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History Mysteries
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Tour the House
The Meeting Room
The Dining Room
The Front Hall
The Living Room
The Stairs
Large Upstairs Bedroom
Small Upstairs Bedroom


Photos of Recent Events

The Dutch double door and side-lights (windows) are original to the house. The door knocker is of the period of Mr. Walden's ownership. The stone exterior that you see today was covered with stucco when the Society purchased the building in 1959. The stucco was removed and the stonework pointed up as part of the restoration.

The large closet-like piece of furniture is a Dutch kas that had belonged to the Van Wyck family of New Hurley, Ulster County. It was used to store linens, blankets, and similar items. It dates to about 1800.

When the Waldens first came to this area, it was referred to as "Kidd Town," named for the Alexander Kidd families who settled here in 1736. It was the Kidd Mill at the foot of the falls that Jacob Walden purchased to try his hand at the manufacture of cotton fabric. It must have been very difficult for the Waldens to leave the convenience of the day in New York City to come to an area that was predominantly agricultural--and rather desolate by comparison.

Mr. Walden's first wife, Maria Pell, was from Westchester. She died in 1822, nine years after the family moved here. They had four daughters. One daughter, Sophia, was a locally famous published poet. Mr. Walden later married Beulah Hoffman Willet, granddaughter of Colonial New York's Lt. Governor Cadwallader Colden; they had one son.

Mr. Walden returned to New York City around 1840 in ill health and having suffered business losses. Fortunately, he lived long enough to learn that the village was officially named in his honor when the community incorporated in April 1855. He died six months later and is buried in Trinity Churchyard near Wall Street in NYC.

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If you would like to add to this site, contact: Gail Yeaple