their personal life and businesses. Please use this Chamber Community Guide and Business Directory as your gateway to Columbia County.

Mark Fingar

Board Chair

The primary purpose of the Columbia County Chamber Foundation is to support community efforts in education, workforce preparedness, economic and workforce development, and other programs that support the growth of our county.

In addition, the Chamber’s Leadership Columbia-Greene County program is supported by the foundation. The Columbia County Chamber Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation under section 501(c)(3) affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, a 501(c)(6). The foundation has its own Board of Directors and Mission Statement.

SESSION 1

TWO-DAY RETREAT

SEPTEMBER

The opening retreat is a two-day retreat that will allow participants to escape the day-to-day pressures of work and focus on personal and professional growth.

SESSION 2

AGRICULTURAL & TOURISM

OCTOBER

Columbia and Greene Counties have long had an economic focus on agriculture and tourism, both of which are major sources of outside investment and expenditure in our region.

SESSION 3

SITE TOURS OF LEADING COLUMBIA AND GREENE COUNTY BUSINESSES

NOVEMBER

A guided coach bus trip stopping at several local businesses for tours and the opportunity to network with local leaders that are the fabric of the business community.

SESSION 4

ARTS, HISTORY & CREATIVE ECONOMY PANEL

DECEMBER

This session will show how the arts, local history and creative economy play an important role in building and sustaining cultural and economic vibrance in our communities, and have regional and national significance.

SESSION 5

HEALTH & WELLNESS; LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES AND INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING

JANUARY

The day will consist of a panel of professionals in the Health & Wellness field that will broaden your knowledge of what is available in our counties.

SESSION 6

GOVERNMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MOCK PLANNING BOARD MEETING

FEBRUARY

The mock planning board meeting allows participants to take on the roles of planning board members, presenters to the planning board and town residents to learn how a municipal meeting operates, from presenting a proposal to the planning board to the board’s decision-making process.

SESSION 7

EDUCATION & PUBLIC SPEECHES

MARCH

A panel presentation by local educational professionals will address the scope and variety of educational offerings available in the twin counties, along with current trends, opportunities and challenges facing educators.

SESSION 8

COMMUNITY AWARENESS DAY

APRIL

This session will provide the opportunity to learn about the large variety of nonprofit organizations that exist in Columbia and Greene counties.

SESSION 9

HANDS-ON COMMUNITY PROJECT

MAY

Spend a day helping a nonprofit organization from Columbia or Greene County with projects.

SESSION 10

ADVANCED LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND CLASS GRADUATION

JUNE

This session ties together the many leadership theories learned in the past nine sessions and prepares Leadership Graduates to put them in action.

20 Largest

Member Employers based
in Columbia County

1. AAF International

Manufacturing - American made AC filters

2. A. Colarusso & Son

 Sand, gravel, crushed stone and black top construction

3. ADM Milling Company

Flour Mill

4. COARC

Nonprofit organization providing services to individuals with disabilities

5. Columbia-Greene Community College

Comprehensive two year college

6. Columbia Memorial Health

General medical, surgical and extended care

7. Ed Herrington, Inc.

Lumber and building materials

8. Etsy

Global online marketplace

9. Germantown Central School

Public school

10. Ginsberg’s Foods, Inc.

Full line food service, distributor

11. Hawthorne Valley Association

K-12 school and farm

12. Hudson City School District

Public school

13. Peterson Geller Spurge, Inc.

High-end architectural millwork for commercial properties

14. Pine Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Skilled nursing & rehabilitation center

15. Questar III

Provides statewide services to more than 640 school districts in New York

16. Richmor Aviation, Inc.

Aircraft charter and management, flight lessons, scenic flights

17. Sonoco-Plastics

Injection molding of plastics

18. Taconic Hills Central School District

Public school

19. Wal-Mart, Inc.

Discount department store

20. Ghent Rehabilitation & Nursing Center

Rehabilitation, skilled nursing and assisted living

Life in Columbia County

10 Reasons

to Move to Columbia County

1 Cost effective — lower overhead for businesses and offers real value in homes

2 Large pool of educated, trained workers

3 Strong school systems

4 Lifestyle balance

5 Strong sense of community

6 Access to excellent medical care

7 Year-round scenic beauty

8 Accessible to major cities

9 Farm-fresh, local and gourmet fare

10 Year-round arts, outdoor adventure and lively, engaged communities

Life is good here. Business is even better.

Columbia County

The many charms of life in Columbia County are easy to see. When people first discover this breathtakingly beautiful region, spectacular vistas emerge at every twist and turn of our meandering country roads. It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Columbia County, too. Four seasons of delightful activities and sights, with something for every taste, beckon around every corner. History, the arts, outdoor adventure, get-away-from-it-all simple pleasures. Farm-fresh food and culinary delights, antiques, boutiques and bookstores abound.

But what is not so apparent, at first glance anyway, is a vibrant and growing business community, with large companies and small, each afforded every opportunity and resource to thrive.

Columbia County is home to successful businesses of all sizes. From industrial, to service and agriculture, antiques, art galleries, the economy here shows signs of growth even in a challenging time for businesses across the country.

Why is Columbia County such a boon for businesses? Just ask the business owners: Husband and wife team, Doris & Conrad Cultraro own two different businesses that they opened in the Columbia County area.

“We selected each location because it was conducive to the businesses we operate. At A Collector’s Eye on Warren Street, we found the historic appeal of Hudson thriving with an upscale clientele eager to enjoy the vast offerings of the antique shops, galleries, entertainment and restaurants. It was perfect for our shop. DC Studio Stained Glass in Germantown is housed in a building that offers the best of both worlds: lots of creative artist/studio space with privacy and convenient, easy access from all major thoroughfares for clients and visitors. Columbia County provided the city appeal and country living style we wanted for our businesses and residential relocation.”

Visitors to our county frequently become weekend guests and then permanent residents, so enthralled are they with the scenic beauty, convenient location (35 minutes to the state capital, three hours to Boston, two hours to NYC) and access to a plethora of cultural and recreational activities.

People come to Columbia County to “get away from it all” but also find they can have it all while they are here.

Bordered on either side by the Berkshire and Catskill mountain ranges and the Hudson River, Columbia County offers a pleasant retreat where each of the four seasons bring forth more activities and new sights to enjoy.

Columbia County’s 636 square miles (407,000 acres) are home to an eclectic mix — 12.5 square miles of lakes, ponds and streams ideal for fishing, boating and swimming; elevations ranging from sea level to more than 2,000 feet, perfect for cross country skiing as well as hiking and horseback riding; and nearly 200,000 acres of farmland where animals from alpacas to cattle are raised and foodstuff of every variety is grown.

Convenient access to transportation draws people to our county as well. Amtrak trains stop at the historic railway station in Hudson, the county seat, and both the Taconic Parkway and New York State Thruway connect to the county at several locations. Airports and bus lines are a short drive north and south, and the county’ airport’s fixed-base operator offers private flights in small planes and corporate jets.

The county’s diverse mix of people mean there are many ways to become involved in the community. Local libraries in nearly every town are frequently the center of activity, offering summer reading programs, visits by authors of local and national renown, films, internet access and numerous activities for children and adults, plus plenty of reading and audiovisual materials easily accessible through an interlibrary loan program.

Columbia County residents are, as a whole, active, engaged and community minded. Community service clubs such as the Lions, Elks and Rotary are active throughout the county, welcoming new members and offering a great way to meet people. Veterans groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts; agricultural groups like 4-H, garden clubs and granges; senior citizens clubs; and historical societies gather regularly in nearly every Columbia County town, and many sponsor annual events that draw people from far and wide. Sportsmen’s associations, boating clubs and car clubs offer another way for people with common interests to gather.

Nonprofit organizations help our community and provide plenty of volunteer opportunities. National groups with local chapters include the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Cooperative Extension, League of Women Voters, Hudson Pride Foundation and NAACP. The village of Valatie is home to the Santa Claus Club, the first in the nation, which along with several other organizations provides holiday gifts to the needy.

Specialized local organizations like the Columbia Land Conservancy, Albany-Hudson Electric Trail and Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association promote outdoor recreation and preservation of our natural resources. All of the performing arts are represented within our county, and their organizations also welcome new members and volunteers.

Diversity describes Columbia County’s religious offerings as well. The county is home to two synagogues and about 70 churches representing every denomination, and include Quakers, Buddhists, Mormons, Eastern Orthodox, Jehovah’s Witness and more. Whether you prefer an intimate country church or a larger setting, you’ll find a host of choices here.

A dramatic blend of nature, history and culture, Columbia County is being discovered by a wide variety of businesses as the perfect place to thrive.

The county is governed by a 23-member Board of Supervisors, comprised of one representative from each town and the five wards of the City of Hudson. Supervisors are elected to two- or four-year terms in odd numbered years.

Individual towns are governed by the supervisors and four towns are governed by the supervisors and four town board members. The county’s four villages — Philmont, Valatie, Chatham and Kinderhook — are governed by mayors, elected every two years, along with four-member boards of trustees.

Property taxes are levied by the county, each municipality and the local school district decide whether or not to pass the budget offered by the elected school board on a yearly basis.

Columbia County levies a 4 % sales tax on top of New York State’s 4 %, for a total of 8 %. The mortgage recording tax is 1.25 %.

There are AM and FM radio stations broadcasting from within or near Hudson: WRWD (106.9 FM &1230 AM) Country, WCTW (98.5 FM) Hot Adult Contemporary, WZCR (93.5 FM) Oldies, WGXC (90.7 FM) Community Radio with “citizen journalism”, WDST (100.1 FM) Alternative and Public Radio stations WMHT (89.1 FM) WAMC (90.3 FM & 97.1 FM) serve Columbia County.

Municipal water and sewer systems serve most residents in the City of Hudson, the county’s four villages and parts of Greenport, Germantown, Stockport and Hillsdale. Elsewhere, homes utilize drilled wells and individual septic systems regulated by the county’s department of health.

Three telephone companies: Consolidated Communications, G-Tel and Verizon, with cell phone and wireless internet offered by most major carriers, depending upon location. Cable television is offered by Consolidated, Time Warner, Charter Communication, Mid-Hudson Cablevision and G-Tel, plus major satellite television companies offer service in most areas.

Electric service is provided by three power
companies depending on your location: Central Hudson
(845) 452-2700, National Grid (800) 642-4272, NYSEG (800) 572-1111.

Emergency services are coordinated by a countywide 911 system that dispatches emergency medical, fire and police services. Columbia County is served by seven rescue squads with both paid and volunteer personnel. Fire protection is provided by 31 volunteer fire companies and most fire companies also have trained emergency first responders. Fire companies are also actively involved in the community and frequently host fundraising dinners and other events that provide social outlets.

Police coverage is provided countywide by the New York State Police, who have barracks in the southern end of the county in Livingston and outposts in Kinderhook (mid-county) and New Lebanon (northern end). The Columbia County Sheriff’s Department also provides 24/7 police patrols throughout the county with their main office in Hudson and a sub-station in Hillsdale. In addition, the City of Hudson and Chatham Village have their own 24/7 police forces. Philmont, Copake, Germantown, Greenport and Stockport employ part-time police.

Residents and businesses take their solid waste to any of the county-run transfer stations, where waste is then trucked to landfills outside the county. Disposing of household garbage, you must purchase official Columbia County waste tag to dispose of your garbage at the Solid Waste stations. These tags may be purchased at any of our stations by check or money order only, made payable to The Columbia County Treasurer; larger items can be disposed of using a pre-purchased punch card.

Punch cards can be purchased at the transfer stations or from the county clerk and town clerks during business hours. Larger loads are accepted at the Greenport Transfer Station. Recyclables (plastic #1 and #2, clear and colored glass, newspapers, cardboard, paper, aluminum cans) are accepted at transfer stations free of charge. Residential and business customers can opt to contract with private waste haulers for curbside collection. Town of Canaan residents Transfer Station Permit Stickers for Canaan Residents only are available at the town hall. The villages provide curbside pickup.

Cheat Sheet

Transfer Locations and Hours

www.columbiacountyny.com/depts./solidwaste/station.html

(Please note that holidays affect station hours.)

452 Route 295/ Chatham, New York 12037

(518) 392-2222

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

768 County Route 7A / Copake, NY 12526

(518) 329-2151

Wednesday and Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

2180 Route 82 / Gallatin, NY 12502

(518) 329-4846

Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

65 Palatine Road / Germantown, NY 12526

(518) 537-5641

Wednesday 7:30 – 11:45 a.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

51 Newman Road / Hudson, NY 12534

(518) 828-1442

Monday – Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Scale closes at 3 p.m.

65 Holm Road / Hillsdale, NY 12529

(518) 325 3844

Wednesday 7:30 – 11:45 a.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

2468 Route 9H / Kinderhook, NY 12106

(518) 758-7562

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

366 County Route 19 / Livingston, NY 12541

(518) 537-6301

Tuesday 7:30 – 11:45 a.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

22 Rt. 5A (West Street) / New Lebanon, NY 12125

Wednesday and Saturday 8 – 11:45 a.m.

