Local History Resources
We are fortunate in Columbia County to have a large network of historical organizations. If you are looking for information on a specific town or village, we encourage you to reach out to the local historical societies listed below or contact the appointed historian for that town or village. You’ll find the most up-to-date list of Columbia County historians here.
Deeds & Real Estate Information
Columbia County Clerk’s Office
This is an excellent place to start if you are looking for historical information about a specific property.
County & Municipal Historians
Columbia County Historians
William Better, County Historian
560 Warren St. Hudson, NY 12534
Ph#: (518) 758-1511
william.better@columbiacountyny.com
An up-to-date list of all Columbia County historians and their contact information can be found here: historian.columbiacountyny.com
Local Historical Organizations
African American Archive of Columbia County
www.afamarchivecc.org
Austerlitz Historical Society
11550 State Route 22
Austerlitz, NY 12017
(518) 392-0062
admin@oldausterlitz.org
www.oldausterlitz.org
Canaan Historical Society
P.O. Box 111
13 Warners Crossing Rd.
Canaan, NY12029
(518) 781-4549
CanaanHistoricalSociety@gmail.com
www.CanaanHistoricalSociety.org
Claverack Historical Society
P.O. Box 325
Claverack, NY 12513-0580
(518) 929-2715
ClaverackHistoricalSociety@gmail.com
www.ClaverackHistoricalSociety.com
Germantown History Department
52 Maple Avenue
Germantown, NY 12526
(518) 537-3600 or (518) 822-7908
GermantownHistory@gmail.com
https://germantownnyhistory.org
Greenport Historical Society
Town Hall Dr.
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828-465
info@GreenportHistoricalNY.org
www.GreenportHistoricalNY.org
Hendrick Hudson Chapter, NSDAR
Historic Robert Jenkins House
113 Warren St.
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828-9764
hendrickhudsonchapterdar@gmail.com
https://hudson-dar.org
Historic Hudson
541 Warren St.
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828-1785
information@HistoricHudson.org
www.historichudson.org
Hudson Area Library – History Room
51 N. 5th St.
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828-1792 x106
history@hudsonarealibrary.org
historyroom.hudsonarealibrary.org
Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society
P.O. Box 145
Athens, New York 12015
(518) 828-5204
info@halps.org
www.hudsonathenslighthouse.org
Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History
P.O. Box 86
46 Green St.
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 567-6490
info@jacobleislerinstitute.org
https://jacobleislerinstitute.org
Livingston History Barn
County Rt. 19
Livingston, NY 12534
(518) 851-7637
LivingstonHistoryBarn@hotmail.com
Lebanon Valley Historical Society
P.O. Box 363
New Lebanon, NY 12125
(518) 794-8880
info@lebanonvalleyhistoricalsociety.org
www.lebanonvalleyhistoricalsociety.org
North Chatham Historical Society
P.O. Box 243
North Chatham, NY 12132
(518) 766-3058
Red Rock Historical Society
VNightingale@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/RRHSNY
Riders Mills Historical Association
112 Riders Mills Rd.
Old Chatham, NY 12136
(518) 794-7246
RidersMillsSchoolhouse@ridersmillsSchoolhouse.org
https://ridersmillsschoolhouse.org
Roeliff Jansen Historical Society
P.O. Box 172
8 Miles Rd.
Copake Falls, NY 12517
(518) 329-0652
RoeliffJansenHS@gmail.com
www.RoeliffJansenHS.org
Van Hoesen House Historical Foundation
P.O. Box 254
Claverack, NY 12513
info@janvanhoesenhouse.org
www.janvanhoesenhouse.org