Patriots, Plowshares & Post Roads at the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society

Patriots, Plowshares & Post Roads: Chapters from our Local Journey to Independence explores the American Revolution from a distinctly local perspective. Rather than focusing on famous battles and generals, the exhibition tells the stories of the people, industries, transportation networks, and communication systems that sustained everyday life and helped lay the foundations for American independence.

​Among the featured topics are the Ancram Iron Works, which supplied iron for cannon shot and links in the Hudson River’s Great Chain; the region’s fulling and gristmills; the Noble Train of Artillery led by Colonel Henry Knox; Revolutionary War veterans buried in local cemeteries; and the evolution of Columbia County from colonial New York to the early republic.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors can also enjoy free Sunday presentations, hands-on workshops, guided site visits, and two original introductory videos that explore the exhibition’s themes, including Send it Like a Schuyler, a look at Revolutionary-era letter writing, wax seals with Mitch Mondello, and the colonial Postal System.

Saturdays and Sundays 2-4pm through October 31, 2026