10 Reasons to love Columbia County

1 Beautiful, scenic vistas

2 Thriving arts scene

3 Four season activities

4 Farm Stands, Farmers’ Markets and locally grown food

5 Beautiful country roads

6 Friendly people who value community

7 Far from the bustling city but close enough
to visit

8 Idyllic place to raise children

9 Diverse community of people

10 Rich history

Our Villages and Municipalities

Our Villages and Municipalities

www.cityofhudson.org

POPULATION 6,235

SIZE 2.3 square miles

SCHOOL DISTRICT Hudson City

TOWN HALL 520 Warren Street,
518-828-1030

CITY CLERK Tracy Delaney

MAYOR Kamal Johnson

COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT Tom DePietro

1st Ward Claire Cousins

2nd Ward Abdus Miah

3rd Ward Michael Chameides

4th Ward Linda Mussmann

5th Ward Richard Scalera

LIBRARY Hudson Area Library,
51 N. 5th St.; 518-828-1792

www.townofancram.org

POPULATION 1,489

SIZE 42.8 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 595

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills,
Germantown, Pine Plains, Webutuck

TOWN HALL 1416 County Rte. 7;

518-329-6512

TOWN CLERK Monica Cleveland

SUPERVISOR Art Bassin

LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen Community Library,
9091 Rte. 22; 518-325-4101

www.austerlitzny.com

POPULATION 1,591

SIZE 48.8 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 620

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills and Chatham

TOWN HALL 816 Rte. 203;
Spencertown; 518-392-3260

TOWN CLERK Susan Haag

SUPERVISOR Robert Lagonia

www.canaannewyork.org

POPULATION 1,820

SIZE 36.7 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 643

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham and

TOWN HALL 1647 County Rte. 5;
515-781-3144

TOWN CLERK Josh Weisbuch

SUPERVISOR Brenda Adams

LIBRARY Canaan Public Library,
1647 County Route 5; 518-781-3392

www.chathamnewyork.us

POPULATION 3,852

SIZE 53.5 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 1,762

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham,
Ichabod Crane and New Lebanon

TOWN HALL 488 Route 295,
Chatham; 518-392-1655

TOWN CLERK Beth Anne Rippel

SUPERVISOR Donal Collins

LIBRARY Chatham Public Library,
11 Woodbridge Ave.; 518-392-3666

www.townofclaverack.com

POPULATION 5,676

SIZE 47.9 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 2,485

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills,
Hudson City

TOWN HALL 91 Church St.,
Mellenville; 518-672-7911

TOWN CLERK Mary Hoose

SUPERVISOR Clifford “Kippy” Weigelt

LIBRARY Claverack Library,
629 Route 23B; 518-851-7120

www.clermontny.org

POPLULATION 1,873

SIZE 19.2 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 593

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Germantown,
Pine Plains and Red Hook

TOWN HALL 1795 Rte. 9;
518-537-6868

TOWN CLERK Tracey Gallant

SUPERVISOR Raymond Staats

www.townofcopake.org

POPULATION 3,419

SIZE 42 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 1,280

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills

TOWN HALL 230 Mt. View Rd.;
518-329-1234

TOWN CLERK Lynn Connolly

SUPERVISOR Jeanne Mettler

LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen
Community Library,
9091 Route 22; 518-325-4101

www.gallatin.yourtownhub.com

POPULATION 1,595

SIZE 39.6 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 609

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills,
Pine Plains and Germantown

TOWN HALL 667 Rte. 7; 518-398-7519

TOWN CLERK Lisa DeLeeuw

SUPERVISOR John Reilly

www.germantownny.org

POPULATION 1,840

SIZE 13.9 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 831

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Germantown

TOWN HALL 50 Palatine Park Rd.;
518-537-6687

TOWN CLERK Joyce Vale

SUPERVISOR David Helsley

LIBRARY Germantown Library, 31
Palatine Park Rd.; 518-537-5800

www.townofghent.org

POPULATION 5,106

SIZE 45.4 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 2,020

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham, Taconic Hills, Ichabod Crane and Hudson

TOWN HALL 2306 State Rte. 66;
518-392-4644

TOWN CLERK Michelle Radley

SUPERVISOR Craig Simmons

www.townofgreenport.com

POPULATION 4,180

SIZE 20.5 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 1,777

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson

TOWN HALL 600 Town Hall Dr.,
Hudson; 518-828-4656

TOWN CLERK Sharon Zempko

SUPERVISOR Kathleen Eldridge

www.hillsdaleny.com

POPULATION 1,810

SIZE 47.8 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 721

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills

TOWN HALL 2609 State Rt. 23;
518-325-5073

TOWN CLERK Kathi Doolan

SUPERVISOR Christian Kersten

LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen

Community Library, 9091 Rte.

22; 518-325-4101

www.kinderhook-ny.gov

POPULATION 8,215

SIZE 32.4 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 3,165

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod

Crane and Chatham

TOWN HALL 3211 Church Street,

Valatie; 518-784-2233

TOWN CLERK Kim Pinkowski

SUPERVISOR Tim Ooms

LIBRARY Kinderhook Memorial

Library, 18 Hudson St.; 518-758-6192

www.livingstontown.com

POPULATION 3,473

SIZE 38.9 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 1,332

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson, Germantown,
Taconic Hills, Pine Plains, Red Hook

TOWN HALL 119 County Rte. 19;

518-851-9441

TOWN CLERK Tammy Molinski

SUPERVISOR James Guzzi

LIBRARY Livingston Free Library

90 County Route 19; 518-851-2270

www.townofnewlebanon.com

POPULATION 2,172

SIZE 36 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 983

SCHOOL DISTRICTS New Lebanon and Chatham

TOWN HALL 14755 Rte. 22;

518-794-8888

TOWN CLERK Marcie Robertson

SUPERVISOR Tistrya Houghtling

LIBRARY New Lebanon Library,

550 State Rte. 20; 518-794-8844

www.townofstockport.com

POPULATION 2,636

SIZE 13.2 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 1,116

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson and

Ichabod Crane

TOWN HALL 2787 Atlantic Ave.;

518-828-9389

TOWN CLERK Sandra Novak

SUPERVISOR Matt Murell

LIBRARY Hudson Area Association

Library, 51 N. 5th St., Hudson;

518-828-1792

www.stuyvesantny.us

POPULATION 1,873

SIZE 26.7 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 852

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod

Crane and Schodack

TOWN HALL 5 Sunset Dr.;

518-758-6248

TOWN CLERK Melissa Naegeli

SUPERVISOR Ron Knott

www.taghkanic.org

POPULATION 1,267

SIZE 40.2 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 461

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills,

Hudson and Germantown

TOWN HALL 909 Rte. 82;

518-851-7638

TOWN CLERK Cheryl Rogers

SUPERVISOR Ryan Skoda

www.villageofchatham.com

POPULATION 1,635

SIZE 1.2 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 742

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham

VILLAGE HALL 77 Main St;

518-392-5821

VILLAGE CLERK Desiree Kelleher

MAYOR John Howe

LIBRARY Chatham Public Library,

11 Woodbridge Ave.; 518-392-3666

www.villageofkinderhook.org

POPULATION 1,275

SIZE 1.9 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 546

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane

VILLAGE HALL 6 Chatham St.;

518-758-9882

VILLAGE CLERK Nicole Heeder

MAYOR Dale R. Leiser

LIBRARY Kinderhook Memorial

Library, 18 Hudson St.; 518-758-6192

www.philmont.org

POPULATION 1,480

SIZE 1.2 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 576

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills

VILLAGE HALL 124 Main Street;

518-672-7032

VILLAGE CLERK Patricia DeLong

MAYOR Brian Johnson

LIBRARY Philmont Public Library,

101 Main St.; 518-672-5010

www.valatievillage.com

POPULATION 1,712

SIZE 1.3 square miles

HOUSEHOLDS 84

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane

VILLAGE HALL 3211 Church Street,
Valatie; 518-758-9806

VILLAGE CLERK Barbara Fischer

MAYOR Frank Bevens

LIBRARY Valatie Free Library,
1036 Kinderhook St.; 518-758-9321

Transportation

Getting there is easy. Coming home is a pleasure.

Traveling along the 1,400 miles of public roads criss-crossing Columbia County, as well as making your way in and out of the county, is simple thanks to a multitude of convenient transportation choices.

The Taconic State Parkway runs north and south along the eastern edge of the county, offering an approximately two-hour (and truck-less) route into New York City. The northern end of the Taconic Parkway connects to the Berkshires Spur I-90 — head east and you can make Boston in about three hours, or head northwest to nearby Albany, only 30 minutes or so.

The western end of the county is only a few minutes’ drive from connections to the New York State Thruway, a quick trip across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge near Hudson connects you to the Catskill exit; travelers at the northern end can hop on the Thruway near the I-90 and the Berkshire Spur intersection.

The county’s mixture of paved, dirt and gravel roads are well maintained by local road crews, and plowed frequently during the winter. Some say we have the best country roads in America. Our picturesque roads are equally popular with walkers, runners, bicyclists and motorists.

There is a selection of taxi, car service, bus and limousine companies. Countryside Car Service specializes in arranging personal, corporate and event transportation. Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Greenport offers services and there are several truck rental locations in the county. See Transportation on page 111.

Amtrak provides passenger service from Hudson south to New York City’s Penn Station and north to Albany, Montreal and Chicago. Four different train routes travel through Hudson, each stopping there at least twice a day. The station is located at 69 South Front Street, Hudson. Ticketing information can be found at www.amtrak.com.

Metro North provides commuter service to Grand Central Station from the Wassaic station in Dutchess County and Poughkeepsie, both less than an hour’s drive away.

The Columbia County airport, located near the center of the county, has a fixed-base operator that has offered private air transportation for over 50 years, in aircraft ranging from small prop planes to Gulfstream jets. Richmor Aviation offers charter service to national and international locations, flying instruction, sightseeing flights and hangar storage.

Two private, grass airstrips elsewhere in the county offer recreational opportunities and fly-ins, and hot air ballooning is a popular pastime as well.

Commercial air travel with most major airlines is offered at the Albany International Airport, a 45-minute drive — or at the newly remodeled Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, the White Plains/Westchester County Airport and Bradley International Airport in Hartford, all less than two hours away.

The Columbia County Public Transportation System is provided on behalf of the county, by Johnston Transportation. For a schedule, go to www.columbiacountyny.com and click on Transportation. The county’s Office for the Aging provides transportation services for people age 60 and older between rural areas and Hudson/Greenport. Limited daily bus service between Hudson and Albany makes stops in between at Greenport, Kinderhook and Valatie.

A riverfront park near the Hudson railroad station provides dockage for barges and small cruise vessels, and the Hudson waterfront is in the midst of a longterm development project. A park with gazebo and public restrooms already exist at the site.

Health Care in Columbia County

Taking Care,
Keeping Healthy

Columbia Memorial Health

Hudson City Hospital was incorporated in 1889, opening with six beds, a fracture table and 10 physicians on staff. The hospital was treating approximately 75 patients a year by 1896. Currently Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) is the community’s hospital and healthcare network. Serving more than 100,000 residents in Columbia, Greene and Dutchess counties, CMH focuses on primary care, health education and advanced surgery. We are a multi-campus healthcare system including a 192-bed acute care hospital and 40 outlying primary and specialty care centers. CMH employs approximately 1,500 passionate professionals. We are a team, dedicated to providing a compassionate approach to health care while utilizing state of the art technology. In addition, we share a great quality of life in the scenic and culturally rich Hudson Valley.

Since January 2016, Columbia Memorial Health has been an affiliate of the Albany Med health system — a collaboration that provides significant benefits for both hospitals and the communities we serve. As of 2017, that collaboration has expanded to include Saratoga Hospital as an affiliated organization.

Best of Both Worlds:

Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Health and Saratoga Hospital are transforming the way health care is delivered in Northeastern New York by creating the region’s only integrated, locally governed health system. We are taking three hospitals, with proud traditions of serving their communities for over a century, and building a strong, diverse system that will sustain those traditions for generations to come.

Our affiliation recognizes and capitalizes on the strengths of each hospital, including its extraordinary role in its home community. At the same time, the affiliation makes Albany Med’s advanced care readily available to patients from the Mid-Hudson Region to the North Country. In essence, patients get the best of both worlds: community-based care from physicians they know and trust, plus easy access to highly specialized services via the region’s only academic health sciences center.

Hospice and Elder Care

CMH also has two off-site Rapid Care locations: Valatie, NY at 2827 Route 9 and Copake, NY at 283 Mountain View Road. Also in the area is WellNow Urgent Care located at 446 Fairview Ave., Suite 200 in Hudson, NY.

The Community Hospice of Columbia Greene
(www.communityhospice.org) operates a comprehensive palliative care program for patients and their families. The services include nursing, home health aides, counseling, bereavement, volunteers, pharmacy and medical equipment. Anyone in need is eligible for hospice care. Angel Home Health Care in Germantown and Visiting Nurses Home Care in Catskill provide in-home care for the sick and disabled.

Columbia County Community Healthcare Consortium (www.columbiahealthnet.org) is a rural health care network dedicated to improving the quality of health care in our area through information and education. They provide referral services, no-cost medical transportation for county residents, and program support for health related member activities. HRH Care the Health Center at Hudson (HRH Care), is a not-for-profit, NY State licensed, federally qualified health center providing the highest quality comprehensive primary, preventative, dental, care management to all those who seek it, regardless of the ability to pay. Ghent Rehabilitation and Nursing Center is a rehabilitation, skilled nursing and assisted living facility. Livingston Hills Nursing & Rehabilitation Center offers sub-acute, short-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing care in a beautiful campus setting. Pine Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (www.PineHavenCareCenter.com). Pine Haven is a 120-bed sub-acute nursing facility located in Philmont, NY, that offers a full continuum of care, from short-term rehabilitation, to long-term nursing care, as well as a broad array of specialty programs.

Columbia County offers numerous options for senior care and housing options. a complete list can be found in the Buyer’s Guide, beginning on page 96 of this guide, and also on our web site, www.columbiachamber-ny.com. Click the “Find a Business” link.

Alternative Medicine and Wellness

Along with conventional approaches to health care, Columbia County has an abundance of alternative healing methods available. Many good chiropractors call Columbia County home, as well as therapists who specialize in different aspects of your mental well-being. Whether you’re just under too much stress or battling an addiction, we have many certified psychologists and psychotherapists throughout the county.

We have studios that offer relaxing massage, pilates, and yoga as well as doctors trained in acupuncture and chiropractic care.

Pet Care in Columbia County

When it comes to health care, not only does Columbia County have a hospital for humans and doctors in all specialties within its borders, we also have plenty of businesses where caring for creatures of the four-legged variety is priority. More than a half dozen veterinarians operate here. There are small animal hospitals where surgery can be performed on-site, as well as doctors who travel to take care of larger animals like horses living on many horse farms. The Columbia-Greene Humane Society takes in abused and abandoned animals plus adopts animals into loving homes. Several equine advocate agencies within the county take in abused horses. Farrier services, groomers, pet supply stores and even a dog park in Hudson round out the list of ways animals’ needs are met. See “Animal Care” on page 96 and “Pet Services/Supplies” on page 108.

Columbia County History & Heritage

County’s History Goes Back More Than Four Centuries

Columbia County’s documented history dates back to Native American times, and our area is rich with ways to view and celebrate the diverse peoples who came to call Columbia County their home. Hendrick Hudson was the first European to explore the area when an accident to his vessel, the Half Moon, forced him to come ashore at what is now Stuyvesant Landing. A lively trade with the native Mohican Indians quickly took hold, and early settlers began to colonize the region by 1612.

When counties were established in the Province of New York in 1683, the present-day Columbia County was part of Albany County, a vast parcel that included northern New York State and present-day Vermont. Over time, Albany County was reduced in size and finally, in 1786, Columbia County was split off from what remained.

