To close our Ulster in Maps season, the Sunday Salon Series turns to one of the most remarkable land grants in New York history: the 1708 Hardenbergh Patent. Originally pitched to the Colonial Government as a request for a “small tract of land,” it ballooned into a grant larger than the State of Rhode Island. Presenter Thomas Soja will unveil a long-lost 1749 survey map, challenge long-accepted historical narratives, and resolve a centuries-old question about the Hardenbergh claim to Mesopotamia and Point Mountain at the “Wedding of the Waters,” where the East and West Branches of the Delaware River meet.

Thomas Soja and his wife moved from New York City to Delaware County in 1999, settling on land within the Hardenbergh Patent. A chance inquiry into riverfront property sparked his fascination with the 1708 royal grant and launched a decades-long search for a legendary 1749 survey map. A real estate broker by profession, Soja has built an extensive collection of historic maps of the Hardenbergh Patent and brings both personal experience and scholarly curiosity to his work.

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This event is free, but seating is limited—please reserve your spot in advance.
We suggest a donation of $15 to support the Sunday Salon Series and the work of the Ulster County Historical Society. You can contribute online when you RSVP or donate at the event itself via cash, check, or credit card.

Thank you for supporting local history and community programming!