Come one, come all to the 6th annual Community Day! From 1-4 pm, Thomas Cole’s home and the galleries will be open free of charge, with activities for the whole family. Visitors can view the Main House, New Studio and special exhibitions. There will be live music, a storyteller, art activities, a giant architectural structure to make, and free refreshments will be served. Free admission.

A special feature of the annual Community Day is the exhibition “Postcards from the Trail”, with hundreds of paintings on view and for sale. Paintings are just $100 each for adult work, and $25 each for youth work. Come early for the best selection.

Scheduled Events & Activities

1–2 pm Live Music by the Coxsackie-Athens Community Band in the music tent

1-2 pm Q&A in the main tent with Rich Rappleyea, the New Studio builder

2-3 pm Live Music by Carmen Borgia & Alison Davy in the music tent

2:30 pm Live performance of StoryCrafters under the Main House

2–4 pm Q&A in the Main House with Margaret Saliske, the conservator restoring the decorative painting in the parlors

3-4 pm Live Music by Foggy Otis and the Hudson Dusters in the music tent

3 pm Q&A in the Main House with curator Kate Menconeri about the exhibition Nature Builds/We Cover by Jason Middlebrook

3:30 pm Live performance of StoryCrafters under the Main House

3:30 pm Raffle Drawing

4:00 pm Pick up your painting from the Postcards exhibition on the West Porch

Ongoing Events & Activities: 1-4 pm

Enjoy free admission to the Main House, Old Studio, and New Studio.
Buy a $100 painting at the Postcards from the Trail exhibition on the West Porch.
See the exhibition Thomas Cole: The Artist as Architect in the New Studio.
Discover the art installation by Jason Middlebrook in the Main House and on the lawn.
Explore the “please touch” table in the Creative Process exhibition in the Main House.
Grab a meal at Pippy’s Food Truck.
Enjoy free cookies and lemonade at the Visitor Center.
Do some shopping in the gift shop.
Add to the giant cardboard architectural project.
Test out our new free Audio Guide, funded by AT&T.
Add some color to the Kids’ Mural Activity.
Toss bean-bags in the bean-bag game. Play croquet.
Take a selfie with a super-sized Thomas Cole.
Draw a landscape using a Camera Obscura.
Enter the raffle at the information table for a chance to win a prize.

The Hudson River School Art Trail connects you with the places in nature that Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School artists made famous in their 19th-century American landscape paintings. Thomas Cole was an artist and early environmentalist who founded the Hudson River School of landscape painting in the United States and advocated to protect the country’s natural scenery.

Today, you can visit these magnificent views thanks to extensive preservation efforts.

The Hudson River School Art Trail is a program of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in partnership Olana, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Step into a Painting on a Self-Guided Adventure

Donate to the Thomas Cole Site

Your support makes everything possible. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site operates as an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, responsible for raising the full operating budget each year.

Your donation supports our mission to draw inspiration from Thomas Cole’s profound influence on America’s cultural landscape and the historic context of his work to engage broad audiences through innovative educational programs that are relevant today.

All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. You can make your donation here online or by mail to the Thomas Cole Historic House, 218 Spring Street, Catskill, NY 12414.

Donate

Endowments

A gift to the endowments is a gift that gives forever. Support the future of this organization by supporting the Program Endowment or the Preservation Endowment. Tell us where you would like to direct your gift in the comment section below.

Support the Endowments

The Thomas Cole Society: Making Your Gift a Lasting Legacy

Many of our supporters have already left a gift to the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in their wills or estate plans to help preserve this historic place for future generations, and you can too. If you have already included the Thomas Cole Site in your will, please let us know. We can’t wait to thank you.

To talk about your goals and any questions please reach out to Jennifer at jgreim@thomascole.org.

Information

Important Information

Legal Name: Thomas Cole Historic House
Mailing Address: 218 Spring Street, Catskill, NY 12414
Tax Identification Number (EIN): 27-0599147

If you would like to make a gift of stock, please be in touch with Jennifer at jgreim@thomascole.org.

