Hurley: Historic Homes and Landscape

Hurley combines a distinctive history of homes with opportunities to explore the town’s landscape. Old Hurley’s Main Street is a National Historic Landmark because of its concentration of well-preserved stone houses. The houses have served as homes for more than 300 years, so history is evident here not only in exhibitions but also in the historic buildings themselves. The Town of Hurley lies between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains and includes large farms in the Esopus floodplain.

Living Spaces and Stories from Hurley

At the Hurley Heritage Museum, the Dutch Room offers a glimpse into a reconstructed living space from the Dutch and colonial periods of the 17th and 18th centuries. Household items typical of the period bring daily domestic life into focus. Another exhibition is devoted to Indigenous cultures: its timeline places projectile points in context from the earliest prehistory through 1350 AD. Visitors interested in different eras can find both glimpses of past living environments and insights into the region’s long prehistory at the museum.

The exhibition “Hurley in the Revolution: History Happened Here” tells the story of Hurley’s residents during the war years. Individual historic houses have other stories to tell: the Van Deusen House hosted New York’s Safety Council when the capital was moved to Hurley in 1777. The DuMond “Spy” House served as a guardhouse in 1777 and housed convicted British spy Lieutenant Daniel Taylor. These places represent different roles attributed to Hurley during that period.

Another exhibition at the museum describes the Wynkoop family farm in Hurley. It remained in the family’s ownership for more than 300 years, spanning eight generations. The virtual exhibition “Winslow Homer's Hurley – An Artist's View” features artworks inspired by homes and landscapes in Hurley. Together, the exhibitions offer different perspectives on the place through its living spaces, family history, war years, and artistic depictions.

Visit the Museum and Historic Sites

The Hurley Heritage Museum’s 2026 visitor season runs from May 2 through October 25. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.; admission is free. If you’d like to combine your stay with a museum visit, you can take these seasonal hours into account when planning.

There are also several ways to discover Hurley’s historic houses beyond the museum. Guided walks through the historic district along Main Street take place on the fourth Sunday of each month from May through October. Along the way, you’ll see the exteriors of private homes dating from the late 17th to the late 18th century. The Hurley Heritage Society also offers a map for a self-guided tour, listing 27 historic sites in and around the village of Hurley. For private group tours of historic sites, you must arrange a knowledgeable guide in advance.

Stone House Day takes place every year on the second Saturday in July and includes special events and tours of many historic homes. This event differs from the regular walks: it brings together events and house tours on one recurring annual date. If you’re interested in historic architecture, you can consider these two formats as different options when planning your trip.

Landscape and Outdoor Activities

The O&W Rail Trail in the Hurley area is suitable for hiking, biking, skating, running, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. The activities described range from walking and cycling to options involving horses and winter equipment. The large farms in the Esopus floodplain and the Town of Hurley’s location between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains add a landscape perspective to the community’s history.

When looking for a vacation rental in Hurley, you can consider which focus you’d like your trip to have: the homes and exhibitions about local history, or activities on the O&W Rail Trail. This lets you choose a destination based on your interests without treating these different experiences as interchangeable.

If you’d like to discover more destinations, you can find Wallkill, High Falls, Shandaken, Clintondale, Ellenville, Kerhonkson, Saugerties and Accord here.

For the broader travel overview: Ulster.