Senate House Historic Site

296 Fair Street
Kingston, NY 12401

Geolocation:

Senate House Historic Site

About

Amidst the turmoil of a British military invasion in the fall of 1777, the elected representatives of rebellious New Yorkers met in Kingston to form a new state government. While convened in Kingston in September and October, New York's first Senate met in the simple stone house of merchant Abraham Van Gaasbeek.

In 1887, to recognize Senate House's role in the formation of New York State, New York State acquired the property, which quickly became a vital community museum. A two-story Museum Building was constructed in 1927 to house and display the site's burgeoning collection. Among its treasures are: major art works by John Vanderlyn and other members of the Vanderlyn family of Kingston. The museum also has a collection of colonial-era artifacts, furniture, and portraits, which shed light on domestic colonial life and times.

Senate House Historic Site is a member of the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council.

Collections

Senate House Collection

A sampling of documents from the Colonial period and Revolutionary War.