- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
14 people are interested
Mesier Homestead and Museum Tour Guides (Docents) -or- Visitor Greeters
ORGANIZATION: Wappingers Historical Society
Please visit the new page to apply.
- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
14 people are interested
Do you have a passion for history and enjoy sharing your discoveries with others? The 1741 Mesier Homestead and Museum welcomes new Docents and Greeters for our regular tour days and special events.
The Homestead and Museum is open to the public for tours on the 2 nd Sunday of each month, April - December, from 1pm - 4pm. Special event tours may also take place several days during the tour season. Tours are approximately a ½ hour in length. Docent training and an easy-to-follow tour outline are provided prior to you taking a group on your own. Greeter training is provided as well. Volunteering is flexible, meaning you do not need to commit to every tour day - but on the days you are able to commit, we request that you be there the entire time.
Although the Mesier Homestead tours are typically guided by members of the Wappingers Historical Society, you do NOT need to be a member to be a Docent or Greeter. We welcome high school juniors and seniors, college students and the adult community to discover the surprising history of the Mesier Homestead and the surrounding area, and then share your enthusiasm with others!
About the Mesier Homestead: Part of the Wappingers Falls Historical District, the Mesier Homestead & Museum is home to the Wappingers Historical Society. Built 1741 by two Dutchmen, Adolphus and Nicholas Brewer, who settled here and built this Homestead plus several mills along the Wappingers Creek. The Homestead was later sold to Peter Mesier, a Tory loyalist merchant from New York City.
Beautiful Victorian details disguise the 18th c. fieldstone core of the historic Brewer-Mesier Homestead, which sits on a village green that has been a public park since 1891. Volunteer-led tours cover the early history of the Homestead and the Village of Wappingers Falls and tell the story of Peter Mesier, his store and the Wappingers Tea Party of 1777. Explore Victorian-era styled rooms and their displays of local antiquities. Part of the tour also features portion of our large collection of Native American artifacts.
More opportunities with Wappingers Historical Society
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Wappingers Historical Society
Location:
P.O. Box 174, 2 Spring Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590, US
Mission Statement
The mission of the Wappingers Historical Society is to preserve and promote the history of the Town of Wappinger, the Village of Wappingers Falls and neighboring communities, and to maintain custodianship of the Mesier Homestead.
Description
The Wappingers Historical Society was created in 1967, when John Ferris, a fourth generation local resident, realized that much of the Village's history was bei ng discarded or given away. Many items were being taken out of the area as older residents cleaned out the homes they had lived in for many years. Mr. Ferris gathered a few of the Village's long-time residents to see if there was enough interest to form a historical society. So, with the positive response, a small group of about ten members formed the Wappingers Historical Society. It remains an active group today.
The Wappingers Historical Society acquired full custodianship of the Mesier Homestead in 2007 and has been working diligently since then to preserve and restore the 1741 Homestead. They are a rich source of knowledge of the history of the Town of Wappinger, Village of Wappinger Falls and surrounding hamlets and communities, and have archived thousands of artifacts from this area. The Wappingers Historical Society is also the curator of an extensive collection of Native American artifacts.
Grateful recipient of the 2018 Hudson Valley Magazine's "Best of" award for Best Historical Society.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
2 Spring StreetWappingers Falls, NY 12590
DATE POSTED
August 17, 2020
SKILLS
- General Education
- History
- People Skills
- Public Speaking
- Verbal / Written Communication
- Storytelling
GOOD FOR
- Teens
- People 55+
- Group
REQUIREMENTS
- Must be at least 16
- 3 hours on the 2nd Sunday of the month, April-December.
- We can work with your schedule as to the days that you are able to volunteer. We do ask, however, that you commit to the entire 3 hour time period on the days that you commit to.