Historic Huguenot Street Presents Exhibit on Freed Slave and
Later New Paltz Landowner John Hasbrouck (1806-1879)

On Display May 5 – June 10, 2018

NEW PALTZ (April 13, 2018) – Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) presents the exhibit entitled John Hasbrouck, “A Most Estimable Citizen” at the DuBois Visitor Center (81 Huguenot Street) May 5 through June 10, 2018. John Hasbrouck was born to an enslaved woman in New Paltz in 1806 and, later, as a freeman, was able to purchase land in the town. He is commonly believed to be the first African American eligible to vote in New Paltz.

The exhibit features items from the HHS Permanent Collection, the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at the Elting Memorial Library, and Town of New Paltz Records. Historical documents include the New Paltz Register of Slaves (1799-1825) listing John’s birth, two account books in John’s own hand listing work he did for white farmers and how he was compensated, New Paltz’s 1859 voter registration list, as well as personal notes, letters, and receipts. The exhibit is accompanied by a full-length, biographical essay written by Josephine Bloodgood, Director of Curatorial and Preservation Affairs.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular hours at the Visitor Center, 10 am - 5 pm daily, except Wednesdays. A special preview of the exhibit will take place at HHHS’ Spring Celebration Pinkster Festival on Saturday, April 28 from 4 to 7 pm. More information about that event is available at www.huguenotstreet.org or by calling 845-255-1660.

A National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street is a 501(c)3 non-profit that encompasses 30 buildings across 10 acres that was the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement, including seven stone houses that date to the early eighteenth century.  It was founded in 1894 as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve the nationally acclaimed collection of stone houses.  Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York Department of Education and dedicated to protecting our historic buildings, conserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families, from the sixteenth century to today.

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Josephine Bloodgood
Director of Curatorial and Preservation Affairs
(845) 255-0180
josephine@huguenotstreet.org