The Program Endowment that supports educational programs at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this the programs do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Campus photography by Peter Aaron/OTTO

Learn about the Hudson River School

In the early nineteenth century, many in this country were searching for a style of art that they could call their own – something distinct from Europe. Painter, poet, and essayist Thomas Cole (1801-1848) responded to this quest by creating American landscape paintings unlike any yet seen. His vision of majestic mountains and tangled forests stood in stark contrast to the gentle landscape images that had come before.

Influential people of the nascent New York cultural scene embraced his work enthusiastically, and Cole became the leader of an informal alliance of landscape artists now known as the Hudson River School. Cole, Asher Durand, Susie M. Barstow, Frederic Church, Sanford Gifford, Jasper Cropsey, and other painters, along with literary figures such as William Cullen Bryant and James Fenimore Cooper, forged a self-consciously “American” style and landscape vision for what was still a relatively new nation.

The artists of the Hudson River School were united by their belief that their art might lead to spiritual renewal and contribute to the formation of a uniquely American national culture.

Explore Thomas Cole’s paintings in depth

Read a brief Thomas Cole bio

Learn about his home called Cedar Grove

See a list of prominent figures of the Hudson River School

See a list of recommended further reading

Get information especially for collectors

Visit the page for Thomas Cole’s NEW STUDIO

Painting: Thomas Cole, View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, After A Thunderstorm (The Oxbow), 1836, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hudson River School Art Trail Itineraries

Below are several suggested itineraries for exploring the Hudson River School Art Trail – the driving and walking trail to the views that are depicted in some of the best known 19th-century landscape paintings. If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can bring all of the paintings along with you and have the fun of comparing the painted and actual views by visiting this site: www.hudsonriverschool.org. Also, from May through October, you can join a guided hike that departs from the Thomas Cole Historic Site. See the current schedule of hikes and other programs.

Enjoy your journey.

One-Day Highlights Tour

Sites 1, 2, 4 and 5.

See some of the most spectacular sites, all in one day! Start at the #1 site on the Trail, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site at 9:30 am, watch the introductory film about the Hudson River School, and take the 10 am tour of the place where American art began. Next, head to Olana, site #2 on the Trail, which is less than 3 miles away, and brace yourself for one of the most beautiful views in all of North America. Take the 11:30 am tour (reserve in advance by calling (518) 828-0135) of the magnificent home of the artist Frederic Church, shop for an artistic souvenir, and then head to lunch in nearby Hudson or Catskill. After lunch, drive to site #4 on the Trail for a view of majestic Kaaterskill Clove. Leave your car there and take the 1-mile hike up to Kaaterskill Falls.

“Into the Wild” Weekend

Day 1: Sites 12, 13, 14 and 2
Day 2: Sites 1, 4, 5 and 7

Escape to nature and hike to some of the most glorious views on the East Coast. Start at the Mohonk Mountain House, a resort that dates back to the 19th-century. Ask for a trail map at the gate house and explore the beautifully maintained trails with 100-mile views of the region, encompassing Trail sites #12, 13 and 14. Enjoy an outdoor barbecue for lunch at Mohonk’s The Granary overlooking New Paltz’s Lake Mohonk. Drive approximately one hour to Olana, site #2 on the Trail, and brace yourself for one of the most beautiful views in all of North America. Take the guided tour (reserve in advance by calling (518) 828-0135) of the magnificent home of the artist Frederic Church, shop for an artistic souvenir, and then head to dinner in nearby Hudson or Catskill, both of which have Bed & Breakfasts for your overnight stay. The next day, start at the #1 site on the Trail, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, watch the introductory film about the Hudson River School, and take the guided tour of the place where American art began. Head to lunch on Catskill’s historic Main Street or at The Point restaurant on the banks of the Hudson River, then drive up into the 300,000-acre Catskill Forest Preserve. Park and enjoy Trail site #4 right from the parking lot. If you have time, hike the one mile trek up to Kaaterskill Falls, a double waterfall that combined reaches 260 feet, the highest waterfall in New York State! Compare the view to Thomas Cole’s famous 1826 painting of the same, then make your way back down the trail to the sights and sounds of tumbling waters all the way. Drive around into the North-South Lake State Park, get a trail map at the gate house, and start your two-hour round-trip hike along the dizzying heights of the Escarpment Trail, with views that encompass the length of the Hudson River and three states. Return the way you came and reward yourself with a hearty dinner in nearby Hunter or Tannersville.

