Hein, Postupack pitch Cultural Heritage Week, which begins tomorrow
KINGSTON – Ulster County officials announced on Wednesday the launch of the sixth annual Heritage Week at the Mathewis Persen House Museum in Kingston, where a number of new exhibits will be on display for public viewing.
County Clerk Nina Postupack said the 25 participating historical groups, including those at the sector on John’s Street in Kingston that hosts the Persen House, part of the only group of four Revolutionary War era restored homes in the country, will highlight the rich history of the county and draw in tourism.
“Cultural Heritage Week is a way of kicking off our history, here in Ulster County, throughout all the different historical organizations, cultural groups, and really doing a collaborative effort to say to tourists, to the people of the county, this is what our history is about and this is how rich we are in the history of Ulster County,” said Postupack.
New for this year at the Persen House will be a Women of Note Exhibit, in honor of the centennial of women’s suffrage, and a Mathewis Persen exhibit, the first inhabitant of the house, including all of his records that will also be available in Dutch, the native tongue of the first settlers to inhabit the Kingston area.
Ulster County Executive Michael Hein pointed out that the robust history of the county inhabiting New York’s first capital not only provides insight to tourists regarding the formative years of the nation, but has also made the county a leader in tourist activity, surpassing their neighboring Dutchess County in tourism economic impact.
“It’s not only an incredible place that we have, and an incredible history that’s help shape our country, but it’s also a huge part of our economy, a $532 million tourism economy, and big portions of that are historic tourism that comes to our community all across Ulster County,” said Hein.
Ulster County officials are hoping Heritage Week 2016 will prove, once again, that Ulster is a key historic tourism destination.
Ulster County Heritage Week runs from October 21 through 30. Information about the various exhibits and events across the county is available on the county website, or ulstercountyalive.com.
