When you visit the Ulster County Historical Society, you will notice a significant change in the appearance of our rooms. With its long history as a family dwelling, the house offers a diverse and significant collection of local artifacts and cultural items that we are now showcasing alongside contemporary artworks to create a series of new exhibitions that connect the past with the present.
Guests to the Bevier House enter into the large center hall, the hub of the museum. This is where you will first encounter our exhibitions and where our public programs are held. The gallery to the north of the hall is our rotating exhibition space, in tandem with the center hall. Please refer to our “Special Exhibition” page for more information on this season’s exhibition.
The long room on the south side of the hall was initially divided into two rooms for family use: a parlor and possibly a smaller dining room behind it. It is now a gallery space containing some highlights from our collection. Items on display include several paintings by Julia Dillon, a prolific and successful Ulster County artist who lived in Kingston, NY, as well as a Dutch-style early American writing table and a Palatine German wardrobe known as a schrank.
The colonial kitchen, with its inviting fireplace and hearth, sits inside the earliest part of the house, built in the 1680s. While this room was remodeled in the 20th century, it has always been popular with visitors who enjoy looking at the kitchen and cooking tools used in the 18th century. Functioning primarily as a place for cooking, this room also houses a fold-down bed, necessary as additional bedding in an early household whole of people or for a vigilant family member whose job it was to keep the coals burning overnight.
Just off the colonial kitchen, to what was most likely an unheated work or storage space, you can view our recently refurbished “Tool Room,” which houses a beautiful collection of early trades and farming tools. This room has been dedicated to the memory of Peter Sinclair, a local historian and teacher whose enthusiasm and knowledge of early American vernacular culture helped us to interpret this collection.
Research queries are by appointment only; please email uchsdirector@gmail.com.