Fun Family Outing

Sites 4, 6 and 8

Your first step into the colorful and magical world of the Hudson River School is at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, where your Art Trail Passport awaits. Pick up your passports at the gift shop located in the visitor center, watch a short intro film about the Hudson River School and, with passport and pencils in hand, journey into the artistic heart of the Catskills. Be sure to stop at nearby Catskill Country Store, located just about one mile from the Thomas Cole Site at 430 Main Street, Catskill, or at Natalie’s Nook which is also on Main Street, to grab sandwiches, salads and more for a picnic on the trail.

From here, drive along Route 23A until you cross over a large waterfall and come to a small parking lot on your left, located approximately 15 miles from Catskill. Park and walk to the far side of the lot where you can see a view through Kaaterskill Clove, site #4. There you will find an exhibit panel with several paintings of the same view reproduced there. Using your passports and a pencil, you can make a rubbing of the metal plaque that is attached to the sign.

If you have older children and if you have enough time, leave your car right there and walk back along Route 23A to the trailhead to Kaaterskill Falls, site #5. As the largest cascading waterfall in New York State, it is little wonder Cole and many of his disciples stopped here to capture on canvas their first impressions of the Catskills. The one mile hike into the falls offers scenic beauty, plenty of opportunity for sketching on your own, and a well-marked trail that entices with the smells of the forest and distant thunder of the majestic waterfall. However, it is steep in places and not appropriate for small children. Find a quiet spot at the base of the falls and enjoy your picnic or simply relax while the rush of the falls creates its own music all around you. At the end of your hike, stop by the Art Trail Marker to complete the passport rubbing before heading to site #6, North-South Lake.

The North-South Lake Campground is a popular destination that offers swimming, boating and fishing, perfect for a day of family fun. A small day-use fee is required at the entrance gate where you should request a map of the campground and nearby hiking trails. Drive to the edge of the lake, site #6, and record the sights and sounds of the journey in your passport, utilizing one of Thomas Cole’s own painting techniques. Cole captured the scenic beauty in little reminders and sketches, making notes about the color of flowers, trees and the sky before returning to his studio to paint.

Enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of North-South Lake, go for a swim, enjoy your picnic if you have not already done so, and then head to Site #8 on the Art Trail, the former location of the Catskill Mountain House. The trailhead is located at the campground and follows the Catskill Escarpment Trail to a ledge rising 1,600 feet above the Hudson River Valley. Complete your rubbing and enjoy the inspiring view that on a clear day encompasses five states and remains almost unchanged since Cole’s time.

Three-Day Grand Tour

Day 1: Site 17

Day 2: Sites 15, 2 and 9

Day 3: Sites 1, 4 and 5

Day 1:

The grand tour of the Hudson River Art Trail offers an in-depth exploration of the places that inspired America’s first artistic style. Start at site #17, the charming home and studio of painter Jasper Cropsey. Take a guided tour of both Cropsey’s home and studio, known as “Ever Rest,” by appointment on weekday mornings. To reserve a tour, phone (914) 478-1372.

Take a break and walk or drive the mile to nearby MacEchron Waterfront Park on the Hudson River. Picnic or stop at any one of the nearby restaurants and enjoy the inspiring views before heading back to site #17 for a tour though the museum’s collection of Crospey originals. The museum, shown by appointment only, houses a large collection of Cropsey paintings. See some of the best views and compare Cropsey’s painting Ravine at Hastings to the exact spot the artist captured.