Historic Venues

Local museums and historical sites, as well as active historical societies in many communities, provide a wealth of easily accessible information and hands-on ways to experience our history. The county’s historic homes and churches represent a variety of architectural styles spanning centuries. The Columbia County Historical Society operates a museum in Kinderhook and three historic sites — the 1737 Luykas Van Alen House, the c1820 James Vanderpoel House and the Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse (circa 1850). The U.S. Park Service’s Martin Van Buren National Historic Site pays homage to our eighth president. Visitors can tour his recently refurbished home or hike the surrounding trail system.

The Shaker Museum and Library in Old Chatham owns the most extensive collection of Shaker artifacts in the country.

The Friends of Clermont run a variety of events throughout the year at the Clermont State Historic Site, and historical societies in Austerlitz, Canaan and the Village of Chatham are also active year-round. Olana State Historic Site, the Persian-style home of famed Hudson River artist Frederic Church, is a popular tourist destination offering stunning views of the river valley. Historical markers denoting memorable moments in local history dot the countryside, and the villages of Valatie and Chatham and the city of Hudson offer self-guided historical walking tours.

The FASNY Museum of Firefighting is the home of the premiere collection of American firefighting artifacts in the world. They are located on the grounds of the Fireman’s Home in Hudson. It is a place where visitors can explore, discover and learn.

Communities Rich in History

The City of Hudson, chartered in 1785, was the first planned city in the United States. In the 19th century, Hudson was a thriving center of the American whaling industry. As the railroad replaced water transportation, the city became a general manufacturing and retail center. Over the last decade, Hudson has reinvented itself as a retail and tourist center.

Ancram, originally part of Gallatin, was founded in 1803. The name is derived from the Livingston homestead in Anchoram, Scotland, where Robert Livingston, one of the first European settlers here, was born. Ironworks on the Roeliff Jansen Creek were the first of their kind in the state, and manufactured ammunition for the Battle of Saratoga. In the 1800s, a paper mill replaced the ironworks and the operation remains the longest continuously operating mill in the state.

Founded in the 1750s, Austerlitz is a small town along the Taconic Mountain Range bordering Massachusetts, favored for its scenic vistas and low population density. Early settlers served in the Revolutionary War. Streams gave rise to industries such as farming, raising sheep and mills. Saw mills, grist mills, wool carding, and making cider, shingles and planes enabled early settlers to make a living. Vestiges of early gravesites and historic buildings remain. Canaan, another town abutting the state line, is nestled at the foot of the Berkshire Mountains, and also boasts picturesque vistas. Home to the popular Queechy Lake, Canaan was founded by settlers from Canaan, Connecticut, in 1759 and was once a stop along the Boston & Albany Railroad. Canaan is home to several historic cemeteries and churches, and town history is well documented by local historians.

Chatham (pronounced chat-am) includes most of the Village of Chatham, once an important rail junction and now home to leading plastics manufacturer Sonoco Plastics, plus downtown shops and restaurants that make it a regional destination. Chatham Village was originally named Groats Corners, after one of its most prominent citizens. The Town of Chatham includes four other hamlets, each with a distinctive history — Old Chatham, East Chatham, Chatham Center and North Chatham.

Claverack was originally part of the lower region of Van Rensselaer Manor, and became a township in 1788. Among the early settlers were the Palatines, who had moved inland from Livingston Manor. Their names can still be found among the town’s current residents. Several examples of Dutch colonial architecture survive, too, including the Reformed Dutch Church (1767).

Clermont, located at the southwest corner of the county, comprises 11,000 acres containing farmland, country places and two hamlets. Situated on the east bank of the Hudson River, immediately opposite the Catskill Mountains, the town offers amazing views. The town is noted for its agricultural products and fruits — pears, apples, plums, blueberries and grapes.

Copake was one of the county’s first settlements. Copake Iron Works was the site of iron mining throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The New York and Harlem Railroad came through in 1852. The town has been a vacation home since before WWII, with Copake Lake and its environs being a popular destination.

East of Livingston and South of Taghkanic lies Gallatin, which describes itself as “a Great Little Town.” Gallatin has no post office, no stores and five telephone exchanges, and residents like it that way.

Along the river south of Livingston is Germantown, named for the Palatine refugees from the Rhineland who settled there in 1710. Palatine Park pays homage to the early settlers and provides recreational facilities and a host of other amenities. The town is mostly residential and agricultural, with views of the Catskill Mountains and public access to the Hudson River.

Named for the town in Holland, Ghent (the “h” is silent) was settled by farming immigrants from the Palatine area of Germany. The town is still home to thousands of acres of farmland, including a world-class angus spread, a winery and even a grass strip airport.

Wrapped around Hudson is the town of Greenport, at once a bedroom suburb, major retail center and patchwork of fruit farms. Greenport is also home to Columbia-Greene Community College. A large town park and conservation areas offer recreation and trails accessible to everyone, with views of the Hudson River.

Hillsdale, located in the center of Columbia County’s eastern edge, was part of Van Rensselaer family lands but settled by land seekers from New England, and has long been a gateway to the Berkshires. Today, the town’s economic mainstays are second-home owners and the Catamount Ski area, which attracts skiers and snowboarders and offers year-round activities with the addition of its adventure park.

The Town of Kinderhook is the county’s most popular community. Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States, was born in Kinderhook and spent his later years there as well. Legend has it the term “OK” was coined by Van Buren as an abbreviation for Olde Kinderhook, as the community was known then. Kinderhook Village, contained within the town’s boundaries, was settled by Dutch families in the 1660s. Today, the village has a small downtown retail center and is known for its historic homes, museum properties and bed and breakfasts.

Livingston is part of the Livingston Manor that once stretched across southern Columbia County to the Massachusetts border. Today, Livingston takes in the hamlets of Glenco Mills, Blue Stores and Bingham’s Mills. Near the hamlet of Burden, in an iron mine that once fed the foundries of Troy and was later used for mushroom growing, the country’s largest document storage facility, Iron Mountain, has operated since the 1950s.

New Lebanon, at the county’s northern border, was the center of the Shaker movement and home to Tilden Pharmaceuticals. New Lebanon was the birthplace of Samuel Tilden, the Governor of New York who was elected U.S. president by a majority, only to be defeated by the Electoral College vote in the disputed 1876 election. Tilden is buried in the town’s historic Cemetery of the Evergreens.

Stockport once hummed with industry, including a brick factory, paper mills and loom works powered by Claverack Creek. Sulfur springs attracted people in the 19th century, who stayed at the Columbia Springs House and bathed in the waters. Today Stockport serves as a bedroom community to Albany and a retreat for second homeowners and weekenders.

Stuyvesant was carved out of the town of Kinderhook in 1823. Named in honor of Governor Peter Stuyvesant, the town was once home to cotton and wool mills powered by Stuyvesant Falls during the 19th century. The town borders the Hudson River and its Newton Hook section is a popular spot for those interested in the river’s ecology.

The name Taghkanic is of Native American derivation, meaning “land of flowering waters.” This predominantly agricultural community is bisected by the Taconic State Parkway. Water power and proximity to mines made the town an industrial powerhouse in the 18th century. The town is the birthplace of the world-famous Taghkanic baskets, woven of the native woods.

The Village of Philmont, a 19th century manufacturing center, is located within the town of Claverack. Many homes built for mill hands and mill owners still stand, and the water power that ran the mills today is open for hiking, picnicking and fishing at the High Falls Conservation area. On the edge of Philmont, leading plastics company Novapak operates a manufacturing facility.

The Village of Valatie (pronounced va-lay-sha), also located within the town of Kinderhook, gets its name from the Dutch word for “little falls” — vaaltje — describing the small but scenic waterfall at the village’s center. The village was settled in the early 17th century by Dutch colonists and was once a powerhouse of textile and other mills. Birthplace of Governor Martin H. Glynn, Valatie has a well-documented, rich history and visitors can tour historic sites and cemeteries.

Education in Columbia County

Creating the Knowledge-Based Economy of the Future

The future workforce of Columbia County is in school right now, and to help create that workforce Columbia County offers six public school districts, four private schools and a SUNY college.

Ranging in size from a few hundred students to a few thousand, Columbia County’s public schools offer a range of academic courses, sports programs and extracurricular activities. Many community sports and arts organizations offer students activities that supplement the educational and extracurricular offerings in each district.

At the northern and southern end of the county lie the two smallest districts. In the north, New Lebanon Central School District serves 500 students from the towns of New Lebanon, East Nassau, Stephentown (Rensselaer County) and parts of Canaan and Chatham. The district consists of an elementary school and combined junior/senior high school. The educational programs provide students with a broad range of courses including regents, accelerated classes and advanced placement. New Lebanon has a hands-on technology program unique in the area. Students participate in a variety of extracurricular activities in sports, music, theater and clubs.

In the southern end, the Germantown Central School District also consists of two schools, an elementary and high school. Germantown is a comprehensive rural public school district dedicated to providing resources necessary for students to become productive, independent members of the global society. While the school is small, it boasts a thriving drama club and offers many sports programs.

The Taconic Hills Central School District is a pre-K through 12th-grade public educational institution. It covers all or parts of 10 towns and 200 square miles of southeastern Columbia County. It offers a wide variety of academic experiences in English language arts, mathematics, social studies, sciences, technology, business, visual and performing arts. There is a state-of-the-art Distance Learning Classroom in use and a Learning Commons Library being developed. Registered students enjoy opportunities to compete in interscholastic sports competitions. Included are track and field, cross country, football, baseball, soccer, field hockey, tennis, swimming, basketball and volleyball. There are also many extracurricular clubs such as drama, student council, S.A.D.D., National Honor Society, H.A.R.V.E.S.T. and Model UN. The Aquatic and Fitness center’s turf field, all-weather track, gyms and fields are used by community teams and the public. A continuing education program is available on the school website along with much more information at www.taconichills. k12.ny.us.

Along with Taconic Hills, the Ichabod Crane Central School District in Valatie is one of the largest, with a primary school (K-3), elementary school (grades 4-5) and a middle and high school. Aside from first-class academic offerings, the school offers a long list of sports and extracurricular activities. The Crane Acting Troupe is one of the most active. The troupe is co-curricular and open to students 7-12. Many of the program’s graduates have moved on to professional theater careers.

All of the Ichabod Crane school buildings have been awarded the prestigious Energy Star Label by the United States Environmental Protection agency and the district has been named an Energy Star Leader.

The mid-sized Chatham Central School District located in Chatham consists of an elementary school housing K-4, middle school for grades 5-8 and high school, all within walking distance of each other. The district enjoys a stellar academic reputation and many of the schools’ sports teams excel as well. The district owns and operates the Chatham Public Library adjacent to the middle school, an original gift from Andrew Carnegie featuring a stunning one-of-a kind Louis Comfort Tiffany window. Activities in the arts and humanities are boosted by the Chatham Education Foundation, which provides grants for programs like the annual student Shakespeare production. The high school has been recognized for its academic achievements.

The county seat is home to the most diverse educational system in Columbia County. Hudson City School District consistently improves its academic program. They have state-of-the-art computer labs, a statewide competitive robotics team and a technology wing and science wing, and the district is graduating students who go on to attend some of the finest universities. The school also focuses on providing opportunities for special education students and creating new and exciting courses for the changing student body. There is an emphasis on community involvement in the three school buildings, and the school’s pool is open to the public.

Questar III, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) for Columbia, Greene and Rensselaer counties, provides more than 275 instructional and support services. Through Questar III, local districts can offer programs and services more economically, efficiently and equitably by sharing costs. This includes career and technical education (CTE), special education, general education and district support services. Based in Hudson, Questar III’s Columbia-Greene Educational Center offers high school students the opportunity to learn career skills while earning a Regents diploma. The half-day CTE programs are a great way for students to explore a variety of careers, develop specialized skills through hands-on learning and integrated academics, and earn professional certification/licensing. The center also offers continuing education and career training for adults.

Alternatives to public schools are located in the county as well. The nationally recognized Hawthorne Valley School is a K-12 Waldorf school in Ghent. The school provides an integrative curriculum that balances academics with practical, performing and fine arts. The Columbia Christian Academy, a Ministry of Bible Baptist Church, in Ghent, offers a well-rounded education for the mind, body and soul. The college preparatory Darrow School in New Lebanon is a co-educational day and boarding school that attracts students from around the country and world. Mountain Road School, also in New Lebanon, is a private, independent, nondenominational preschool and elementary school that focuses on the whole child.

Columbia-Greene Community College, located just outside Hudson and Catskill, opened its doors in 1966 as part of the State University of New York (SUNY). C-GCC offers associate degrees in 11 areas of concentration — including signature programs in automotive technology, building construction technology, cyber security and criminal justice — for students seeking to transfer to a four-year college or university. C-GCC also offers certificates for those who want to acquire skills to begin or enhance a career. In addition, numerous non-credit courses enable students of all ages to attend classes for personal enrichment. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, C-GCC recently earned the distinction of being ranked the 10th best community college in the nation — and the No. 1 community college in New York — from WalletHub.

Nearby is the Doane Stuart School, one of the region’s oldest, private early childhood — 12 coed schools. At Doane Stuart, students of all ages learn by actively engaging with the curriculum, one that is traditional at its core and is also flexible enough to allow a student to follow his or her passion.

Columbia County
Schools and College

Public Schools

Chatham Central
School District

50 Woodbridge Avenue

Chatham, NY 12037

(518) 392-2400

www.chathamcentralschools.com

Germantown Central School District

123 Main Street

Germantown, NY 12526

(518) 537-6281

www.germantowncsd.org

Hudson City School District

District Office:

215 Harry Howard Avenue

Hudson, NY 12534

(518) 828-4360

www.hudsoncsd.org

Ichabod Crane Central School District

District Office:

2910 Route 9

Valatie, NY 12184

(518) 758-7575

www.ichabodcrane.org

New Lebanon Central School District

14665 State Route 22

New Lebanon, NY 12125

(518) 794-7600

www.newlebanoncsd.org

Questar III’s Educational Center

131 Union Turnpike

Hudson, NY 12534

(518) 828-4157

www.questar.org

Taconic Hills Central School District

District Office:

73 County Route 11A

Craryville, NY 12521

(518) 325-2800

www.taconichills.k12.ny.us

Private Schools

Columbia Christian Academy

1323 County Route 21

Ghent, NY 12075

(518) 392-2361

www.bbcghent.org

Darrow School

110 Darrow Road

New Lebanon, NY 12125

(518) 704-2760

www.darrowschool.org

The Doane Stuart School

199 Washington Avenue

Rensselear, NY 12144

(518) 465-5222

www.doanestuart.org

Hawthorne Valley School

330 Route 21C

Ghent, NY 12075

(518) 672-4465

www.hawthornevalley.org

Mountain Road School

4565 County Route 9

New Lebanon, NY 12125

(518) 794-8520

www.mountainroadschool.org

College

Columbia-Greene Community College

State University of New York

4400 Route 23

Hudson, NY 12534

(518) 828-4181

www.sunycgcc.edu

Real Estate in Columbia County

Offering Housing Options for Every Need and Budget

Many weekenders and transplants found real estate opportunities here that provided their introduction to our county.

