2026 Junior Historian Programming

Seal of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, featuring a landscape with a river, mountains, trees, and a boat with sails.

You can arrange a private group tour by appointment. To schedule a visit or inquire about group rates for schools and youth programs, please email us at info@newburghhistoricalsociety.org.

A wooden dollhouse with multiple rooms and a sloped roof, seen against a backdrop with text about housing history and a list of sponsors including Newburgh Historical Society, Architect of Newburgh, Junior Historian, and Newburgh Free Library.

The Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands is excited to introduce History House, a new children’s program designed to help young people explore local history through creativity, storytelling, and hands on activities.

History House invites children and families to step inside the past in a fun, welcoming, and imaginative way. Through art projects, miniature building, historic objects, storytelling, and workshops, young learners will discover how houses, neighborhoods, families, and everyday people all help tell the story of Newburgh and the Hudson Valley.

The program is designed to make history feel approachable and alive. Instead of only reading about the past, Junior Historians will have the chance to build, create, ask questions, and connect historic ideas to the places they see around them every day.

History House will support youth programming at the Historical Society by offering activities that encourage curiosity, creativity, and a deeper understanding of local heritage. Workshops may include building miniature historic homes, learning about architectural details, exploring what life was like in earlier generations, and discovering the stories behind the buildings and people of Newburgh.

“At its heart, History House is about helping young humans see that history belongs to them,” said Jonathan Hamilt, President of the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands. “When youth learn the stories of the places around them, they begin to see their community in a new way. They understand that history is not just something that happened long ago. It is something they are part of.”

History House reflects the Historical Society’s ongoing commitment to making local history accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all ages. By combining education, creativity, and community pride, the program will help inspire the next generation of historians, preservationists, artists, and storytellers.

Workshop Calendar

Monday, July 20 | Register

Making in Scale with Dan Daly of Dan Daly Design

Monday, July 27 | Register
Mini Fiber Arts Decor with Librarian Kristen Thornton-De Stafeno

Monday, August 3 | Register
Builidng a Miniature Wall with Dan Daly of Dan Daly Design

Tuesday, August 11 | Register
Tiny Art Workshop with Librarian Kristen Thornton-De Stafeno

Tuesday, August 18 | Register
Researching Your Old House with Local History Librarian Matthew Thorenz

Thursday, August 27 | Register
3D Printed Mini Furniture with Librarian Brian Sullivan

Thursday, September 3 | Register
Mini Sustainable Decor with Librarian Kristen Thornton-De Stafeno 

Wednesday, September 9 |Register
What's That Called?: Architectural Features & Forms of Newburgh with Local History Librarian Matthew Thorenz

Thursday, September 17| Register
3D Printed Mini furniture with Librarian Brian Sullivan

Registration is required for the workshops.

To adopt a house kit and register for a workshop, or to ask questions,

email Kristen at kthornton-destafeno@rcls.orgor call 845-563-3650.

History House is a collaborative initiative of the Newburgh Historical Society, the Newburgh Free Library, and Archtober Newburgh.

This program is funded by the Newburgh Free Library.

Step Inside History

A man with glasses and a beard, wearing a gray sweater, stands with arms outstretched in a room filled with children sitting on the floor and on chairs, engaged in an activity. The room features ornate curtains, a large painting, a grandfather clock, and a fireplace with decorative items.

Discover the Crawford House Museum through programs designed especially for young learners. Our guided visits introduce children to the elegant 1830 home of Captain David Crawford, a civic leader and maritime entrepreneur who helped shape Newburgh’s growth from a quiet riverside town into a thriving center of industry and trade.

The Crawford House, once set on 500 acres overlooking the Hudson River, now serves as the headquarters of the Newburgh Historical Society. Here, history comes alive through interactive tours, object-based learning, and age-appropriate activities that connect students to Newburgh’s rich past.

As stewards of the city’s heritage, the Historical Society is committed to offering educational experiences that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and inspire young people to explore the stories, cultures, and architecture that make Newburgh unique.

A yellow, two-story Victorian-style house with large white columns, green shutters, and a balcony, filled with children and adults. There are trees with autumn leaves surrounding the house and a sign in front that reads, 'Welcome to Crawford House, Please Use Rear Entrance'.
Children and adults sitting and standing on a porch, having a picnic with lunchboxes. Some children are eating, and some adults are talking. The porch is part of a historic house with columns and a balcony, and an American flag hangs from the balcony. There are trees with autumn leaves and brick buildings in the background.
A woman with gray hair and glasses leaning over a table with children, helping with a craft activity. The table is filled with supplies like glue, markers, paper, and photos. There is a colorful folded display card on the table. A large framed painting of a street scene hangs on the wall behind them. Several children are engaged in the activity, and some are wearing jewelry and colorful clothing.

"We are so grateful for the warm welcome our school received during its recent field trip to the Historical Society. It's wonderful to see our students comfortable enough to engage with such thoughtful questions and genuine curiosity. Having this resource that preserves and shares the rich history of Newburgh means so much to our community.

What we'll treasure most is knowing that our students now see this landmark as part of their own neighborhood story.

Thank you, Crawford House team, for opening your doors and helping our students feel so connected to the place they call home."

-Rebecca Harrison, Director of Education, Little Friends Learning Loft

A young woman with long brown hair and a black sleeveless top standing outdoors in a fall setting with blurred autumn leaves in the background.

Take a Virtual Tour of Crawford House

Elegant living room inside Crawford House in Newburgh, New York, featuring a chandelier, fireplace, vintage furniture, and large windows with curtains.

We partnered with Newburgh native Seth Colegrove (IG: @empireexplorer) to create an interactive virtual tour.

Step inside our 1830 headquarters from the comfort of your home and explore the first floor in detail. Along the way, clickable info boxes reveal the stories behind the Society’s collection of Hudson River School paintings and 19th-century decorative arts, bringing Newburgh’s history to life in a new way..