Hudson Valley History Q&A Hunt
originally for August 15 – September 30 2020

HOW TO PLAY: Use the power of the internet to journey through time and space to discover the rich history of the Hudson Valley by answering these questions. Estimated Time for Completion: 15 min

HOW TO WIN: When you complete your hunt, click the “SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS” button at the bottom.  We request your contact info in order to  send  you a HVHH Certificate of Excellent Detection! 

Reher Center: Bagboy from the Past

On Sunday mornings from the 1940s through the 1970s, Kingstonians from the German, Irish, Italian, and Polish communities converged at the Reher's Bakery to pick up rolls for breakfast on their way home from church. Explore the Sunday List Project (SundayList.org) to hear excerpts from interviews with former customers who describe those trips to Reher's Bakery and the delicious breads baked by this Jewish family that made their Sunday breakfasts complete.

Which customer on the Reher Bakery Sunday List used to leave church early to help out at the bakery by bagging rolls? And how was he paid for helping?
Ulster County Clerk's Office: Identify this Building


Originally built between 1683-1689, the building we see here was rebuilt in 1818. This historic structure sits on the oldest parcel of land in the country to continuously house a public building.
You can read about this building by clicking here.

  • • What is this building? (easy)
  • • Who made history here in 1828? (medium)
  • • Why was this courthouse rebuilt? (hard)
D&H Canal Museum: Who Wants Coffee?

The D&H Canal would like you to watch this video to get the answers for this clue:


In the “Financing the D&H Canal” video, hosting historian Bill Merchant mentions the name of a coffee house where the canal company stock was initially sold. What is the name of the coffee house?
Hudson River Maritime Museum Clue: The Fishing Business

Commercial fishing was once a lifeblood industry of the Hudson River. Plagued by habitat destruction, pollution, and overfishing, today the commercial fishing industry is almost non-existent on the Hudson River and many of her most skilled fishermen have passed away. But the Hudson River Maritime Museum has an oral history collection of over 80 interviews with some of the river’s best-known commercial fishermen.

Explore the collection at https://nyheritage.org/collections/oral-histories-hudson-river-commercial-fishermen and answer these questions:

1. How did George Clark and his father make coffee while fishing?
2. Whose mother tried to keep him from the waterfront by forcing him to wear a red dress?
3. According to Frank Parslow, what did fishermen have to do to feed their families during WWII?

Ulster Country Historical Society: What is this?

The Bevier House Museum houses the Peter Sinclair Gallery of Early American Crafts and Trades. Part 1 of a tour of the Gallery can be viewed on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/UlsterCountyHistoricalSociety/videos/342513536748732

UCHS clue #1
After watching the tour, can you identify this tool?
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