Countless charming farmhouses were purchased for bargain prices and given a “This Old House” treatment. There remain plenty of wonderful old buildings in need of some TLC.

Cruise through any of the town villages and you’re sure to see extraordinary examples of Dutch Colonials, Federals, Victorian Italianate and Georgian homes that exemplified a different era. But since only 30 percent of the buildings in Columbia County were erected prior to the 1940s, the post-war era is in full swing with wonderful Cape Cods, split-level and raised ranches. A-frames, post-and-beam barns, mind-bending contemporaries — as with everything else here, architecturally speaking, we’ve got a little bit of everything.

People are initially drawn to Columbia County’s distinctive rolling rural landscape. Within minutes, the sweeping views meet a cityscape like Hudson where not only are there stunning river views but on a clear day, you can see the majestic Catskill mountains and even spy Frederic Church’s spectacular mansion, Olana, with its Turkish architecture. You can wander around the county seat and apartment shop while you pick up antiques.

North of Hudson, in the vintage village of Kinderhook, are the spectacular homes of former president Martin Van Buren — Lindenwald — and the well-preserved homes of his family. The area is not only dotted with historic movers like Robert Livingston, one of the drafters of the Declaration of Independence, but there’s no getting around the reserved yet beautiful influence of the Shakers.

Whether you’re looking for that perfect getaway home, country estate or village retreat, the county has you covered. And if planned development suits your needs, there are plenty of wonderfully thriving neighborhoods with their own distinctive charms. With over 30 real estate offices in the county handling sales, leasing and rentals, finding the right home is a cinch (refer to listing in Buyers Guide).

Columbia County Economy

From Agriculture to High-Tech, We’re Growing Good Things

We might have a rural feel, but Columbia County is also a high-tech zone, poised for continued growth in New York’s booming Tech Valley.

That’s one reason our Chamber is a strong partner in the Tech Valley Chamber Coalition, promoting the entire region as a tech hub.

Saturn Industries provides precision tooling for jet engines. Taconic Biosciences engineers laboratory animals for use in disease research and has been a member of our community for over 58 years.

Columbia County is increasingly home to savvy e-commerce companies and thriving digital technology businesses, as many such businesses recognize that, if you can actually do business from anywhere in the world, why not in beautiful Columbia County?

Along with established businesses, a plethora of emerging industries are capitalizing on interest in new energy. Columbia County is taking green development by the horns with businesses offering alternative energy solutions.

From thriving family farms spanning multiple generations, to enterprises like the Hudson-Chatham Winery or Couturier N.A., a state-of-the-art cheese processing and distribution facility, the businesses that call the county home are just as diverse as the landscape.

Choose Columbia also offers Micro-Business Seminar once a year for small and new businesses with an emphasis on technical assistance and financial information.

Columbia-Greene Community College not only prepares students for an active business life, it also provides customized technical and professional development programs in coordination with local employers and is the site of the Workforce Investment Center. The Center serves the county with comprehensive one-stop services for both job-seekers and employers.

Sipping through
Columbia County History

By Seth Kamil

There are currently 20 different breweries, cider houses, wineries, and distillers within the 650 square miles of our mid-sized county! Most of these craft beverage makers are relatively new, having emerged in the past 20 years. They are, however, a continuation of a long history.

Dutch Colonial Governor Wouter Van Twiller owned the first commercial distillery in New Netherland. Built in 1640, it was most likely the oldest in North America! It produced fruit-based “brandy” and applejack with local fruits. Within two decades it shifted to rum production, and by the 1720s there were 16 rum distilleries in New York. One of the largest was built by the Livingston Family. The same family that owned much of today’s Southern Columbia County, when it was the 95,000-acre Livingston Manor. The remnant of the family estate, Clermont, a State Historic Site just north of Tivoli, is open to visitors.

The center of the late 18th century Columbia County distilling industry was the newly founded City of Hudson. The Quaker whalers, known as Proprietors, came from Nantucket and New England, and the leading founding family were the Jenkins. Community leader Captain Seth Jenkins built a rum distillery. The family whaling ships transported white oak, grains, and other raw materials to the Caribbean when they set out on a long, hunt, voyage. When replenishing in Barbados, Jamaica, and other Islands, they exchanged the valuable raw materials for barrels of molasses. It was so lucrative, that less than a decade after the founding of Hudson, the Jenkins rum distillery was so large it attracted the interest of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

Columbia County imported Caribbean molasses to produce 65,000 gallons of rum each year and the Jenkins Rum was widely, but briefly, distributed. Following the Embargo Act of 1807 and the War of 1812, America shifted from a Rum Nation to Whiskey and Rye. Columbia County, and its neighbors, were at the center of the burgeoning grain growing industry. Uncountable farms had small copper stills, producing a variety of barley, wheat, and rye-based sprits. The region also grew the raw materials for the industrial distilleries Downstate and throughout the East Coast.

At the same time, Columbia County was a hugely crucial beer brewing center. Hudson was home to one of the most substantial breweries in the region. The C.H. Evans Brewing Company opened in 1786 and was run by the family for three generations. At peak, they produced over 2 million gallons of beer annually and the Evans Pale Ale was sold throughout the Northeast and beyond. Not only did the Evans Company open one of America’s first bottling plants (1889), but they also maintained malt houses in Hudson to process their own, local, grains. The company also kept a large distribution warehouse in TriBeCa, New York City.

Prohibition eventually forced the closing of the C.H. Evans Brewing Company. The family recipes have been reborn, just outside the County, by family descendent, C. H. “Neil” Evans, at the Albany Pump House. The 13 years of Prohibition, coupled with the 1929 Depression were not easy for the many big businesses and small farmers who relied on the alcohol for revenue. The businesses were forced to close as did many of the farm stills. Others defied the law and quietly continued to produce alcohol. There was enough liquor produced to draw the attention of Jack “Legs” Diamond, the legendary gangster. Legs coming to the area must have been kismet. He got his start in the Hudson Dusters Gang of Hell’s Kitchen and ended up getting his regular haircut at Mike Flynn’s Barbershop on Warren Street in Hudson, NY.

Most histories paint Legs as a violent, merciless, bootlegger who hijacked trucks of illegal liquor and ran an amazing brewery scheme at the Barmann Brewery in Kingston, NY (look up the story and how they ran a half-mile of rubber hose through the city sewers). But many of the apple or hops growing farmers and distillers in Columbia County remember Legs fondly. He purchased moonshine and applejack by the gallon to resell to the Downstate speakeasies. So long as they didn’t cross Legs, he treated them well and a paid fair price. After multiple shootings, not attempts but actual shootings, Diamond met his end in an Albany boarding house, December 18, 1931. He had been acquitted on kidnapping charges the day before.

Drive the Craft Beverage Trail carefully and enjoy the many tasting rooms. Take in the wonderful vistas and fresh air. While travelling, consider the connection todays artisan beverage makers have to more than 300 years of Columbia County history.

Seth Kamil has advanced degrees in American History from Columbia University. Seth is Founder & President of Big Onion Walking Tours (www.bigonion.com) and Hudson Valley Rover Tours (www.hudsonvalleyrovertours.com). With more than 30 years’ experience as a Public History Educator and Tour Guide Seth has consulted with private, NGOs, museum, and governmental tour programs throughout the world. He is co-author of multiple guidebooks and has been featured in numerous documentaries and television programs.

Recreation in
Columbia County

Work Hard, Get Outside to Play Often

Columbia County offers year-round outdoor recreational activities with plenty of opportunities to take advantage of our breathtaking natural resources. From hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, sailing to skiing, there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you going all year long.

Catamount Ski Area (www.catamountski.com), one of the region’s largest non-governmental employers, is also host to nearly year-round outdoor fun and adventure. In the winter, the resort boasts 32 trails and parks with great terrain variety to attract skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. If you can’t get away in the daylight hours, Catamount offers night skiing and snowboarding Wednesday through Sunday. Can’t ski or want to snowboard? No problem here. Catamount offers ski and snowboard lessons for children and adults.

Catamount Adventure Park, North America’s largest aerial forest adventure park, designed by Swiss Alpine mountaineering experts, was expanded. With 125 tree-top obstacle challenges there’s something for just about everyone and for all fitness levels. Besides being downright fun, these alternative terrain parks are ideal conference boosters. In keeping with fun in the sun, Catamount also offers 15 mountain bike trails and plays host to Planet Dirt, New England’s largest dirt bike riding school for kids and adults.

The excitement awaits you at the Catamount Zip Tour — Catamount Mountain Resort’s new adrenaline-pumping experience, including the longest zipline in the United States!

“Take a hike” used to be an insult, but not here. Hiking is one of the county’s real pleasures. Taconic State Park is home to a gentle one-mile hike to the stunning Bash Bish Falls. It’s a great hike for those with tiny hikers in tow and well-behaved leashed dogs. And there are plenty of tiny hide-aways tucked streamside for the perfect picnic. History buffs might like a stroll through Kinderhook’s Martin Van Buren Park, while the literary set can find real pleasure hiking Austerlitz’s poetry trail at Steeple Top, the former residence of Edna St. Vincent Millay. The Columbia County Land Conservancy (www.clctrust.org) has information on dozens of other trails and access to conservation areas throughout the county as well as educational programs about local flora and fauna for all ages.

New Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET) crosses through the counties of Rensselaer and Columbia. It is a ten-foot-wide trail and is accessible to all ages and abilities. Much of the trail is paved and some sections are stonedust surface. The trail is open all year from dawn to dusk to bike, run and walk. (motorized vehicles are prohibited) In the winter, the trail is not plowed. It’s available for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

AHET is a 36-mile section of the Empire State Trail running from the City of Hudson to Albany and was once an electric trolley line. The systems opened in 1899 and ran until the end of December 1929. Riders used the trolley to commute around Columbia and Rensselaer Counties. For more information visit www.ahettrail.org.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail (www.hvrt.org), with parking at Copake Falls, gives cyclists, walkers and runners a paved, car-free journey through the backcountry of southern Columbia and northern Dutchess counties. Cyclists looking to discover Columbia County can find numerous “rides” mapped at Columbia County Bicycle Routes (www.Roberts-1.com) as well as information on bicycle clubs and resources in the area.

Trout season opens April 1st, and there are numerous, well stocked streams for anglers to get their take. The Taghkanic, Claverack and Kinderhook Creeks, along with the Roe Jan Kill offer a variety of “holes” for anglers to sneak off and snare a catch with worms, flies or lures. If a river isn’t your thing, Lake Taghkanic, Copake, Queechy and Kinderhook lakes all have access points. Many of the area rod and gun clubs offer fishing derbies for the kids and are great resources for hunters and anglers in our region. Kayakers, canoeists and anglers can gather information for public boat launches at www.columbiacountytourism.org.

Golfers have six courses, both public and private, and several driving ranges where they can fine-tune their strokes. And speaking of strokes, many of the towns operate parks with life guarded swimming areas. The two state parks, Lake Taghkanic in Gallatin and Taconic State Park in Copake Falls, also offer lifeguarded swimming during the summer. Year-round swimming can be had at either Hudson High School or Taconic Hills swimming pools.

Want to get your game on? Most of our towns have amenities like public baseball and softball fields, tennis courts or basketball courts. And places like Crellin Park in Chatham (www.chathamnewyork.us/recreation.htm) are available for rent for family parties and other functions. Sports are a big deal in many kid’s lives and Columbia County offers well-organized leagues. Football, softball, baseball and soccer are just some of the games the kids get involved with. And if you don’t get a kick out of soccer, there are some fine martial arts schools throughout the county, too. To find out more about what your town has to offer, call your local parks and recreation department.

For those who enjoy high-speed action, Lebanon Valley Speedway (www.lebanonvalley.com) in West Lebanon is a dirt track with modified and pure stock car races from April through September and drag races through October.

Columbia County
Arts and Theater

All That Fresh, Country Air Spurs Creativity

Columbia County enjoys a strong, longstanding cultural arts tradition. The county’s proximity to New York City means not only do many talented artists from the cultural mecca have second homes in Columbia County, they also share their artistic talents with local audiences. Columbia County has plenty of homegrown talent as well.

Events for every taste are regularly scheduled across the county, ranging from intimate art show openings at country store galleries and readings by authors at local libraries to Broadway shows at Mac-Haydn Theatre, the county’s first performing arts institution.

Visual arts enjoy a home at the numerous art galleries along Hudson’s main thoroughfare, Warren Street, as well as smaller galleries in Chatham Village. The 100-acre outdoor sculpture fields at Omi International Arts Center in Ghent hosts a variety of fine arts exhibitions in its galleries, plus concerts, readings, and arts-related workshops upstairs in the 1840s Greek Revival schoolhouse. In addition, many artists who reside in the county welcome visitors into their studios.

PS/21 offers a wide range of music and dance performances, featuring renowned performers like Take and Parsons dance companies. Regular swing dance nights encourage audience participation, and free movie nights showcase song and dance themed films.

If it’s a play or musical you desire, the choices are numerous. Since 1969, Mac-Haydn in Chatham has been producing crowd favorites within an intimate theater-in-the-round setting each summer, and has launched the careers of famous performers like Nathan Lane and Paige Turco. Over the years, Mac- Haydn has been joined by dozens of other stage offerings large and small.

The Hudson Hall offers a year-round schedule of arts and cultural programming in the 1855 former Hudson City Hall, which contains New York State’s oldest surviving theater. The Opera House-sponsored Winter Walk is another popular event held the first Saturday in December on Warren Street.

Around the rest of the county, the Ghent Playhouse, The Theater Barn in New Lebanon and Taconic Stage Company in Copake provide even more outlets to showcase county residents’ artistic talents. Roving Actors’ Repertory Ensemble & The Two of Us Productions offer opportunities for actors, singers, dancers and musicians in full orchestra musicals. Columbia Arts Team (CAT) is dedicated to showcasing new work by local theater, comedy and music artists; and provides educational and performing opportunities for young people and adults.

Upstage Productions and Operation Unite New York are both community not-for-profit groups designed to foster an understanding and appreciation for the arts and different cultures by providing a variety of opportunities for youth and adults in the county. Claverack Landing Orchestra and its ensembles present varied programs of classical music, featuring professional musicians from the tri-state area. CFO also sponsors a successful mentoring program for students.

