Part One: Historic Hudson Valley Launches New Annual Events

Historic Hudson Valley will unveil a new Halloween attraction in October called Horseman's Hollow that is not for the faint of heart or small children. Horseman's Hollow has been sinisterly designed for the singular purpose of scaring those who dare to walk its haunted trail out of their minds.

Professional actors and state-of-the-art special effects will be jointly responsible for the danger that lurks along the path. Vampires, witches, undead soldiers, ghouls and ghosts will menace travelers at every turn with the worst yet to come. The Hollow's frightened inhabitants serve a fearful master - the Headless Horseman - and they are determined to to keep visitors from ever leaving.

Threatened by both creatures that leap from the shadows and villagers driven mad by fear, travelers must negotiate the Horseman's Lair where hungry Hessians feast on the decaying, bloody corpses of unlucky previous visitors. And if that isn't bad enough, travelers must avoid crossing the path of the legendary Headless Horseman, the heartless as well as headless ruler of the terrifying landscape.

Debuting on October 15 at Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, Horseman's Hollow will terrify visitors for eight frightening nights (October 15-16, 22-24, and 28-30) as they transverse its labyrinth of horrors. Admission is $20 per person and is by timed ticket only, beginning at 7 p.m. www.hudsonvalley.org

Also new to the Historic Hudson Valley annual agenda of events will be dramatic readings by master storyteller Jonathan Kruk at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow. Kruk will recite Washington Irving's classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the well-known story about the Headless Horseman, Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones and Katrina Van Tassel. He will be accompanied by the spooky organ music of Jim Keyes.

Admission for the 45-minute performances is by timed ticket only and tickets must be purchased in advance.The dates are October 15-16 and 29-30. There will be four performances each evening on the hour, beginning at 6 p.m.  Adults: $16; children under 18: $12. www.hudsonvalley.org

Two other annual events were introduced this year by Historic Hudson Valley. One is a a fundraising "porch" party for the 380-acre Montgomery Place scheduled to coincide with the season's first fruits from the Montgomery Place Orchards.  Intended to assist with operating expenses, the party was held on June 5 in 2010, catered as a partial gift from the Madalin Hotel in Tivoli, New York with wine contributed by Millbrook Vineyards & Winery.

The one-week course Future Historians debuted during the week of August 2; it will be an annual summer camp event. The course, conducted at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, is intended for teenage boys and girls interested in pursuing a career as a curator or having a general interest in the workings of museums.

What is Historic Hudson Valley?

Historic Hudson Valley is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve the history, culture, character and traditions of the Hudson Valley region. Because of its educational and restoration programs, present and future generations can learn how their ancestors lived, worked and built their communities. It is governed by a volunteer board of trustees and supported by grants or contributions from foundations, corporations, private individuals and government agencies and revenue received from visitors. 

It has 55 full-time and 180 part-time employees, more than 200 volunteers and interns, and an operating budget of $9 million.

Historic Hudson Valley was created by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1951. "Now, sixty years later," says Mark F. Rockefeller, Chairman of the Executive Committee, "we extend the legacy, add our own momentum, and signify to the future who we are and what we valued at the dawn of the twenty-first century."

Historic Hudson Valley  was previously called Sleepy Hollow Restorations. Originally it consisted of three properties: Philipsburg Manor (Sleepy Hollow), Washington Irving's Sunnyside (Tarrytown) and Van Cortlandt Manor (Croton-on-Hudson). The Union Church of Pocantico Hills was acquired in 1984 and Montgomery Place in Annandale-on-Hudson was purchased in 1986. The name change from Sleepy Hollow Restorations to Historic Hudson Valley occurred in 1987.

Historic Hudson Valley cooperates or partners with many national and local organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation which operates Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, municipal agencies, trusts and park properties; its degree of involvement ranges from marketing alliances to managing and co-participating, especially in parkland or river related activity. 

Its library provides researchers with extensive collections of maps, architectural drawings and documents pertaining to regional history and culture. Its book shelves include a 2,500-volume Washington Irving collection.

HHV also recognizes citizens annually who have made significant contributions to environmental stewardship or conservation with regard to the Hudson Valley.

The organization's leadership 

Three key members of the Historical Hudson Valley management team are Mark F. Rockefeller, Michael Hegarty and Waddell W. Stillman. Here are their backgrounds:  

Mark F. Rockefeller, the Chairman of the Executive Committee, is the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and the son of Nelson Rockefeller, vice president under Gerald Ford and former New York State Governor. He serves as the Vice-Chairman of Rockefeller Financial Services where he is also the Chairman of the Finance Committee. He is a member of the Limited Partner Advisory Committee of the family founded venture capital firm Venrock. In addition, he currently serves as Chairman of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. He developed, owns and manages the South Fork Lodge and Outfitters and Henry's Fork Anglers, two premier fly-fishing resort and outfitting destinations in the Rocky Mountains. He holds a BA degree from Princeton University and an MBA degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration. 

Michael Hegarty, Chairman of Historic Hudson Valley, served as Senior Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of AXA Financial and as President and Chief Operating Officer of Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, a wholly owned subsidiary of AXA Financial. He also was a member of the Boards of AXA Financial, Equitable Life, Alliance Capital and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette. He also served as Vice Chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank, Vice Chairman of Chemical Banking Corporation and as Senior Executive Vice President of Manufacturers Hanover Trust. He is a graduate of Iona College and attended the New York University Graduate School of Business.  

Waddell W. Stillman, President of Hudson Historic Valley, has held this position for 11 years. He is a former chairman of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. He served as Historic Hudson Valley's Chief Operating Officer and CFO prior to his appointment as president. Stillman was appointed by New York Governor George Pataki to help plan what has become the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries and he serves on the management committee of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.  Before joining Historic Hudson Valley, he was a Manager in the Strategy Practice of Andersen Consulting where he advised Fortune 500 companies. He holds a MBA degree from Harvard Business School and an BA degree in American Studies from Yale College (cum laude). 

Locations of Historic Hudson Valley sites