Support the New Historic Huguenot Street Visitors Center

Ulster Strong supports the development plan for the new Historic Huguenot Street Education and Visitor Center. Currently under review with the Village of New Paltz, it will create new opportunities to share Historic Huguenot Street and local history with the public, and strengthen local economic and cultural contributions.

Heritage tourism is growing nationwide, and Ulster County’s historic assets are abundant. Yet surprisingly, it receives little investment in preservation, curation, education, promotion and accommodation for public visitation, especially in comparison to surrounding counties. 

Visitor Center plans include a new, larger exhibition space, meeting and education rooms, archive storage, additional parking, and improved access to nearby rail trails and Wallkill waterfront.  It adds numerous community benefits through enhanced public programming and engagement. It will better serve growing visitors, and deploy exciting new methods that bring history to life. The new Center will serve as a great launch point for additional exploration, encouraging visitors to stay longer, dine and shop locally, and participate in the rich cultural life of New Paltz and the surrounding region.

A small yet vocal group oppose the plan, apparently viewing Huguenot Street more as a community greenspace than a national historic treasure to be shared.  We sympathize, but feel that should be addressed by the Village and Town comprehensively, and not limit this one-of-a-kind opportunity for New Paltz and Ulster.