The Sullivan County Historical Society features its annual Holiday Theme Tree exhibit, with many different holiday displays made by individuals and local organizations. This annual exhibit in the Sullivan County Museum, 265 Main Street, Hurleyville will remain on display until New Year’s Day. For more information, call the Sullivan County Museum at (845) 434-8044.

A History of Sullivan County Farms was created by SCHS board member and volunteer, Fred Fries. This exhibits contain many farm artifacts and pictures donated by Mr. Fries. The background barn siding wall is from a building on his property. Many of the pictures are from the Livingston Manor/Shandelee parts of Sullivan County. In addition to the farm display is a display of assorted creamery pictures from the various places…

Frederick A. Cook, a pioneer American Polar explorer, was born in Hortonville, NY in 1865 and died in New Rochelle, NY in 1940. State historical markers are at his birthplace and near his remains in Forest Lawn, Buffalo, NY. Dr. Cook spent two decades in expeditions to both Polar regions and subarctic Alaska between 1891 and 1909. Many authorities acknowledge him as the discoverer of the geographical North Pole in…

The General Store was the commercial center of town and the primary place people would purchase goods and collect their mail. The local general store was much like today’s convenience store: just about anything a person needed was available to purchase. The store clerk would help shoppers collect the items on their shopping list, and often recorded their purchases in a ledger.

In late 2016, brothers Henry and Gordon MacAdam focused on the one-room schools in the town of Thompson NY, researching and collecting stories from former students, and obtaining historical plaques to record where these structures once stood. They identified 20 rural schools that existed in Thompson from 1830 to the last which closed its doors in 1960. The Hackle Dam School District #20 was located at the south end of…

Household furniture and necessities have changed a lot since the days the county was formed in 1809. This exhibit shows what a typical home was like, with furniture from the bedroom to the living room and Grandma’s kitchen, and includes apparel and household appliances.

An entire room is devoted to Judge Lawrence H. Cooke, a former Chief Judge of New York State and a lifelong resident of Monticello, NY. The exhibit is currently being updated and refurbished. An original voting machine from the 1990s is included in the room, where museum visitors may see how a registered voter cast his or her ballot for the political candidates running for office during an election.

From the county’s roots in indigenous culture, to the summer of 1969, including a special corner on the Woodstock concert, the development of the county was affected by the industries exhibited here. The D & H canal, the tanning industry, and the hotel and recreation eras are depicted in the course of Sullivan County’s growth and settlement.

Synfleur was based in Monticello. Luis DeHoyos ran Synfleur for many years, and his son, Luis Jr., eventually took over as president. The company was sold to The Nestle Co. of White Plains in 1975.

Uniforms from the Civil War through Desert Storm are representative of some of those who served proudly from Sullivan County. Memorabilia is also on display with items from the Civil War through post WWII.