Head into the charming town of Rhinebeck and continue the search for your own Hudson Valley treasures in antique shops, find art supplies and jewelry, as well as clothing shops and outdoor gear. Enjoy an overnight stay at the Beekman Arms, a stately inn located in the heart of the historic village. Reminisce about the day’s delights in front of a roaring fire or relax outside on the stone patio before dinner at The Tavern at the Beekman Arms.

Day 2:

Day two of the grand tour will find you following in the footsteps of the Vanderbilts and German-born Hudson River School painter Johann Hermann Carmiencke. The painter, who had already achieved success in Denmark, emigrated to the United States when war broke out between Germany and Denmark in the mid-1800s. One of Carmiencke’s most famous paintings, Hyde Park: View Up the Hudson, was painted from what would become the west portico and grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, stop #15 on the Art Trail. For $8 per person, enjoy a guided tour of the house and grounds year-round, and enjoy Carmiencke’s vista from the great lawns. Children 15 years and younger can take the tour for free.

After touring site #15, head to site #2, Olana State Historic Site – the former home of the prolific Frederic Edwin Church, one of the Hudson River School’s most celebrated painters. Find the medallion in the visitor center and make your rubbing before heading to site #9, Mount Merino and the Catskills, on the banks of the Hudson River in Promenade Park. Located at the foot of Warren Street just a few miles from Olana, the scenic vista was captured by Sanford Robinson Gifford in 1864 in his painting titled, South Bay, on the Hudson, Near Hudson, New York.

Enjoy wandering the cosmopolitan, yet charming city of Hudson for legendary antique shopping and great restaurants for dinner before checking in for the night at one of the many bed and breakfasts.

Day 3:

Day three of the grand tour will find you visiting the home of Thomas Cole and touring along some of the first vistas captured by Hudson River School painters. Begin the day with a visit to Site #1, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, a 5-mile drive from the City of Hudson that takes you over the beautiful Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Open your Art Trail passport and make a rubbing of the medallion at the Thomas Cole site, enjoy the scenic vista as well as tours through both Cole’s house and his studio.

Take a walk over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, which is less than a mile’s walk or drive from the Thomas Cole site, and enjoy the stirring views of the Hudson River and the scenic riverbank. Head back toward Catskill, and stop at Frank Guido’s Port of Call and enjoy a casual lunch along the Hudson River waterfront or visit Catskill’s historic Main Street for a quick bite.

Traveling from the river to the mountains, head to site #4, Kaaterskill Clove. Located on Route 23A in Palenville, the 10-mile drive from Catskill to the trailhead is dotted with scenic views. Captured by Asher B. Durand in 1866 and many other artists before and since, the Clove remains a stunning and well-preserved landscape. Cloves, which are clefts in the mountains, are distinctive to the Catskills, and were often painted by Hudson River School artists. Don’t forget to do the medallion rubbing at site #4.

From Kaaterskill Clove, head to site #5, Kaaterskill Falls – the largest cascading waterfall in New York State and your final stop on the grand tour. Painted first by Thomas Cole in 1826, and then by his many followers, Kaaterskill Falls remains a majestic and inspiring landmark destination for all who travel in Thomas Cole’s footsteps. Do the rubbing and then head for home. You have completed the three-day grand tour.

Prominent Figures: List of Artists

The following is a partial list of major and minor artists of the Hudson River School of landscape painting. This genre was popularized by well over 100 artists during a period that lasted from 1825 through approximately 1890. Significant, known relationships with Thomas Cole or Cedar Grove are shown in bold.

