Hudson Valley Landmark is Destination for Members' and Guests' Day Trip

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., August 30, 2007—Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, is the destination for a members’ and guests’ day trip sponsored by the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) on Saturday, October 20, 2007.

Kykuit is a preeminent Hudson Valley landmark. This hilltop paradise was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His business acumen made him, in his day, the richest man in America. Now a historic site of the National Trust, this extraordinary landmark has been continuously and meticulously maintained for almost 100 years.

Our trip begins with a 2 1/2 hour guided tour through the main rooms of the six-story stone house and moves on to the expansive, terraced gardens containing Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller’s exceptional collection of 20th-century sculpture. Artists represented include Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, and David Smith, among many others. The private, underground art galleries with Governor Rockefeller’s collection of Picasso tapestries, and the cavernous Coach Barn, with its collection of classic automobiles and horse-drawn carriages, are also part of the experience. Please note that the tour consists of walking or standing for long periods of time and is most appropriate for adults and older children.

The motorcoach will depart from The Farmers’ Museum parking lot, located on 5775 State Hwy. 80, Lake Road, Cooperstown at 6:30 am and returns at approximately 8:00 pm. The motorcoach will also be picking up and dropping off at the Oneonta Bus Lines Terminal. The cost is $75 for NYSHA members and $85 for non-members. Reservations are required by October 1. Payment is due at the time of registration. There will be no refunds given after October 1. Seating is limited; please call Carla Eckler, Manager of Membership, at (607) 547-1425 to reserve your space.

About the New York State Historical Association
The New York State Historical Association is committed to engaging and connecting a broad public audience to New York State’s unique cultural heritage through exhibitions, extensive library collections, statewide educational programs, and publications that provoke, delight, and inspire. Founded in 1899, NYSHA is a private, non-profit, membership-based, educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving, collecting, and interpreting art and historical artifacts significant to New York State’s rich history and American culture. The Association’s remarkable collections, showcased in the Fenimore Art Museum, comprise some of the best examples of American landscape, history, and genre paintings including seminal works by Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Cole, William Sidney Mount and Benjamin West; the renown Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, a masterpiece collection of more than 800 art objects, representing a broad scope of North American cultures; and one of the nation’s most comprehensive and significant folk art collections. NYSHA’s Research Library holdings include over 80,000 volumes on American, New York State, and local history. For more information on the Association, Fenimore Art Museum, the Research Library, or Membership, please call (607) 547-1400 or visit www.nysha.org. The Association’s mailing address is P.O. Box 800, 5798 State Hwy. 80, Lake Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326

For more information or images, please contact:
Christine Liggio/Public Relations Office
New York State Historical Association
Fenimore Art Museum/The Farmers’ Museum
Phone: (607) 547-1472/E-mail: cliggio@nysha.org