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300 Years of History in the Heart of
New Paltz, New York

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Library and Archives Collections

 
This 1777 French-English Dictionary by the famous Huguenot author Abel Boyer is one of the items in the Schoonmaker Library Reference Collection
 
General Description

Historic Huguenot Street actively collects and maintains primary and secondary source materials, in any format that it can sufficiently care for, that help us achieve our mission to preserve and interpret the history of the Huguenot, Dutch and allied families who settled New Paltz and surrounding or related communities. Within its holdings are approximately 2,500 titles of published and unpublished works on Huguenot and local history and genealogy, 200 cubic feet of archival and manuscript materials, and 100 cubic feet of Historic Huguenot Street's own organizational records and memorabilia. The collections consist chiefly of print and photographic materials from New Paltz and surrounding and related communities dating from the seventeenth -- twentieth century, with a concentration of collections on seventeenth - nineteenth century materials. Major collecting areas are personal and family papers and memorabilia, photographs, rare books and historic Bibles, miscellaneous institutional records, genealogical research materials; maps and architectural drawings, Colonial and Federal era newspapers; and other miscellaneous materials. The Library and Archives is open by appointment to Historic Huguenot Street members and the general public free of charge. General information about the Library and Archives

Reference Library

Approximately 2,500 titles, 6,000 volumes
The Reference Library collects and maintains secondary source materials concerning the history of New Paltz and the Hudson Valley region, and of Huguenots more generally. The collection consists of scholarly and non-scholarly monographs, dissertations, journals, and reports; compilations of demographic and genealogical source materials; published and unpublished genealogies and charts; historical and genealogical subject files, and microforms. The Library also collects published works of individuals from the staff, board and membership of Historic Huguenot Street. HHS Genealogy File includes folders with materials relating to over 1,000 families. Follow this link to view a list of these families and to learn how to order photocopies from this collection.

Special Collections

(1582-1989). Approximately 200 cubic feet
Stored in the archives are collections of personal and family papers and institutional records created or kept by individuals, families, and churches, schools and other organizations of southern Ulster County and surrounding areas. Localities chiefly represented include specifically the towns of New Paltz, Gardiner, Plattekill, Rochester, Shawangunk, Esopus, Marbletown, the City of Kingston, and the City of Newburgh, Orange County, although other localities are also mentioned. The concentration of materials is on the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Also housed in the special collections are several artificial collections that were created at the repository for specific research use. Materials stored in the artificial collections include Bibles and rare books, maps, genealogy collections, photographs, newspapers, account books, recipe books, ciphering books, and broadsides. 

HHS Corporate Records

(1894-present). Approximately 100 cubic feet
Also stored in the archives are records relating the official business activities of Historic Huguenot Street (formerly known as the Huguenot Historical Society), HHS member family associations and other affiliated organizations. The records span the entire history of HHS and its predecessor institution, The Huguenot, Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society, which was founded in 1894. Records include minutes, reports, correspondence, financial and legal records, subject files, project files, personnel files, architectural drawings and research files, scrapbooks, and photographs. Some inventories and box-level descriptions are available at the repository. Access to HHS corporate records is generally limited to HHS staff and board members. All other researchers interested in gaining access to these records must send a letter of intent to Leslie LeFevre-Stratton, Curator of Collections.