Henry Ary	c. 1807 – 1852
Alfred Fitch Bellows	1829 – 1883
Albert Bierstadt	1830 – 1902
DeWitt Clinton Boutelle	1820 – 1884
James Renwick Brevoort	1832 – 1918
Alfred Thompson Bricher	1837 – 1908
Albert D’Orient Browere	1814 – 1887
William Mason Brown	1828 – 1898
John Hermann Carmiencke	1810 – 1867
John William Casilear	1811 – 1893
Benjamin Champney	1817 – 1907
Charles H. Chapin	1830 – 1898
Frederic Edwin ChurchStudied two years under Cole at Cedar Grove; later hired Theodore Cole to work at Olana	1826 – 1900
Charles Codman Thomas Cole	1800 – 1842 1801-1848
Samuel Colman, Jr.	1832 – 1920
Jasper Francis Cropsey	1823 – 1900
Thomas Doughty	1793 – 1856
Robert S. Duncanson	1821 – 1872
Asher B. DurandClose friend and established engraver; Cole encouraged him to become a painter	1796 – 1886
Alvan Fisher	1792 – 1863
Samuel Lancaster Gerry	1812 – 1891
Sanford Robinson Gifford	1823 – 1880
Regis Francis Gignoux	1816 – 1882
Eliza Greatorex	1820 – 1897
James McDougal Hart	1828 – 1901
William McDougal Hart	1823 – 1894
Martin Johnson Heade	1819 – 1904
J. Antonio Hekking	1830 – c.1903
George Hetzel	1826 – 1899
James Hope	c.1819 – 1892
Richard William Hubbard	1816 – 1888
Daniel Huntington	1816 – 1891
George Inness	1825 – 1894
David Johnson	1827 – 1908
John Frederick Kensett	1816 – 1872
Charles W. Knapp	1823 – 1900
Fitz Hugh Lane	1804 – 1865
Homer Dodge Martin	1836 – 1897
Jervis McEntee	1828 – 1890
Louis Remy Mignot	1831 – 1870
Charles Herbert MoorePainted scenes of Cedar Grove and rented studio space at Cedar Grove after Cole’s death	1840 – 1930
Thomas Moran	1837 – 1926
John Adams Parker	1827 – c.1905
Arthur Parton	1842 – 1914
Henry Cheever PrattTravelled with Cole in Maine & New Hampshire	1803 – 1880
William Trost Richards	1833 – 1905
Thomas P. Rossiter	1818 – 1871
Aaron Draper Shattuck	1832 – 1928
George Henry Smillie	1840 – 1921
James D. Smillie	1833 – 1909
William T. R. Smith	1812 – 1896
William Louis Sonntag	1822 – 1899
Benjamin StoneRented studio space at Cedar Grove after Cole’s death	1829 – 1906
Paul Weber	1823 – 1916
T. Worthington Whittredge	1820 – 1910
John Williamson	1816 – 1885
Alexander H. Wyant	1836 – 1892

New Studio Ribbon Cutting

Sunday, May 1, 11 am

Join us on Sunday May 1st to celebrate the offical opening of the New Studio and the 2016 exhibition, Thomas Cole: The Artist as Architect. The day begins at 11 am with refreshments, live music, and free admission. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of Thomas Cole’s New Studio begins at noon. Additionally, guests may purchase tickets to attend the Curator’s Talk with Annette Blaugrund to learn more about the 2016 exhibition. Tickets for the talk are $9 or $7 for members.

After many years of research and a successful capital campaign, the New Studio has been reconstructed on its original footprint across the lawn from the artist’s home in Catskill, New York. The exterior of the New Studio is an exact recreation of the building that Cole designed for use as his workspace for the last year of his life. The interior provides a museum-quality gallery that will now be used to illuminate Cole’s art and to highlight his extraordinary influence on American art – past, present, and future. The inaugural exhibition in this new space is Thomas Cole: The Artist as Architect.

The exhibition’s curator, Annette Blaugrund, is an independent scholar, author, and curator and was director of the National Academy Museum for 11 years. She has worked at the Brooklyn Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the New-York Historical Society, and has taught at Columbia University, where she earned her PhD in art history. She has written numerous books on American art and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy in 2008 and was named Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 1992.

