Join us for Private Tour and Reception at Edgewater
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
1:00 to 4:15 p.m
268 Dock Road, Barrytown, NY 12507
$75 per person
Welcome the arrival of autumn and delight in breathtaking Hudson River views all afternoon at this hidden gem near Barrytown, in Dutchess County, New York. Attendees will discover the rich history, stunning classical architecture, and significant collections of decorative and fine arts at Edgewater, an 1824 estate preserved by the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation (previously, the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust). The home’s temple-fronted colonnade ornaments a large house that was made even more impressive by the addition of an octagonal library designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1854. The combination of the library and classical portico captivated visitors well into the twentieth century—including its last two private owners, author Gore Vidal and collector Richard Hampton Jenrette, “the last gentleman on Wall Street.” Edgewater appears on the National Register of Historic Places and is a contributing property to the Hudson River Historic District.
Upon arrival, our program begins at 1:00 p.m. with a warm welcome from Benjamin Prosky, President of the Foundation, before an in-depth tour of the interior and exterior led by Curator and Director of Collections Grant Quertermous. We will also learn from the current cohort of William L. Thompson Collection Fellows about new research on this fascinating site.
After a brief respite at your leisure in the garden, at 3:15 p.m., our group will assemble outside beneath the portico for a festive toast and light reception with Foundation staff, including Prosky, Vice President Dr. David Cherry, Quertermous, and the Thompson Fellows, before our Board President Beth Carver Wees ’81, RCS ’04, and special guests bid us farewell and the program concludes at 4:15 p.m.
Capacity: Our group is limited to 20 people.
Registration: Registration via Eventbrite is preferred and prioritized above registration by phone or email. Click the link HERE and register today! We expect this program to sell out. If you are unable to complete your payment via Eventbrite, please purchase your ticket using the AFA website (click link HERE).
Attire & Accessibility: Please wear comfortable shoes, as the tour requires physical stamina and the ability to stand for prolonged periods. Please note that some steps are required to move throughout the house and not all spaces are ADA accessible. No food or beverages are allowed inside with the exception of a closed bottle of water.
Photography: Photography is encouraged throughout the site.
Transportation: Transportation to Barrytown is on your own. There is complimentary parking on site.
BY CAR: GPS navigation systems favor using the address “Dock Road, Barrytown, NY” without a house number. Follow Barrytown Road over the railroad bridge to reach Edgewater. Do not turn onto Station Hill Road, as you will find yourself on the wrong side of the railroad tracks with no place to park. If this happens, turn around, return to Barrytown Road and turn left following the instructions above. Parking is on the grass lot to the left of the road by the tracks. Please do not drive through the gate, as there is not room for parking inside. Estimated driving time from Manhattan, traffic-dependent, is 2 to 2.5 hours, just over 100-miles.
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Enjoy scenic river views aboard Amtrak, with affordable service provided by the Adirondack, Empire Service, or Ethan Allen Express lines, which depart from New York Penn Station and arrive about 1-hour and 45-minutes later at Rhinecliff Station. Check the Amtrak departure schedule to buy tickets in advance (click link HERE). From the Rhinecliff Amtrak Train Station, a short 15-minutes taxi or ride-share service can take you to Edgewater (approximately 7.5 miles north). Please contact Nick’s Rhinecliff Taxi Service at (845) 551-2243 or Kingston Kabs (Rhinebeck and Red Hook Car Service) at (845) 331-TAXI (8294) to schedule your trip in advance, as there are no cabs waiting at the station and ride share services are unavailable.
Alternatively, the Hudson Line of the Metro-North Railroad offers regular service to Poughkeepsie Train Station, about 23 miles south of Barrytown. Check the MTA’s departure schedules to buy tickets in advance (click link HERE), departing from Grand Central Station or Harlem-125th Street. Both Avid and Enterprise car rental facilities in Poughkeepsie are available for advance bookings. Dutchess County also operates bus-service aboard the C Line, departing from the intersection of Pine Street and Katherine Street, traveling north for about an hour along U.S. Rt. 9 to the town of Red Hook. From Red Hook, you will need to schedule a short, 10-minute taxi (see vendors above) to take you to Edgewater (approximately 4.5 miles west).
We expect this program to sell out. Please register and purchase your ticket today. Thank you for your interest in the programs of the American Friends of Attingham.
Images above (clockwise, fourth and fifth from left) courtesy “Edgewater, paradise for a preservationist,” The Magazine ANTIQUES (May 2017). Accessed August 25, 2024. URL: https://www.themagazineantiques.com/article/edgewater-paradise-for-a-preservationist/