Discover 9 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Rhinebeck (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Ferncliff Forest, Wilderstein, and United States Post Office. Also, be sure to include Astor Home for Children in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Rhinebeck (New York).
Table of Contents
Ferncliff Forest
Park in Rhinebeck, New York. Ferncliff Forest is a 200-acre old-growth forest preserve of deciduous and hemlock trees located in Rhinebeck, a town in the northern part of Dutchess County, New York, USA. The property had been bought in 1900 by John Jacob Astor IV and remained in the Astor family until 1964, when it was donated as a forest preserve and game refuge.
The preserve is maintained by a private nonprofit organization. Observation towers on the property were used for map-making, surveillance for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's home during World War II, and recreational sight-seeing. Visitors can camp and hike the four miles (6.4 km) of trails free-of-charge.
The most recently built observation tower in Ferncliff Forest measures 80 feet (24 m) tall, with 109 steps. It was erected in 2007, the first since 1941 in New York. In 1942, the observation towers in Ferncliff Forest were manned by soldiers from the Army Air Corp 24 hours a day. The newest tower was constructed as a gift to the community for recreational purposes including hiking and mountain biking with an intricate trail system.[1]
Address: 68 Mount Rutsen Rd, 12572-1133 Rhinebeck
Wilderstein
Historical place museum in Rhinebeck, New York. Wilderstein is a 19th-century Queen-Anne-style country house on the Hudson River in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is a not-for-profit house museum.[2]
Address: 330 Morton Rd, 12572 Rhinebeck
United States Post Office
Post office in Rhinebeck, New York. The U.S. Post Office in Rhinebeck, New York serves the 12572 ZIP Code. It is located on Mill Street just south of the intersection with NY 308 at the center of the village.
It is a stone Colonial Revival structure built in 1940, during the New Deal. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a native of nearby Hyde Park, took a personal interest in its design, as he did with other post offices in Dutchess County built during his administration. He chose a ruined historic house, whose stones were used in the post office, as its model, and spoke at its dedication. In 1989 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a contributing property to the Rhinebeck Village Historic District.[3]
Astor Home for Children
Building. The Astor Home for Children building, home to Astor Services for Children & Families, is located on Mill Street in Rhinebeck, New York, United States. It is sponsored by Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New York, and provides mental health services to children on an inpatient and outpatient basis.
The institution began in 1904 as Holiday Farm in nearby Rhinecliff. In 1914, Vincent Astor hired the New York City architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White to design the present building for the facility, which bought the land and moved in. Catholic Charities took over ownership upon Astor's death three decades later. In the mid-20th century, major additions were made to the property, but enough of its original buildings remain for it to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.[4]
Rhinebeck
Village in New York. Rhinebeck is a village in the town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.
The postal ZIP code is 12572. U.S. Route 9 passes through the village.[5]
The Maples
Building in Dutchess County, New York. The Maples is a historic house located on 108 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck, New York. It was built in the 1830s in the Greek Revival style. Three decades later, its exterior was remodeled, adding decoration in the picturesque mode.
For decades, The Maples was used as medical offices. When the medical offices closed, the building was listed for sale, but remained empty for three years, falling into despair. In 2017, new owners purchased The Maples and began an extensive renovation, transforming the building into professional office suites.
In 1987, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
Jan Pier House
Building in Rhinebeck, New York. The Jan Pier House is a historic home located at Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York. The farmhouse was built about 1761 and remodeled about 1881 in a Second Empire style. It is a one- to two story, asymmetrical stone building built into a hillside. It features a Mansard roof sheathed in polychrome slate. Also on the property are two contributing barns, a smoke house, wellhouse / well, and a cistern.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.[7]
Henry Delamater House
The Henry Delamater House is a historic house located at 44 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York.[8]
Rhinebeck Village Historic District
The Rhinebeck Village Historic District is located along US 9 and NY 308 in Rhinebeck, New York, United States. It is an area of 167 acres contains 272 buildings in a variety of architectural styles dating from over 200 years of the settlement's history. It was recognized as a historic district and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as a cohesive area of preserved historic buildings.
Its properties were developed primarily from the Colonial era to the end of the 19th century, when the district reached its present form. Three U.S. presidents have passed through here, most significantly, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who chose the design for a new post office during the 1930s, and spoke at its dedication. It is now one of the district's contributing properties. Today the area has become a popular local attraction, many of them housing boutiques and other small businesses. The streets are lined with large shade trees, bluestone sidewalks and other historic features.[9]