HRC Showcase Theatre is a not-for-profit theater company primarily showcasing new plays and playwrights.

The Chatham Film Club sponsors monthly screenings of independent films at the historic Crandell Theatre in Chatham, and each fall hosts FilmColumbia, a renowned weeklong festival drawing 8,000 movie fans to Main Street, justifying it’s reputation as “Sundance East.” The village of Valatie also has a historic, 1926 community theater and the group raising money to restore the space, Valatie Community Theatre, Inc., regularly holds movie screenings and other events there.

You can even catch a circus performance on a regular basis or learn circus skills such as juggling, thanks to Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, one of the county’s treasure trove of artistic choices.

Local Food & Agriculture

Enjoy
Local

Columbia County has a long agricultural history, beginning with Native Americans who resided here before Henry Hudson landed near Stuyvesant in 1609. Corn, beans, pumpkins and tobacco were staples of the Indians’ culture, and later settlers added wheat, apples, goats and sheep to the list.

After 1845, the county’s agricultural diversity grew to include rye, hay, fruits, vegetables and dairy farms. Columbia County boasts nearly 50 country farm markets and orchards, many offering seasonal “pick your own” fun for the whole family.

Local dairy farms sell to major cheese and milk companies as well as directly to the public. Produce farmers supply local and New York City restaurants and markets. And at least a half-dozen growers sell annual shares in CSAs (community supported agriculture), providing folks with a variety of fruits and vegetables during the harvest season. Many of the farms welcome visitors, especially children, who want to see where their food originates.

Our agriculture heritage ensures the preservation of our beautiful countryside, too. It’s no coincidence that Columbia County boasts breathtakingly spectacular views along every roadside and has a higher percentage of farmland compared to surrounding areas.

At Hawthorne Valley Farm Store in Harlemville, you can procure a bunch of radishes, a loaf of bread or a jar of sauerkraut to snack on and then walk a few feet to see where they were made or grown. Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie uses surplus apples to distill artisanal vodka, sold in local and regional liquor stores. Tierra Farms in Valatie packages and distributes organic fruits and nuts, available at local stores and sent nationwide.

Hudson Valley Bounty (originally known as Columbia County Bounty) was at the forefront of the thriving local food movement. Bounty is an organization devoted to connecting all aspects of the food chain: farmers, chefs and restaurant owners, and consumers. Bounty was launched under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce in 2006.

From its humble beginnings, which resulted in a few farmers growing specialized produce for particular restaurants, Hudson Valley Bounty has grown into an organization that literally celebrates the local food movement. Bounty’s overarching goal is to “educate the community about the preservation of local farms through the purchase and use of local and regional sustainable foods.” More at: www.hudsonvalleybounty.com.

Local Food & Agriculture

Here’s to you, Columbia County

Craft beverage business keeps the toasts coming

By Jerry LaMartina

The Empire State’s Columbia County is developing an empire of its own: the craft beverage industry.

Good water; local farmers who produce raw ingredients needed for beer, distilled products, cider and wine; a fortuitous location; consumers’ interest in alternatives to mass-produced beverages; and a supportive state government all help the industry thrive.

Tom Crowell is both a benefactor and a beneficiary of this supportive environment. He is the majority owner of Chatham Brewing, and Jake Cunningham, Matt Perry and a silent partner are co-owners.

“As a whole, in New York State the governor and current administration work very hard to support the craft industry,” Crowell said. “Columbia County does well being in the Hudson Valley. Geographically, it’s good for tourism, locally and because of easy access to New York City, the Capital District and the Berkshires.”

Erik Bell also points to two other elements of Columbia County’s success in the industry. Bell started Old Klaverack Brewery in May 2015.

“The general public is looking for new and exciting beverages, whether it’s craft beer, distilled products, cider or wine,” he said. “Mass-produced beverages aren’t a thing of the past, but people are looking for something new. Craft beers have been gaining for the past 20 to 30 years, and especially in the past six.”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the state’s craft beverage business a big boost when he signed the Craft New York Act in November 2014 to “cut burdensome requirements placed on producers and ease restrictions regarding the marketing of craft products,” according to a news release from his office (on.ny.gov/1SXXeWK).

The governor also announced the $2 million Craft Beverage Marketing and Promotion Grant Program and a $1 million Craft Beverage Industry Tourism Promotion Grant. The legislation and the grant programs are part of his promise at the second Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cider Summit to support the industry.

The Craft New York Act:

• Allows producers to conduct tastings and serve beverages by the bottle and by the glass

• Permits farm distilleries to increase the number of retail outlets where they can sell and offer samples of their products

• Decreases the food requirement manufacturers must meet when offering tastings on their premises

• Allows farm distilleries to get a permit to operate a branch office, eliminating the need for a separate

• Reduces costs for small manufacturers by increasing the production cap and permitting the production of more products without increased fees

The legislation has helped business grow for Crowell and others in the industry, he said.

“We are over 14 years in business”, he said. “For our first six years, we were the only brewery in the county, and now there are over eight breweries in the county.”

Bell said that, without the Craft New York Act, he’d probably still be in business but with a completely different model, not as a farm brewery.

“Eighty percent of the base grain I use comes from 20 minutes down the road,” he said, “and we use New York hops in some of our beers.”

Crowell locally sources some of the ingredients in his products, including local maple syrup and rye, and he grows some of the hops he uses in his beer. The food he serves in his taproom also is locally sourced.

“It supports the local economy, and there’s good-quality farmland here so it produces good ingredients,” he said. “Consumers like to experience the variety you get regionally and locally. We have a lot of hometown pride, too, so we want to support local businesses.”

Columbia County’s craft beverage industry is unique in that it has “great representation across the spectrum of craft beverages,” Crowell said.

“We have a good, cooperative sensibility among producers,” he said. “We work together to promote craft beverages across the county. We sell wines and distilled spirits from other producers that complement our other products. The way I look at it is the more people you can get viewing Columba County as a center for craft beverages, the better off we all are.”

Bell agreed.

“We wouldn’t be in business without help from other businesses sharing information about the business,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of help from Hudson-Chatham Winery, Olde York Farm: Distillery and Cooperage and Hudson Brewing Co. It’s unique because people are looking for different flavors, and every brewery produces something different.”

Crowell and Bell also cross-utilize some of their ingredients and products.

“We will barrel age our beers in oak barrels from local distilleries, and our spent grain goes out to a beef farm, and then we offer the beef in our tasting room,” Crowell said. “It saves us the disposal cost.”

Bell sends all of his spent grain used to produce his products to his cousin’s farm, where it’s used to feed their animals, instead of composting or disposing of it.

Bell and Crowell take a robust view of the craft beverage industry’s future in Columbia County.

“In the next few years, I still see growth,” Bell said. “People are thirsty. Whether they’re coming out to our brewery and tasting room and having some pints, or they go to a distillery a mile and a half down the road that carries our beer, they’ll keep coming.”

Rory Tice is Olde York’s head distiller. He agreed with Bell that craft beverages’ popularity in the Hudson Valley will continue to increase.

“We’re going to see more of the smaller producers like ourselves,” Tice said. “You’re never going to see the downfall of Jack Daniels, but people are going to drink super local. I talk to people every week who want local products.”

He has also seen a boost to his business from the Craft New York Act, especially because the law makes it easier for a producer to get a license and have a tasting room.

“I couldn’t guarantee that we’d be here without it, he said. “It’s been great for business. We all have a passion for this, though, and everyone on my team – there’s not a lot of quit in us. We don’t have a branch location, but it’s awesome knowing we could expand into a branch location if we want to.”

Farmer-producers and the Hudson Valley’s fertile land make it unique for craft beverages, Tice said. And Columbia County has “a great and welcoming community to craft producers and trades people.”

Crowell, too, said he thought Columbia County’s craft beverage industry would continue to thrive.

“There’s such a strong buy-local sensibility,” he said, “and the Hudson Valley as a whole is getting known as a place for food and beverages — locally, nationally and internationally.”

Please see this section and the Buyer’s Guide for listings of Chamber Member local wineries, breweries and distilleries.

Shopping, Dining & Lodging

DINING & LODGING

Almost every town and village offers a unique shopping and dining experience. Downtown shopping areas in Chatham, Hudson and Greenport represent a sampling of the many retail experiences available to Columbia County residents and visitors, and endless opportunities for retailers.

Whether you prefer intimate, family-run businesses or larger retail stores, everything you need for yourself or your household can be found within the county, thanks to our eclectic mix of shopping choices. That is why we say, you should truly “Shop Columbia County First.”

It’s all here

Have a craving for fresh milk, cheese or ice cream? Locally owned grocery stores and roadside stands scattered throughout the county offer products made or grown here. Looking for the right piece to complete your home’s décor? Home furnishing and antique shops sell items that run the gamut from modern to turn of the century.

Shoes for the whole family, books both antique and new, gently worn clothing as well as the latest styles, school supplies, homemade candy, hardware, sporting goods, toys, home appliances, wine and beer from around the world, cell phones, computers, unique gifts — all this and more is readily available for purchase within the county’s confines.

Valatie: A Quaint Village

The Village of Valatie is nestled in the northwest corner of the county. It is a town that not only has quaint shops, a liquor store, barber, hair salon and some eateries, it has its very own waterfall. Valatie Economic Revitalization Association (V.E.R.A.), is a nonprofit member-run group that works to build community business in this picturesque village.

Chatham’s Charms

Chatham Area Business & Arts (CABA) is a coalition of area businesses, organizations & volunteers who coordinate and sponsor festivals, sidewalk sales and more. (www.visitchathamny.com)

Chatham merchants offer a variety of shopping fun, including a bookstore, a jewelry store, cheese shop, shoe store, pub, liquor store, fashion offerings, a consignment shop, galleries and gift shops, bakeries, a brewery, linen shop, realtors and plenty of charming eateries. Restaurants offer a mix of fare, from burgers to fine dining to Mexican specialties. And, of course, the historic Crandell Theatre remains a Main Street mainstay, showing the latest films and independent features at bargain prices.

Hudson: A walker’s paradise

In Hudson, the county seat, Warren Street’s rebirth as an antique store mecca and an art-lovers haven has evolved to include a mix of shops and restaurants, many with far-reaching reputations. Get your shopping fix at stores with names as unique as their offerings, which include gifts and clothing, imported meats and cheeses, furniture, wines, teas, sporting goods, household décor and more. Peruse art galleries and see work by both international and local artists. The Hudson Farmers Market is open Saturdays from May to November. Hudson Business Coalition, Inc. is a nonprofit group that works to promote the city. See www.visithudsonny.org.

Then quench your hunger and thirst at a Warren Street café or dine at one of Hudson’s many fabulous restaurants, with something for every palette, including Italian, Japanese, vegetarian and moreSee page XXX for restaurant listings.

Those seeking a different type of shopping experience can drive up the road a few miles from Hudson to Greenport, where the large commercial district includes at least a dozen national retailers, two movie theaters and restaurants opening alongside local businesses.

Kinderhook: Also Known As Olde Kinderhook

Kinderhook offers a similar shopping experience on a smaller scale. The Kinderhook Business & Professional Association (KBPA) was established to foster business in Kinderhook Village to bring visitors to the village and promote a sense of community. KBPA hosts events such as the Kindercrafter Fair, the weekly (seasonal) Kinderhook Farmer’s Market, Fourth of July People’s Parade and more.

Or, as many visitors have discovered, there are charming boutiques, antiques and shops galore at every turn as you meander our county roads throughout the county.

Hillsdale: A Sweet
Little Town

Hillsdale Business Alliance is the voice of small business in the Town of Hillsdale, NY, part of the upper Hudson Valley in Columbia County and the gateway to the Berkshires. See www.hillsdaleny.com.

Lodging

As Columbia County continues to attract visitors from all over the world, the demand for lodging continues to grow. A host of options throughout the county are available from boutique hotels to cozy bed and breakfasts, from downtown, vibrant settings to rural, pastoral locations.

Guests are encouraged to spend time and explore all there is to see and do throughout Columbia County, including beautiful scenery, great shopping, relaxing environments, unique antiquing, fantastic dining and world-class entertainment. Whether choosing to stay for one night or several, visitors to the county have a diverse array of wonderful lodging alternatives.

And Columbia County has several lodging associations to assist guests with selecting the right property for them.

Finally, the Columbia County Tourism office (www.columbiacountytourism.org) provides helpful information to visitors including lodging, area attractions and events, and a great deal more.

Weddings

Nuptial
bliss

Columbia County vows to make your wedding unique, memorable

By Jerry LaMartina

Natural beauty and unique, historical charm are just a couple of the many features that make Columbia County a great place to tie the knot.

Mara Simons-Jones, chef and owner of Simons Catering in Kinderhook, adds to that list the abundance of fresh, locally grown produce and other local foods that give your taste buds the same memorable, ceremonial treats.

“What’s unique about us is farm-to-table local sourcing, both because it’s a better product and it supports the local economy,” Simons-Jones said. “We’re off-premise catering, so we travel all over.”

Columbia County’s uniqueness draws people in like wedding bells.

“I just think it’s a beautiful place,” she said. “We’ve got the Catskill Mountains, the Hudson River and lots of history. We get a fair number of locals and couples from New York City. Some of them have a connection here — a family member, or they came for a weekend and fell in love with the county.”

Kyleigh Zengen fell in love with the county once upon a time, too. She’s general manager and event coordinator for The Greens at Copake Country Club, at Copake Lake.

“I think that most of the people we attract want to get out of the city or out of town, almost into the country, but we’re also located near some major points of interest,” Zengen said. “The landscape is beautiful any time of year. We have access to local food and talented chefs, and the whole culture of the Hudson Valley is very attractive to people planning a party.”

The setting and the food are mostly what make Columbia County unique for weddings, she said.

“We’re known for the food because we have so many local farms, so the food is fresh, local and seasonal,” Zengen said.

She also gets a lot of customers from New York City—“we personally attract a crowd from Brooklyn” — and from the local area “because they know the setting is unmatched, the landscape.”

“We try to make something unique and memorable, not a cookie-cutter wedding,” she said. “Even though everything about a wedding is expensive, we can offer some really good pricing, and they can get a lot more for the money by coming upstate.”

A couple of trends are showing themselves with weddings in Columbia County.

“The barn weddings have been really popular, and cool older buildings like the Basilica,” Simons-Jones said. “There are probably half a dozen barns in Columbia County.”

For The Greens at Copake, “it’s making a weekend out of the wedding,” Zengen said.

“They aren’t just making it a one-thing day,” she said. “They’re making it a weekend and an experience, Friday through Sunday: finding the perfect place to stay at one of Columbia County’s local lodging establishments (B&B, hotel, motel or house) — and look at antique shops the next day.

