Hudson Valley Historical Sites Now Becoming Popular Spots for Unique Holiday Gifts

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 05, 2009 – Pine scented snowy days in the Hudson Valley are perfect for a weekend of shopping for special gifts. Get away from the jostling crowds by visiting unique gift shops at the region’s museums and historic sites, all artfully decorated to put you in a festive mood. Your purchase counts in so many ways to help these sites while you bag a one-of-a-kind treasure and much applause. Many of these destinations offer refreshments and special events to give you a wide range of experiences in your quest for the perfect gifts.

Art enthusiasts will appreciate anything about the Hudson River School of Painters, and you can spend an interesting day by visiting Olana, the hauntingly beautiful Moorish home Frederic Church built in 1872. Gift giving is easy with this shop’s fine selection of beautiful stationery based on Church’s paintings, unique clothing, local jams and coffee, and handmade wallets. Friends with a more modern flair will love something you’ve purchased from the museum shop at the Albany Institute of History & Art. You’ll find a wonderful selection of items reflecting past and current exhibitions, and a marketplace for local artists and artisans within a 100 mile radius of Albany.

Here’s something for the military buff on your list -- trim the tree historically with figures from the Revolutionary War. Mount Gulian Historic Site has drummer boys, fifers, and even Betsy Ross to add real interest to their collection. Along with homemade jellies and soy candles, this cozy home has the original furnishings of the Verplancks from the 1700’s. Every shopper likes to get two for one, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in Troy at the Hart-Cluett Mansion. Wrapped in white marble, adjacent 19th Century townhouses give you a taste of life 200 years ago. The gift shop features a unique selection of local history books, note cards and other finery.

Nothing says “holidays” like something from the woods, and the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gallery in Hunter has over 10,000 books, with an extensive collection of books about Rip Van Winkle’s region. Cards, games, and gifts will fill the stockings of deserving friends and family, while the craft shop showcases a wide range of items for home and garden from some of the best artists in and around the Catskills. Shoppers bent on buying a different piece of the Hudson Valley will be amused by the chocolate bricks at the Haverstraw Brick Museum. Manhattan was built with the bricks made in this river village, and the museum tells the home grown story of the industry.

From bricks to stone, tour Historic Huguenot Street, an original village of seven unique stone houses set along the Wallkill River. A Landmark District, this picturesque community dates back to 1705 with its French church and burial ground. Along the way you’ll find the well-stocked gift shop filled with holiday décor, kitchen ware, tabletop finery, books, posters, prints, jewelry, and children’s items. If your list still isn’t completed, stop by the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen. You don’t have to be a horse lover to enjoy this state-of-the-art interactive museum that includes an exciting 3-D simulator, putting you in a racing sulky. Fill your basket at the gift shop with beautiful items for the home and garden, holiday decorations, books and prints, clothing, and toys.

“Lavish” describes both the Boscobel home as well as the gifts found in the Carriage House on the grounds. The decorative arts of this 1808 Federal-style dwelling are reflected in the wide selection of ceramics, jewelry, quaint toys, garden accessories, fine china and crystal found in the museum shop. Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s home, can only be described as “charming”. Visitors delight in the warmth of this cozy riverside cottage owned by the beloved American author. The museum shop has unusual jewelry, cards and stationery, ornaments, original artworks and children's products as well as a large selection of books on the Hudson River Valley.

Expand your holiday shopping experience with visits to both our Hudson Valley homes and museums and the gift shops that support them. You’ll have a wonderful time finding unique gift items that will please everyone on your list.

Olana State Historic Site, Hudson. 518-828-0135. Shop, 518-822-1877.
www.olana.org   

Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany. 518-463-4478, www.albanyinstitute.org

Mount Gulian Historic Site, Beacon. 845-831-8172, http://www.mountgulian.org

Hart-Cluett Mansion, Troy. 518-272-7232, www.rchsonline.org   

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gallery, Hunter. 518-263-2050, www.catskillmtn.org

Haverstraw Brick Museum, Haverstraw. 845- 947-3505, www.haverstrawbrickmuseum.org   
Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz. 845-255-1660, www.huguenotstreet.org
Harness Racing Museum, Goshen. 845-294-6330, www.harnessmuseum.com   
Boscobel, Garrison. 845-265-3638, www.boscobel.org   
Sunnyside, Tarrytown. 914-591-8763, www.hudsonvalley.org

Hudson Valley Tourism, Inc. is the 10-county region designated by I LOVE NEW YORK to promote tourism for the area. Counties include Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester. Regional information can be obtained from any of the county tourism offices, the Hudson Valley Tourism website, www.travelhudsonvalley.com, or by calling 845-615-3860.