ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1931 The fourteenth annual pilgrimage of this society was held on September 17. It was participated in by one hundred and fifty members who motored to Kinderhook, Columbia County, where they were met by a large delegation from the Columbia County Historical Society and entertained at its headquarters, the House of History, a fine, old Colonial house in the village of Kinderhook. Here was spent a pleasant hour viewing the home of their sister society and enjoying basket lunches. Then they proceeded down the old post road, past the old Van Alen house, said to have been the home of Catrina Van Tassell, the heroine of Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and the little white schoolhouse where her whilom admirer, Ichabod Crane, presided, to Lindenwald, the Van Ness homestead and, later, the home of Martin Van Buren. Here Mrs. de Prosse, the present owner, assisted by Mrs. Come, the efficient president of the
Columbia County Historical Society, made our pilgrims welcome and exhibited the fine, old mansion and its contents, most of which have been preserved just as they were when the house was occupied by President Van Buren. Martin Van Buren was not the only famous personage to live here. Its builder and owner, Peter Van Ness, was a famous lawyer and judge. It was here that Washington Irving lived, secretary to Judge Van Ness, and it was here, in this rural Dutch community, in full view of the "Old Man of the Mountains" across the river in the Catskills, that he found the originals of Brom, Catrina and Rip Van Winkle. After the pilgrims had fully explored the old place, they gathered in the spacious hallway and parlors and listened to an interesting historical talk by Major Albert Callan, about the old house and the famous men who had occupied it.
OFFICAL PROGRAM
PLAN OF PILGRIMAGE The Dutchess County Historical Society is to meet the Columbia County Historical Society at Kinderhook and the members of the two organizations are to visit in company the estate called Lindenwald, which was formerly the home of Martin Van Buren, President of the United States, and which is 17
now owned by Mrs. William De Prosse. The pilgrimage committee is greatly indebted to Mrs. Charles J. Come, President of the Columbia County Historical Society, for her cordial cooperation in making the arrangements for this pilgrimage.
