Follow the River Lecture and Film Series

​ Lectures are hosted in-person at the Wooden Boat School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. 
 $10 (General Public); $5 for HRMM Members  
​For more than a decade the Hudson River Maritime Museum's "Follow the River Lecture Series" has hosted historians, authors, and maritime experts for engaging illustrated talks on a variety of regional history, and maritime subjects. In recent years, many of the lectures have also been recorded and made available on the museum's YouTube channel. Click here to view.

For more information about upcoming lectures, please see the list below or visit our events calendar. 

​If you are interesting in participating in our lecture series as a guest speaker, please contact the museum's education department or call 845-338-0071 ext. 16. 
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The Follow the River Lecture series is sponsored by Rondout Savings Bank.

Upcoming Events

2025 Lectures coming soon!

Past Events

With permission from our speakers we were able to film some of our lectures, so you can catch up on ones you missed! Due to restrictions, not all lectures may be available on video or in full. Watch via our Lecture Series playlist on YouTube or simply click on the graphics below to be taken to recordings of recent lectures. 

A Year in the Life of an Orchard

One definition of an orchard is "a piece of land planted with fruit trees." Kevin Clark, lead orchardist at Rose Hill Farm, argues that that is a superficial definition, and, in fact, there is a depth of life, elarning , and experiences to be found and had in an orchard. Orchards are one of the unique places where nature and culture intersect. During this presentation, Clark will delve into what life (human, flora, fauna, etc.) in an orchard entails throughout the calendar year. From dormancy through harvest, there is a vast array of activities that take place in order for us to have the opportunity to eat, cook, and preserve fresh fruit. Clark will discuss pruning, pollination, fruit bud phenology, grafting, fruitlet thinning, pest management, orchard health, fruit tree physiology, and will present a range of photographs to enlighten and broaden this experience. Along with the presentation, there will be a display of over 100 different varieties of apples to view. By the end of this presentation, participants will have a deeper understanding of what the orchard calendar looks like and how fascinating orchard life is.

Geology and History of the Rosendale Natural Cement Industry

Steven Schimmrich, a Professor of geology at SUNY Ulster County Community College and author of 'Geology of the Hudson Valley: A Billion Years of History', discusses the geology and history of the Rosendale Cement Industry.
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In 1825, during the building of the Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal from the coal fields of Pennsylvania to the Hudson River at Rondout, it was discovered that a local rock unit could be used to manufacture a high-quality natural cement. Thus began the Rosendale natural cement industry which lasted up until the last mine closed in Rosendale in 1970. By the late 19 th century, the Rosendale cement district supplied over 50% of U.S. production and was used in such iconic structures as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the U.S. Capitol. Today, only abandoned quarries, mines, and kilns mark the locations of this once-thriving industry.  

The Psychic Highway How the Erie Canal Changed America

Author and filmmaker, Michael Keene shares his documentary, 'The Psychic Highway' about the impact of the Erie Canal on America.

​The Erie Canal opened up vital passageways leading to the advent of the major social, political, and religious movements that swept through upstate New York during the 19th century. In The Psychic Highway, a 30-minute documentary based on a book of the same title, Keene delves into the canal's inspiration, evolution, and impact on American life and how the canal bridged the gap of communications and travel, setting the stage for history altering events.

Finding Joy in Color and Peace in Nature:
​Becoming a Coast Guard Artist with Fred Feiler

Fred Feiler shares his portfolio of paintings that starts in abstract and moves to realism, capturing the deep love of water and boats that led him to apply to become a member of the Coast Guard Art Program. Feiler then shares his works completed at the Coast Guard Station at Boothbay Harbor, ME which depict training missions including using flares, direct hoist, direct trail hoist, and a motor life boat rescue. Feiler introduces the work of the broader Coast Guard Art Program, highlighting eleven missions of the Coast Guard/Homeland Security as portrayed by various artists.

Ladies of the Valley

Author Mary Mistler leads a talk on her novel 'Ladies of the Valley" Women of the Hudson Valley's Great Estates' highlighting several of these women and and offering insights and anecdotes from their lives, which largely reflect women’s changing roles over centuries.

Brick & Brick Ruins of Hudson Valley

Thomas Rinaldi and Robert Yasinsac’s talk about brickyard ruins as well as notable ruins constructed from local bricks.

The Land Doesn't Forget

All the land that makes up the United States was in its entirety Indigenous land. Learn about the policies used to remove Indigenous Nations from their homes and pushed them onto reservations. Heather Bruegl explains why the fight to regain this land is important.

Seasons of Life

Frank Beres, an aquatic ecologist and naturalist based out of Port Ewen, New York, examines the phenology of biodiversity as he travels through a year in our local area of the Hudson River watershed.
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Manhattan Phoenix

Based on his book, "Manhattan Phoenix: The Great Fire of 1835 and the Emergence of Modern New York", author Daniel S. Levy describes in detail the Great Fire of 1835 —which destroyed nearly 700 buildings in lower Manhattan—and the forces that transformed New York from a large unruly metropolis during the early years of the 19th century. 

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Marginalized Workers on the D&H Canal

The construction of the 108-mile-long Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal required about 5000 laborers working in hard and dangerous conditions. D&H Historian and Bill Merchant gives a presentation about the lives and experiences of the diverse group of people who worked on the Canal.

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