“We do packages at the Country Club that include the restaurant and a stay at our vacation rental, the Barn,” she said. “It’s an old barn that was converted into living space. It’s rustic and chic with modern conveniences. People like having a home base. Our venue has the attraction of having indoor and outdoor spaces, and people are looking for spectacular backdrops for photos.”

Careful, thorough planning for weddings is crucial, Zengen and Simons-Jones said.

“A lot of the venues here are sort of do-it-yourself for their customers, and it takes coordination for the food, the time line, rentals of tables and chairs, the DJ — and we provide a lot of support for that,” Simons-Jones said. “Because it’s a small town, a lot of the vendors work together.”

Zengen said that planning requires “being resourceful, asking for recommendations, reading reviews of vendors — doing the research.”

“We’re a full-service planning experience,” she said. “I take on a lot of responsibility for what vendors they take in, the style and feel.”

Each wedding menu is unique, Simons-Jones said, “and we’ve done all sorts of things.”

“We cater specifically to each client,” she said. “Sometimes we incorporate family recipes into the wedding. The end result is that everybody is really happy with it, and it makes it much more memorable for everybody.”

The Chamber has many resources for weddings. Please refer to listings in this section and in the Buyer’s Guide.

Catering/Event Planning

· 225 Warren Bar & Grill

· Bearfly Design LLC

· The Cascades

· Georgia Ray’s Kitchen

· Jackson’s Old Chatham House

· Savona’s of Hudson

· Simons Catering

·  Talbott & Arding Cheese & Provisions

·  Wm. Farmer and Sons – Boarding & Barroom

Event Space

· Art Omi

· Basilica Hudson

· Clear Creek Farm

·  Copake Country Club-
The Greens Restaurant

· Columbia Golf & Country Club

· Elsie K. Powell House, Inc.

·  Hudson Chatham Winery

· Hudson Hall

· Jackson’s Old Chatham House

· The Falls in Hudson

· The Wick

Florists

· Chatham Flowers & Gifts

· Five Roots Floral & Events

Hair

· Jim Wach Salon

Jewelry

· Ornamentum

· RH VanAlstyne, Inc.

Lighting & Décor

· BearFly Designs

Lodging

· Art Omi

· Bellavista Country Estate

· Clear Creek Farm

· Holiday House Motel

· Hudson B & B

· Inn at Silver Maple Farm

· Mount Merino Manor

· Spencertown Inn

· St. Charles Hotel

·  SUNSET/SUNRISE “the B&B with a view”

· The Wick

·  Wm. Farmer and Sons – Boarding & Barroom

Millinery Services

·  Millinery Treasures (for bridal head pieces)

Photography/Photo Services

· Blass Marketing

·  Molinski Photography & Framing

· PHOTO-ART by Ken Bovat

· Zach Neven Photography

Rental Services

· Cantele Tent Rentals, LLC

· Columbia Tent Rentals

· W & B Golf Carts, Inc.

Spa/Wellness Center

· S&E Beauty Lounge

Transportation

· Amtrak Hudson

· Countryside Car Service

· H Transport LLC

· Michael S. Johnston LLC

· Richmor Aviation, Inc.

Wedding Cakes, Pies & Cupcakes

·  Verdigris Tea &
Chocolate Bar

·  Main Street Goodness, home of PieconicNY bakery

Year-Round in Columbia County

Events fill the calendar winter, spring, summer or fall

Not only is there something fun to do practically every weekend in Columbia County, each season several well-established annual events attract visitors from far and wide.

Spring opens with the annual Hudson Children’s Book Festival which includes children’s and young adult’s authors and illustrators. Other festivities include arts & crafts, presentations, music and more.

Hudson’s Elk’s Flag Day Parade has become a spring tradition. Fire departments, high school bands and community groups march and create floats as local celebrities ride along on the Warren Street parade route. The day includes riverfront festivities capped off with a fireworks display. Spring closes with the annual Hudson-Pride Parade and events surrounding it including a cabaret, music and dancing.

Summer brings fairs and festivals large and small, with the most popular being the Columbia County Fair and Austerlitz Historical Society’s Blueberry Festival. The Blueberry Festival, always the last Sunday in July, celebrates the fruit that grows plentifully on the town’s mountainsides. The festival includes all things blueberry, like the thousands of homemade pancakes volunteers serve at the event’s popular breakfast.

The Columbia County Fair, held over Labor Day weekend every year, offers six action-packed days filled with rides and attractions, food, concerts and demolition derbies, plus plenty of the fair’s traditional agricultural events — like showings of local food, livestock and horticultural offerings. The fair is held at the county fairgrounds in Chatham.

Fall has become a time to celebrate the arts, with three annual events that continue to grow. For more than a decade now, FilmColumbia in Chatham has been providing cinema fans with the chance to be the first to see independent and foreign films — many among the most celebrated films at year’s end — before they are released to the general public.

Cold and snow don’t limit the possibilities in winter, either. Winter Walk brings crowds to Warren Street, Hudson, for horse-drawn carriage rides, seasonal displays and activities hearkening back to Victorian times. Similar holiday events are held on main streets in Kinderhook, Valatie and Chatham as well. Santa makes special appearances in Valatie — home to the country’s first Santa Claus Club — and many other towns each December.

MEMBERSHIP LIST

#

225 Warren Bar and Grill

(518) 697-8225

Restaurants

A

A Collector’s Eye LLC

(518) 671-6130

Collectibles

A. Colarusso & Son, Inc.

(518) 828-3218

Sand/Gravel/Stone/Paving

AAA Hudson Valley

(518) 426-1000

Travel Agencies

AAF International

(518) 751-5640

Manufacturing-Facilities & Representatives

Acadia HR

(845) 876-1987

Business Support Services

ACNE Design LLC

(917) 886-2522

Graphic Design

Action Automotive Service LLC

(518) 822-8600

Automobile Dealers: New / Pre-Owned

Action Now

(518) 487-9846

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

ADM Milling Company

(518) 828-4691

Manufacturing/Design

Adobe

(502) 530-0418

Graphic Design

Affordable Self Storage

(518) 828-5213

Storage

Alberts Equine Dental Supply, Inc.

(518) 766-0430

Horse Equipment/Services

All Aboard Travel, Inc.

(518) 943-6500

Travel Agencies

Alliance for Positive Health

(518) 434-4686

Human Services Agencies

Alltown Fresh - Livingston

(617) 775-2690

Gourmet Market

Almstead Nursery

(914) 576-0193

Nurseries/Lawn & Garden Centers

Alzheimer’s Association NENY

(518) 867-4999 Ext. 1679

Community Organizations

Amanda’s Fireplaces

(518) 828-9337

Fireplace & Hearth Products

American Pie

(518) 392-6632

Specialty Shops

Ameriprise Financial S.M. Miller & Associates

(518) 458-7200 X109

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Amphibious Electric, Inc.

(518) 851-3738

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

Amtrak (Hudson)

Transportation

Anderson Agency Real Estate, Inc.

(518) 758-6340

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Animalkind Inc.

(518) 822-8643

Animal Welfare

Arbonne International

(518) 755-1316

Health & Wellness

Arica’s All Risk Insurance Services, Inc.

(518) 320-8210

Insurance

Art Omi

(518) 392-4747

Arts Organizations

Association of Property Owners of Sleepy Hollow Lake

(518) 731-6175

Homeowners Association

AssuredPartners, LLC

(518) 783-8801

Insurance

Austerlitz Historical Society

(518) 392-0062

Museums/Historic Sites

Austerlitz Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

(518) 392-5388

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Automated Systems

(518) 398-1117

Heating & Cooling

Aviary, The

Restaurants & Event Space

Aviator Wine & Liquor

(518) 828-2570

Liquor/Wine

Avila Institute of Gerontology, Inc.

(518) 537-5000

Educational Services

AWJ Electric LLC

(518) 929-5083

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

B

Baba Louie’s Sourdough

(518) 751-2155

Restaurants

Baer Tax Group, Inc.

518.822.1673

Accountants

Bank of Greene County, The

(518) 697-3421

Financial Institutions

BarlisWedlick Architects, LLC

(518) 822-8881

Architects

Barside Manner

(617) 680-4308

Bar & Bistro

Basilica Hudson

(518) 822-1050

Event Space

Bates & Anderson - Redmond & Keeler

(518) 828-3371

Funeral Homes

Beach & Bartolo, Realtors, Inc.

(518) 392-2700

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

BEAM

(929) 318-8265

Home Furnishings/Decorating

BearFly Designs LLC

518-937-9126

Wedding & Event Design & Planning

Bellavista Country Estate

(646) 761-7612

Lodging

Belsono Hearing Centers

518-828-9902

Audiologists

benGABLEsavories

(518) 392-0205

Cafe / Bakery

Berkshire Bank

(518) 828-2997

Financial Institutions

Berkshire Hathaway Blake

(518) 758-1300

Real Estate & Property Management

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

(413) 229-0370

Community Organizations

Berry Farm, The

(518) 392-4609

Farm Markets

Big Onion Walking Tours

(518) 249-5994

Tourism

Bimi’s Cheese Shop

(518) 392-8811

Specialty Food

Bioforce USA

(518) 828-9111

Herbal Products

Black Diamond Bookkeeping

(877) 223-1431

Bookkeeping Services

Blass Marketing

(518) 766-2222

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Blue Plate Restaurant, The

(518) 392-7711

Restaurants

Blueberry Fields of Austerlitz LLC

(518) 392-4386

Financial Planning / Investment Services

BlueShield of Northeastern NY, Inc.

(518) 220-5777

Health Insurance

Bodega Aguila Real

(518) 697-6133

Restaurants

Bold Business Works

(805) 217-4881

Business Coach

Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC

(518) 533-3219

Attorneys/Legal Services

Boutique Manifest

(845) 443-5512

Clothing

Bowers & del Peral, PLLC

518-392-9550

Attorneys/Legal Services

Boxdrop Mattress Outlet

(518) 751-6373

Furniture

Boxwood Linen

(518) 392-3918

Linen Shop

Brook N Wood Family Campground

(518) 537-6896

Campgrounds

Brothers Landscaping & Contracting LLC

(518) 339-1354

Excavation Contractors

Brown Harris Stevens Hudson Valley LLC

(917) 626-6755

Real Estate & Property Management

Browns Emporium, Inc.

(518) 392-2541

Clothing

C

C J Miner, Inc.

(518) 758-6182

Concrete Products

Camphill Ghent, Inc

(518) 392-2760

Senior Living

Camphill Hudson

(518) 828-3431

Human Services Agencies

Camphill Village U.S.A. Inc.

(518) 329-4851

Human Services Agencies

Cantele Tent Rentals, LLC

(518) 822-1347

Rental Services

Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan

(518) 641-5146

Health Insurance

Capital Region Independent Media

(518) 859-6353

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Capital Region Living Magazine

(518) 584-7500

Publications: Newspapers & Magazines

Cascades, The

(518) 822-9146

Restaurants

Cashen, Katy

(518) 851-7678

Consultants - Business

Catamount Ski Area

(518) 325-3200

Skiiing & Snowboarding

Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties

(518) 828-8660

Human Services Agencies

Center For Economic Growth

(518) 465-8975

Economic Development Agencies

Certified Document Security

(518) 766-9607

Shredding / Storage / Secure

Chatham Area Business & Arts (CABA)

Business Organizations

Chatham Bookstore, The

(518) 392-3005

Books & Book Dealers

Chatham Brewing LLC

(518) 697-0202

Breweries

Chatham Flowers & Gifts

(518) 392-6414

Florists

Chatham Rescue Squad

(518) 336-0217

Health Services/Facilities

Chronogram Media

845 334 8600 Ext 124

Publishers / Media

Citizens’ Climate Education/Citizens’ Climate Lobby (Columbia County Chapter)

518-528-8735

Community Organizations

City of Hudson

(518) 828-7217

Government Agencies

Claverack Builders

(518) 755-0329

Builders and Contractors

Claverack Free Library & Reading Room Association, Inc.

(518) 851-7120

Libraries

Claverack Pump Service, LLC

(518) 828-6267

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Clear Creek Farm

(347) 443-8583

Wedding & Event Design & Planning

Coarc

(518) 672-4451

Human Services Agencies

Coarc Manufacturing

(518) 828-4169

Manufacturing/Design

Coarc-Columbia Work Link

(518) 672-4451

Employment Services

Coldwell Banker Advisor Realty

(518) 828-7111

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Columbia County

(518) 828-1527

Government Agencies

Columbia County Agricultural Society

(518) 392-2121

Community Organizations

Columbia County Chamber of Commerce

(518) 828-4417

Community Organizations

Columbia County Community Healthcare Consortium, Inc

(518) 822-8820

Health Services/Facilities

Columbia County Democratic Committee

(518) 784-9487

Community Organizations

Columbia County Farm Bureau

(518) 828-4401

Agricultural Consultants

Columbia County Historical Society

(518) 758-9265

Museums/Historic Sites

Columbia County Real Estate Specialists, LLC

(518) 325-9784

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Columbia County Sons & Daughters of Italy #659

(518) 965-6439

Community Organizations

Columbia County Sportsmen’s Federation

(518) 265-2789

Community Organizations

Columbia County Tourism Department & Film Office

(518) 828-3375

Tourism

Columbia Economic Development Corporation

(518) 828-4718

Economic Development Agencies

Columbia Golf & Country Club Inc.

(518) 851-9195

Golf Course/Country Club

Columbia Land Conservancy, Inc.

(518) 392-5252

Environmental Services

Columbia Memorial Health

(518) 828-7601

Health Services/Facilities

Columbia Memorial Health Foundation

(518) 828-8239

Health Services/Facilities

Columbia Opportunities, Inc.

(518) 828-4611

Community Organizations

Columbia Paper, The

(518) 392-1122

Publications: Newspapers & Magazines

Columbia Street Dental Group

(518) 671-6002

Dentists

Columbia Tent Rentals

(518) 851-9460

Rental Services

Columbia-Greene Board of Realtors

(518) 828-7871

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Columbia-Greene Community College

(518) 828-4181

Educational Services

Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA

(518) 828-6044

Animal Welfare

Columbia-Greene Media, The Register Star

(518) 828-1616

Publications: Newspapers & Magazines

Combined Insurance

(518) 821-1416

Insurance

Community Action of Greene County Inc.-Pay It Forward Community Thrift Shop

(518) 943-9205

Thrift Stores

Community at Bells Pond, The

(518) 851-9917

Adult Communities

Community Bank, N.A

(518) 903-8357

Financial Institutions

Concra Appraisal Associates

(518) 822-0909

Appraisers

Congregation Anshe Emeth

(518) 828-6848

Churches/Synagogues

Conklin Architecture, PC

(518) 943-4220

Architects

Cooper’s Daughter Spirits at Olde York Farm

(518) 721-8209

Distilleries

Copake Country Club and The Greens Restaurant

(518) 325-0019

Golf Course/Country Club

Copake Lake Realty Corp.

