On Saturday, April 30th at 7:30pm, as the sun sets over the ‘Gunks, Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz will offer a special evening tour. Imagine a walk through time. Imagine getting the chance to see how people really lived 100, 200, even 300 years ago. Regular people like your own great, great, great, grandparents. How did they keep warm in the winters? How did they light the dark nights? Where did they take their meals? The iconic houses on the famous street are filled with stories and many original items that help to tell the tales. Now imagine experiencing all of this by candlelight – in the same place, at the same time of day, by the same kind of light as those who came before us.
With bright electric light at our fingertips today, it is easy to forget just how different life was in the years before electricity and in the formative years of the new technology. We’ll start with a glass of wine or sparkling water in the DuBois Fort and then we’ll move through the eras —- the Jean Hasbrouck House, where Jacob and Esther lived by the light of the fireplace, betty lamps or a few candles- the LeFevre House, where Ezekiel Elting’s prosperous family takes advantage of oil lamps- and the Deyo House, where Abraham Brodhead’s New Paltz Electric Company brings the “miracle technology” to late 19th century homes. This is better than reality TV. It’s real.
The DuBois Visitor Center is located at 81 Huguenot Street in downtown New Paltz. Tickets are $14 per person or $12 for friends of Huguenot Street. Advance reservations are suggested. For more information or to register, call 845.255.1660 or visit www.huguenotstreet.org.