Skip to main

Field Trips to Historic Hudson Valley Sites

Explore K–12 opportunities for on-site learning at three historic locations.
Field trips to Historic Hudson Valley sites provide immersive experiences that combine historic content with hands-on opportunities. Together, these sites cover a significant span in American history—from colonial America of the mid-1700s through the War for Independence and the New Nation era, to the Industrial Revolution and the westward expansion of the mid-1800s.

Philipsburg Manor (Sleepy Hollow, New York) is an 18th-century provisioning plantation with ties to trade in New York City, Europe, and the Caribbean. Central to the story at Philipsburg Manor are the 23 enslaved men, women, and children who were the only full-time, year-round residents of the site. The water-powered gristmill and 18th-century barn are highlights of a visit.

Van Cortlandt Manor (Croton-on-Hudson, New York) interprets America just after the Revolution. Through the Van Cortlandts, an important family in state and national politics, school groups learn about life in the New Nation, including questions about freedom and equality. Hands-on activities include open-hearth cooking, medicines, and textiles.

At Washington Irving’s Sunnyside (Tarrytown, New York) students explore the home of the celebrated author and learn about America in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. In a field trip that combines literature with social studies, school groups engage in a variety of hands-on activities to help 19th-century America come to life.
00 of 00