(518) 325-9741

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia & Greene Counties

(518) 828-3346

Educational Services

Corona D’Oro, LLC

(518) 851-3514

Specialty Food

Country Comforts LLC

(518) 851-7866

Property Management

Country Life Real Estate

(518) 392-6600

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Countryside Car Service

(518) 325-3505

Transportation

Countryside Dental

(518) 392-5231

Dentists

County Waste & Recycling

(888) 549-2783

Garbage, Rubbish & Trash

CP Akers, llc Renovation Specialist

(518) 784-2400

Builders and Contractors

Craftech Industries

(518) 828-5001

Manufacturing/Design

Crandell Theatre

(518) 392-3445

Movie Theatre

Cross Eyed Owl Gift Shop

(518) 758-6755

Retail Shops

Crow Cottage

(518) 392-8880

Specialty Shops

D

Dairy Queen

(518) 392-3440

Restaurants/Ice Cream Products

Danz, Robert E. DDS

(518) 828-0115

Dentists

Davala Real Estate

(518) 755-2385

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

David H. Rivenburgh Agency, Inc.

(518) 828-5700

Insurance

Dayter Volkheimer, LLP

(518) 758-1939

Attorneys/Legal Services

DC Studios - Stained Glass

(518) 537-7447

Stained Glass

Deja Sue

(518) 965-7410

Sewing / Alterations

DELLS’ Plumbing, Heating & A/C, Inc.

(518) 672-7068

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Doane Stuart School, The

(518) 465-5222

Educational Services

Douglas Const. of Columbia County, Inc.

(518) 758-2248

Builders and Contractors

Doyle Security Systems Inc.

(518) 943-6777

Security Services

E

EAS Appraisal Service

(518) 828-3587

Appraisers

Ed Herrington, Inc. dba Herrington’s

(518) 325-3131

Building Supplies/Hardware

Edward Jones

(518) 392-1661

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Elemet, Inc.

(518) 828-4136

Recycling

Elsie K. Powell House, Inc.

518-794-8811

Conference / Retreat

Enginuity Engineering & Design PLLC

(518) 392-8020

Engineering-Structural

EP Nevins Insurance Agency, Inc

(518) 464-0400

Health Insurance

Equine Advocates, Inc.

(518) 245-1599

Animal Welfare

Equitable Advisors

(518) 821-4615

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Estate of George Rickey. The

(518) 794-7194

Artists/Art Studios

Etsy, Inc.

e-commerce

EverHome Columbia, Inc.

(518) 389-7555

Health Services/Facilities

Excel Physical Therapy

(518) 828-7101

Physical Therapy

F

F A S N Y Museum of Firefighting

(518) 822-1875

Museums/Historic Sites

F H Stickles & Son, Inc.

(518) 851-9048

Concrete Products

Falls Echo Farm Equine Retreat Center

(518) 879-1100

Health & Wellness

Family of Woodstock Child Care Council

(518) 822-1944

Human Services Agencies

Farm Credit East ACA

(800) 362-4404

Financial Institutions

Farmers’ Feast Inc., The

(914) 841-8145

Food Coop

Fidelis Care

(518) 475-8438

Health Insurance

Fingar Insurance

(518) 537-6244

Insurance

Fingar Insurance

(518) 828-4500

Insurance

Fingar Insurance

(518) 943-6060

Insurance

First Hudson Mortgage Company

518-828-9981

Financial Services

Fitzsimmons & Mills, P.C.

(518) 758-2333

Attorneys/Legal Services

Five Roots Florals and Events

(518) 929-9189

Florists

Fix Bros. Inc.

(518) 828-4401

Farms

Foley & Cox Home

(518) 828-3210

Home Furnishings/Decorating

Foot Specialist Associates

518-828-6516

Physicians

Freeman Howard, PC

(518) 828-2021

Attorneys/Legal Services

Friends of Clermont

(518) 537-6622

Museums/Historic Sites

Friends of Hudson Youth

(917) 748-4662

Community Organizations

Friends of Lindenwald

(518) 784-3061

Museums/Historic Sites

Friends of the Public Square

(518) 728-1054

Community Organizations

Friends of the Tracy

Community Organizations

Furniture Plus

(518) 828-3683

Furniture

G

Gallery Northeast

(518) 697-9984

Art Galleries

Galvan Foundation

917-449-5912

Philanthropic Organizations

Garden Magic, Inc. dba Country Caretaker Lawn & Garden

(518) 781-4495

Landscape / Design / Maintenance

George Hoover IV Company

(518) 392-6382

Brush-Hogging Contractors

Georgia Ray’s Kitchen

(518) 828-3245

Catering/Event Planning

Germantown Beer Farm Ltd

(845) 489-3450

Malters

Germantown CSD

(518) 537-6281

Educational Services

Germantown, Town of

(518) 537-6687

Government Agencies

Ghent Playhouse, Inc., The

(518) 392-6264

Performing Arts

Ghent Rehabilitation & Nursing Center

(518) 828-0800

Nursing Home / Assisted Living

Ghent Wood Products

(518) 828-5684

Sawmill / Lumber Yard

Gina’s K-9 B&B

(518) 329-4675

Animal Care

Ginocchio Electric, Inc.

(518) 398-1995

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

Ginsberg’s Foods, Inc.

(518) 828-4004

Food Product Distributors

Goold Wells & Pumps, Inc.

(518) 392-4254

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood

(518) 828-5480

Community Organizations

Green Lab Supply

(518) 828-1083

Lawn & Garden Supplies

Greene County Chamber of Commerce

(518) 943-4222

Community Organizations

Greene County Tourism

(518) 943-3223

Tourism

Greenport Emporium

(518) 992-0860

Thrift Stores

Greylock Federal Credit Union

(413) 236-4000

Financial Institutions

Gro Max LLC

(518) 672-0168

Manufacturing, Production & Wholesale

GTel

(518) 537-4835

Telecommunications

Guterman Shallo & Alford, PLLC

(518) 828-5400

Attorneys/Legal Services

H

H L Fuel Co., Inc.

(518) 794-9066

Fuel / Oil / Propane

H Transport LLC

(518) 577-5388

Transportation

Habitat for Humanity of Columbia County

(518) 828-0892

Community Organizations

Harring Properties, LLC

(518) 929-9186

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Harvest Spirits

(518) 758-1776

Distilleries

HAVE, Inc. (Hudson Audio Video Enterprises)

(518) 828-2000

Video/Audio Services

Hawthorne Valley Association

(518) 672-4465

Educational Services

Hecate Energy

(713) 834-7127

Solar Energy

Heidi T. Cochrane, The Law Offices of

(518) 288-7252

Attorneys/Legal Services

Hendrick Hudson Chapter NSDAR

(518) 828-9764

Museums/Historic Sites

Hermann K. Schmidt Heating & Cooling

(518) 828-3450

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Herrington Fuels, Inc.

(518) 325-6700

Fuel / Oil / Propane

High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center, Inc.

(518) 672-4202

Equine Therapeutic Services

High Falls Pizzeria & Tap House

(518) 672-5733

Restaurants/Pizzerias

High Voltage, Inc.

(518) 329-3275

Manufacturing/Design

Hill & Markes

(518) 774-9246

Wholesale Distributors

Hillrock Estate Distillery

(518) 329-1023

Distilleries

Hillsdale Repairs

(518) 325-4844

Auto Repair & Service

Hilverman Handcrafted Inc,

(518) 965-8960

Furniture-Handcrafted

Holdridge Electric LLC

(518) 943-3229

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

Holiday House Motel

(518) 325-3030

Lodging

Holmquest Farms

(518) 851-9629

Farm Markets

Homestead Funding Corp.

(518) 828-1502

Financial Institutions

Hope Restoration Church

(518) 989-6894

Churches/Synagogues

HOUSE Hudson Valley Realty

(518) 828-5154

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Hudson Alexander Technique Collective

(646) 734-5147

Health & Wellness

Hudson Area Association Library

(518) 828-1792

Libraries

Hudson Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society

(518) 828-5294

Community Organizations

Hudson B&B

(518) 929-6199

Lodging

Hudson Brewing Company

(518) 697-5400

Breweries

Hudson Business Coalition, Inc.

(518) 828-0033

Business Organizations

Hudson Chatham Winery

(518) 392-9463

Wineries

Hudson City Digital

(518) 650-2440

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Hudson City School District

(518) 828-4360

Educational Services

Hudson Day Care Center

(518) 828-9657

Child Care

Hudson Dental Arts PLLC

(518) 828-1597

Dentists

Hudson Development Corporation

(518) 751-1044

Economic Development Agencies

Hudson Electric LLC

(518) 755-3454

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

Hudson Farmers’ Market

(518) 300-3496

Farm Markets

Hudson Festival Orchestra

(518) 965-3445

Music

Hudson Financial LLC

(518) 828-6123

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Hudson Hall at the Historic Hudson Opera House

(518) 822-1438

Community Organizations

Hudson Home

(518) 822-8120

Home Furnishings/Decorating

Hudson Home Inspections

(518) 821-7547

Home Inspections

Hudson Home Insurance

(518) 203-2600

Insurance

Hudson Labradoodles

(518) 821-0762

Pet Services / Supplies

Hudson River Design, LLC

(518) 392-9218

Home Furnishings/Decorating

Hudson River View

(518) 828-0333

Publications: Newspapers & Magazines

Hudson Rotary Club

Community Organizations

Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation

(518) 432-5360

Agricultural Consultants

Hudson Valley Creamery

(518) 851-2570

Manufacturing-Facilities & Representatives

Hudson Valley Distillers

(518) 537-6820

Distilleries

Hudson Valley Dog Farm

(845) 233-8345

Pet Services / Supplies

Hudson Valley Fish Farms, Inc.

(518) 249-4750

Agriculture

Hudson Valley Indoor Golf

(518) 610-8240

Sports Clubs/Leagues

Hudson Valley Office Equipment, Inc.

(518) 828-4747

Office Equipment & Supplies

Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators, Inc.

(845) 876-2772

Overhead Doors

Hudson Valley Pediatrics

(917) 257-8785

Health Professionals

Hudson Valley Precision Contracting

518-537-2902

Builders and Contractors

Hudson Valley Resource Group Inc.

(518) 751-3013

Business Support Services

Hudson Veterinary Clinic

(518) 671-6000

Veterinarians

I

iHeartMedia

(518) 828-5006

Radio Stations

Imby, Inc.

(518) 929-2295

Media

In Flight, Inc.

(845) 835-6060

Health Services/Facilities

Independent Living Center Hudson Valley

(518) 828-4886

Human Services Agencies

Inn at Silver Maple Farm

(518) 781-3600

Lodging

J

J C Construction

(518) 672-7651

Builders and Contractors

J M Kaplan Fund, The

(518) 828-8900

Philanthropic Organizations

J P Carpentry

(518) 758-7423

Builders and Contractors

Jackson’s Old Chatham House

(518) 794-7373

Restaurants

James Kleinbaum, Attorney at Law, P.C.

(518) 794-8708

Attorneys/Legal Services

James Vanderpoel ‘’House of History’’

(518) 758-9265

Museums/Historic Sites

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

518-426-6255

Financial Services

JDL Directs

(917) 596-0384

Performing Arts

Jeffrey Kiplinger LLC

(781) 366-1995

Business Coach

JEM Woodworking

(518) 828-5361

Woodworking/Cabinetry - Design & Sales

Jennifer Baer, NP-BC

(518) 755-6870

Alternative Medicine

Jet’s Truck & Auto Body

(518) 766-4004

Auto/Truck Body Repair

Jim Wach Salon

(518) 822-9234

Hair / Nails / Personal Care

JJRT Aquatic

(518) 851-9766

Pools / Hot Tubs / Outdoor Lighting & Furnishings

Joe Keenan Consulting

(518) 290-0577

Digital Media Consultants

John A. Alvarez & Sons, Inc.

(518) 851-9917

Mobile/Modular Homes

Jonathan’s Computers & HudsonHomeTours.com

(518) 822-8435

Computer Services

JSL Computer Services, Inc.

(518) 828-7761

Computer Services

K

K & H Fuel Oil Co. LLC

(518) 537-6688

Fuel / Oil / Propane

K J’s Gymnastics, Inc.

(518) 758-2554

Recreation/Sports

Kaaterskill Farm Natural Storehouse Inc.

(518) 822-0790

Health Food/Products

Karen E. Larson

(518) 784-9062

Educational Services

Karp, Ackerman, Small & Hogan, CPA’s PC

(518) 828-7618

Accountants

Kasuri

(518) 249-4786

Clothing

Katchkie Farm

(212) 727-2424

Farms

KathodeRay Media Inc.

(518) 966-5600

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Ken Sexton Interiors

(518) 771-3022

Interior Design

Key Bank

(518) 828-4331

Financial Institutions

Kinderhook Bottle Shop, The

(347) 237-1807

Liquor/Wine

Kinderhook Business & Professional Assoc.

(518) 229-9106

Business Organizations

Kinderhook Farmers’ Market

(518) 755-9293

Farm Markets

Kinderhook Fitness Inc.

(518) 610-8009

Health & Fitness

Kinderhook Reformed Church

(518) 758-6401

Churches/Synagogues

Kinderhook Toyota

(518) 822-9911

Automobile Dealers: New / Pre-Owned

Kipps Mobile Home Park, Inc.

(518) 828-3449

Mobile/Modular Homes

Kiwanis

(518) 479-3959

Community Organizations

Klein’s Kill Fruit Farms Corp./A. Bartolotta & Sons

(518) 828-6116

Farms

Klocke Estate Distillery

(518) 697-9707

Distilleries

Kneller Insurance Agency

(518) 392-9311

Insurance

Kneller Insurance Agency

(518) 392-9311

Insurance

Kneller Insurance Agency

(518) 392-9311

Insurance

KoscoHeritage

(800) 755-6726 toll free

Fuel / Oil / Propane

L

L. Browe Asphalt Services, Inc.

(518) 479-1400

Sand/Gravel/Stone/Paving

L.A. Painting

(860) 597-2997

Painting Contractors

LaDue Builders

(845) 518-8950

Builders and Contractors

LaTorre Insurance Agency

(518) 660-0500

Insurance

Lawrence Park Hudson

(518) 697-7612

Wine Bars

Le Gamin Country

(518) 828-2885

Restaurants

Lee Audio ‘N Security Inc.