Thomas Cole, The Architect’s Dream, 1840. oil on canvas; 53 x 84 1/16 in. Toledo Museum of Art

2016 Exhibition – Thomas Cole: The Artist as Architect

We are excited to announce our 2016 exhibition, curated by noted scholar Annette Blaugrund with the assistance of our associate curator Kate Menconeri, opening May 1, 2016 and on view through October 30, 2016. In celebration of the recreation of Thomas Cole’s self-designed Italianate studio at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, the exhibition and the accompanying book focus on Cole’s architectural interests through architectural elements in his paintings and drawings as well as in both his realized and visionary projects, expanding our understanding of the breadth of his talents and interests.

This exhibition is the inaugural exhibition to be held in the “New Studio” building and will include 26 paintings and drawings, as well as a scale model, two of the artist’s books about architecture, and primary source documents. The central work of the exhibition is Cole’s 1840 painting “The Architect’s Dream,” depicting the artist overlooking a panorama of architectural styles. Accompanying the exhibition will be a new hardcover book of the same title to be published and released on April 19, 2016 by The Monacelli Press. The exhibition will run from May 1through October 30at The Thomas Cole National Historic Site and then travel to The Columbus Museum of Art, where it will be on view from November 18 through February 12, 2017. Click here for the full press release.

The exhibition is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of an over-arching project entitled “Thomas Cole and the Roots of the Conservation Movement,” designed to highlight the 19^th-century tradition of conserving iconic American landscapes. Additional support is provided by the County Initiative Program of the Greene County Legislature, administered by the Greene County Council on the Arts. The accompanying printed publication is supported by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art and several individual funders.

Exhibition Catalogue

Credit: Thomas Cole, The Architect’s Dream, 1840, 53 x 84 in. Toledo Museum of Art

Group Visits

Group Visit Package, Standard (May-October, Wednesday – Sunday):

Upon arrival, your group will be welcomed and oriented by a knowledgeable member of the Education staff. A 15-20 minute introduction to the Site, the Cole family, and some common themes of Thomas Cole’s artwork is followed by time for guests to explore the historic buildings and exhibitions at their own pace in a self-guided experience. Knowledgeable staff members are located in all spaces to discuss ideas and answer questions. Each group member will receive a copy of our Guide Book.

Regular Group Rates: $25 per person (May through September); $27 per person (October peak season). Rates include our Guide Book publication at a discounted rate of $4 ($6 value). Discounts do not apply to the group rates.

College/University Group Rates: $16 per person. Discounts do not apply to the group rates.

Booking:

To make a group visit request, please fill out this form, and we will be in contact with you to schedule your visit.

Schedule a Group Visit

Looking for a more customized experience? Click here!

Custom Guided Tour

Custom Tours are led by senior staff members. You may request for your tour to include specific areas depending on the interests of your group. Such topics might include the historic interior decoration and furnishings; a focus on a particular exhibition; or a behind the scenes look at the innovative Parlors installation. Availability of Custom Tours is limited, so please plan ahead.

Rates: $500 for up to 10 people. Each additional person is $50/each.

Bus Parking

Motor coach and bus drop off is located beside the 1846 New Studio building, situated on the south side of our campus. We ask that motor coaches avoid parking in our visitor lot that is shared with Temple Israel, as it is inaccessible for buses of that size. Motor coach and bus drivers should use the following directions below.

• Turn off of Spring Street onto High Street
• Turn left at Woodland Avenue
• Make a final left onto Hudson Avenue
• Look for the THOMAS COLE SITE GROUP DROP-OFF sign and let passengers out beside the 1846 New Studio building

Cars and passenger vans may park in our visitor parking lot.

If you have questions, please email us at education@thomascole.org.

Arrival & Check-In

Your tour guide(s) will meet you inside the 1846 New Studio shortly after your arrival time. If you are running late on the date of your visit, please call us at 518-943-7465 x 2. We recommend that you allow 2 hours for your entire visit so that you may enjoy the special exhibition in the 1846 New Studio, the Main House, the Storehouse Studio, the Shop, and the Grounds.

Owner

Community Day!