Hudson/Kinderhook Travel Information
Kinderhook is a Dutch village that has retained a village’s size
and a village’s open country side in the technological age. The
streets are lined with trees and many historic (and wooden) buildings
remain standing. President Martin Van Buren was born here and, indeed,
he was nicknamed Old Kinderhook. (It’s though that the phrase “OK” may
have come from abbreviating this nickname into O.K.) His home,
Lindenwald, is open to the public and his French mural is of especial
interest . . . for the sake of its preservation, it can only be viewed
by a flashlight. Washington Irving fans will want to check out the
Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse and history buffs may want to look at the
Benedict Arnold House. This house (where Arnold was taken after his
injury in the 1777 Battle of Burgis Heights) is privately owned, but
can be seen from the street. Hudson has Kinderhook’s Dutch
roots, but a few fewer presidents. Rather, Hudson was known as a
center for prostitution and gambling from the late nineteenth century
to just before surprise police raids in 1951. It’s since cleaned up
dramatically. What is Hudson best known for now? Antiques.
Warren Street is a haven for antique shops and antique dealers. The
would-be antique collector would be best advised to start in the
Hudson Antiques Center and explore from there. You may also
want to look at the American Museum of Firefighting, adjacent to the
city’s retirement home for firefighters. There is no greater
collection of firefighting equipment in the United States. Olana is a
stranger attraction, a Persian-style castle in New England, furnished
appropriately with Persian rugs, furniture, and art. Kinderhook
is about 20 miles east of Albany on I-90 and Hudson is 10 miles north
of Kinderhook on Route 9. For more information about their
attractions, check out the links on the left-hand side.
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