(800) 369-3905

Security Services

Long Energy

(518) 556-6041

Fuel / Oil / Propane

Love Apple Farm

(518) 828-5048

Farm Markets

Love’s Travel Stops

(518) 781-4040

Travel Stop

Luft Construction Company, Inc.

(518) 828-6263

Builders and Contractors

Lutheran Parish of Southern Columbia County

(518) 537-6901

Churches/Synagogues

Luykas Van Alen House, The

(518) 758-9265

Museums/Historic Sites

M

M S Van Wie Advisors, Human Resources and Benefits Consultant

(518) 265-6800

Health Insurance

M/E Engineering, PC

(518) 533-2171

Engineering and/or Surveying

Mac-Haydn Theatre, Inc.The

(518) 392-9292

Performing Arts

Madder Hatters, The

(518) 398-6614

Millinery Services (Hat Making)

Madsen Overhead Doors, Inc.

(518) 392-3883

Overhead Doors

Marc A. Bergeron, MD PC

(518) 672-5519

Physicians

Margaret Ewart - Landscaping

(518) 527-5292

Landscape / Design / Maintenance

Mario’s Home Center Inc.

(518) 758-7075

Building Supplies/Hardware

Mark Van Voorst

(646) 369-0370

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Marshall & Sterling Insurance

(518) 943-3900

Insurance

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

(518) 758-9689

Museums/Historic Sites

McCagg Excavating, Inc.

(518) 828-2388

Excavation Contractors

Medicare Tailor: ‘’Custom Fit Medicare’’

(518) 220-4233

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Meltz Lumber

(518) 672-7021

Sawmill / Lumber Yard

Merchants Social

(518) 697-5005

Restaurants

Metromedia Publishers

(913) 951-8413

Publishers

MetzWood Insurance

(518) 392-5161

Insurance

Michael S. Johnston LLC

(518) 672-4901

Transportation

Mid-Hudson Cable

(518) 943-6600

Telecommunications

Miles of Smiles Directional Co.

(413) 298-3999

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Millinery Treasures

(646) 286-3092

Millinery Services (Hat Making)

Molinski Photography & Framing

(518) 929-7378

Photography/Photo Services

Morabito Lawn Care LLC

518-567-7150

Tree Service

Mortlock Funding Group, Inc.

(845) 656-8159

Financial Services

Mount Merino Manor

(518) 828-5583

Lodging

MRP Electric

(518) 697-0473

Electrical Contractors/Supplies

Mulhern Gas Co., Inc.

(518) 828-1300

Fuel / Oil / Propane

MVP Health Care

(800) 825-5687

Health Insurance

My Accountant

(518) 758-1825

Accountants

N

N & S Supply Hudson

(518) 943-2150

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Naccarato Insurance

(845) 246-7134

Insurance

Namuth LTD Photography

(518) 392-4498

Photography/Photo Services

National Grid

(800) 642-4272

Utilities

Nelson E. Furlano CPA

(413) 499-0207

Consultants - Business

New York Golf Park

(855) 467-9464

Recreation/Sports

New York State Bridge Authority

(845) 691-7245

Government Agencies

New York State Electric and Gas

(518) 664-9534

Utilities

Next Gen Signs Inc

(518) 938-1306

Signs & Graphics

North Country Financial Group

(518) 782-9901

Financial Planning / Investment Services

Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany

(518) 463-1211

Human Services Agencies

Northeastern Auto Coach

(518) 828-9001

Auto Repair & Service

Northern Empire Realty

(518) 822-1806

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

O

OB1

(917) 215-0414

Insurance

Olana Partnership, The

(518) 828-1872

Museums/Historic Sites

Olde 1811 Antiques

(518) 392-3505

Antiques Dealers

On Demand Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC

(518) 701-1098

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Operation Unite, New York

(518) 828-3612

Arts Organizations

Ornamentum

(518) 671-6770

Jewelry

Our Community Cares

(518) 336-5254

Community Organizations

P

P S 21 Performance Spaces for the 21st Century

(518) 392-6121

Performing Arts

P S I Design

(518) 929-8585

Woodworking/Cabinetry - Design & Sales

Palatine Manor Housing Development Corp.

(518) 537-3232

Senior Living

Paraco Gas

(518) 794-9870

Fuel / Oil / Propane

Peggy Anderson Associates, LLC

Builders and Contractors

Peggy Lampman Real Estate

(518) 851-2277

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Perfect Ten After School, Inc.

(917) 355-4061

Educational Services

PGS Millwork, Inc.

(518) 828-2608

Woodworking/Cabinetry - Design & Sales

Philmont Family Dentistry

(518) 672-4077

Dentists

PHOTO-ART by Ken Bovat

(518) 851-6600

Photography/Photo Services

Pine Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

(518) 672-7408

Nursing Home / Assisted Living

Pink Zebra Home

(518) 567-9420

Home Decor

Pinnacle Human Resources, LLC

(518) 486-8152

Consultants - Business

Playyard, The

(518) 764-1320

Pet Services / Supplies

Pondside Nursery

(518) 828-1369

Nurseries/Lawn & Garden Centers

Pookstyle

(518) 281-7430

Specialty Shops

Port of Call

(518) 943-5088

Restaurants

Premier Personal Products Corp.

(914) 667-6000

Manufacturing/Design

Prendergast, Patrick J., PE Consulting Engineer

(518) 758-7500

Engineering and/or Surveying

Pro Printers

(518) 828-3278

Printing/Copying

Professional Computer Associates

(845) 876-6561

Computer Services

Proper & O’Leary Engineering, dpc

(518) 610-8331

Engineering and/or Surveying

Q

Questar III

(518) 479-6882

Educational Services

R

R H Van Alstyne, Inc.

(518) 392-7718

Jewelry

R.C. Lacy Inc.

(518) 943-4300

Automobile Dealers: New / Pre-Owned

Rappleyea, Tal G., Attorney at Law

(518) 758-8034

Attorneys/Legal Services

Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, Inc.

(518) 758-7031

Funeral Homes

Record Storage Solutions, Inc.

(845) 876-6138

Business Support Services

Red Apple Realty & Frank W Starkes Insurance

(518) 851-9601

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Red Mannequin

(518) 392-7148

Specialty Shops

Reed Contracting Services

(518) 537-5067

Woodworking/Cabinetry - Design & Sales

Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack

(518) 851-3811

Churches/Synagogues

ReStore, Hudson

(518) 822-8300

Home Centers

Retech Associates

(518) 758-7887

Educational Services

Richmor Aviation, Inc.

(518) 828-9461

Transportation

River Pilates

(518) 965-5312

Health & Fitness

Robert Bradway’s Plumbing and Heating inc.

(518) 755 7917

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

Roeliff Jansen Community Library

(518) 325-4101

Libraries

Roma Fence

(518) 828-3686

Fencing Services

Rosery Flower Shop

(518) 828-9952

Florists

Roving Actors Repertory Ensemble, Inc. (The Two of Us Productions)

(518) 329-6293

Performing Arts

S

S & E Beauty Lounge

(518) 965-7524

Spa / Wellness Center

S.T. Hudson’s Son, Inc.

(518) 828-6928

Plumbing, Heating & A/C

S&W - Signs & Wonders

(518) 828-7000

Signs & Graphics

Salvation Army, The

(518) 822-1602

Community Organizations

Saturn Industries, Inc.

(518) 828-9956

Manufacturing/Design

Savona’s of Hudson

(845) 200-5949

Restaurants

Sawyer Chevrolet

(518) 943-1007

Automobile Dealers: New / Pre-Owned

Scott P. Longstreet, Esq.

(518) 766-5959

Attorneys/Legal Services

SDL+GHS - An Insurance Agency

(518) 828-1100

Health Insurance

Second Show, Inc., The

(518) 828-2990

Thrift Stores

Serino Realty Inc.

(845) 229-1400

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

Shadic Builders, Inc.

(518) 929-2978

Builders and Contractors

Shaker Museum

(518) 794-1000

Museums/Historic Sites

Shallo, Galluscio & Bianchi CPAs PC

(518) 828-6500

Accountants

Sharpe Self Storage

(518) 828-7675

Storage

Sheldon Glass Service

(518) 325-4661

Glass

Sickler, Torchia, Allen & Churchill CPA’s PC

(518) 828-4616

Accountants

Simons Catering

(518) 392-3663

Catering/Event Planning

Sneeringer Monahan Provost Redgrave Title Agency

(518) 828-4351

Title Agencies

Somma Construction LLC

(518) 965-8186

Builders and Contractors

Sonoco Plastics

(518) 392-2000

Manufacturing/Design

Spacesmith LLP

(518) 478-6764

Architects

Spencertown Academy Arts Center

(518) 392-3693

Performing Arts

Spencertown Inn

(518) 938-1616

Hotels

Spruce Salon

(518) 828-1011

Hair / Nails / Personal Care

St. Peter’s Internal Medicine - a part of St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates

(518) 392-8600

Health Services/Facilities

St. Peter’s OB/GYN-a part of St. Peter’s Health Partners Medial Associates

(518) 938-1980

Health Services/Facilities

STAPLES

(518) 822-9121

Office Equipment & Supplies

Steiner’s Sports

(518) 828-5063

Sporting Outfitters

Stewart’s Shops

(518) 581-1200

Food Markets

Stone Corner Minerals

(518) 822-0152

Specialty Shops

Studio Cicetti Architect PC

(718) 687-0450

Architects

Studiolo Design LLC

(518) 618-8770

Design / Designers

Stuyvesant Software Inc.

(518) 221-6119

Computer Services

Sunmark Credit Union

866-SUNMARK

Financial Institutions

SUNSET/SUNRISE ‘’the B&B with a view’’

(518) 329-2915

Lodging

Swim King of Ulster & Dutchess

(845) 336-7946

Pools / Hot Tubs / Outdoor Lighting & Furnishings

Swim Wing Productions LLC

(518) 794-0237

Arts Organizations

T

T D Bank N.A.

(518) 828-9991

Financial Institutions

Taconic Associates, LLC Driving School

(518) 828-0142

Educational Services

Taconic Engineering DPC

(518) 392-6660

Engineering and/or Surveying

Taconic Hills Central School District

(518) 325-2800

Educational Services

Taconic Toastmasters Club

(646) 229-2927

Community Organizations

Take Root Design

(646) 712-1515

Landscape Design

Talbott & Arding Cheese and Provisions

(518) 828-3558

Specialty Food

Tech Partners

(518) 758-2522

Consultants - Technology

Terri M. Sash

(518) 697-0673

Speech Pathologist/Therapist

The Falls in Hudson, Apartment Complex & The Greenport Event Venue

(518) 719-1600

Event Space

The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing-Barnwell

(518) 758-6222

Nursing Home / Assisted Living

The Honorable Christopher Tague

(518) 943-1371

Legislative Representatives

The Honorable Daphne Jordan

(518) 455-2381

Legislative Representatives

The Honorable Didi Barrett

(518) 828-1961

Legislative Representatives

The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse

(518) 758-9265

Museums/Historic Sites

The Kinderhook Group, Inc.(TKG)

(413) 329-1162

Real Estate Sales & Consulting

The Mountains

(917) 514-6382

Media

Thomas Cole National Historic Site

(518) 943-7465

Museums/Historic Sites

Thomas Pest Services

(518) 458-7378

Pest Control

Thompson Giroux Gallery

(518) 392-3336

Art Galleries

Times Union a Hearst Property

(518) 225-2024

Publications: Newspapers & Magazines

TNT Enterprises

(518) 708-0119

Property Management

Todd Farrell’s Car Care Center, Inc.

(518) 828-1573

Auto Repair & Service

Tom Banks Contracting, LLC

(518) 828-3802

Landscape / Design / Maintenance

Towne & Country Traders LLC

(518) 828-1506

Food Markets

Towne Law Firm, P.C. (TLF), The

(518) 452-1800

Attorneys/Legal Services

Trevellyan.biz

(518) 392-0846

Web Design Services

Triform Camphill Community

(518) 851-9320

Human Services Agencies

Trustco Bank

(518) 381-3699

Financial Institutions

U

UHY Advisors NY, Inc.

(518) 828-1565

Accountants

United Health Care

(845) 284-1381

Health Insurance

United Way of the Greater Capital Region

(518) 527-7497

Community Organizations

Upper Depot Brewing Co.

(518) 697-0445

Breweries

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood

(518) 434-5678

Health & Wellness

Upstage Productions Inc.

(518) 821-4449

Performing Arts

V

Valatie Economic Redevelopment Association (V.E.R.A.)

(917) 374-4757

Business Organizations

Valatie Free Library

(518) 758-9321

Libraries

Valatie Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc.

(518) 309-8200

Community Organizations

Valley Energy

(518) 851-3921

Fuel / Oil / Propane

Valley Mortgage Company, Inc.

(518) 828-0185

Financial Services

Van Kleeck’s Tire Service

(845) 382-1292

Auto Repair & Service

Velo Domestique Bicycle Shop

(518) 392-3010

Sporting Outfitters

Verdigris Tea & Chocolate Bar

(518) 828-3139

Cafe / Bakery

Village Dodge

(518) 828-1585

Automobile Dealers: New / Pre-Owned

W

W & B Golf Carts, Inc.

(518) 851-2266

Rental Services

Waldorf Farm LLC

1-518-766-9400

Equine Services

Walmart Stores, Inc.

(518) 822-0160

Retail Shops

Waubeeka Family Campground

(866) 387-1956

Campgrounds

Wayne and Linda Dedrick Landscape

(518) 392-0249

Landscape / Design / Maintenance

Weldon Design

(518) 755-3478

Home Furnishings/Decorating

WellNow Urgent Care

(518) 267-3496

Health Services/Facilities

WGXC 90.7-FM

518-697-7400

Radio Stations

Wick, The

(518) 249-6825

Lodging

William J. Better, P.C.

(518) 758-1511

Attorneys/Legal Services

Williams Lumber & Home Centers

(518) 851-3641

Building Supplies/Hardware

Wm. Farmer and Sons - Boarding & Barroom

(518) 828-1635

Lodging

Wolfe’s Wholesale Nursery

(518) 828-5416

Nurseries/Lawn & Garden Centers

Won Dharma Center

(518) 851-2581

Meditation Center

Wood Hill Veterinary Clinic

(518) 392-6224

Veterinarians

Woodland Hills Campground

(518) 392-3557

Campgrounds

WYBN / Cable Ad Net NY

(845) 876-1212

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations

Y