Catskill's historic home for the arts
Beattie-Powers Place is a historic home & public park in the Hudson Valley village of Catskill, NY. In 1990, Mary Dean Beattie bequested the property to the village. Since 2005, the all-volunteer Friends of Beattie-Powers Place has been dedicated to the site's upkeep and public programming.
The park is open on a daily basis, from sunrise to sunset. With recent park restoration and improvements, on-site parking is limited. We request that you use outside street parking. Due to the pandemic, programming is currently provided via a online & outdoor events. Please join our mailing list or check back for more!
Photo credit: David Griffin
UPCOMING EVENTS
~RESCHEDULED! ~ Fall date TBD ~
THURSDAY June 17th, 7:00pm ~ online event ~ illustrated tour of
Hudson Valley Greek Revival architecture
Dear friends, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are rescheduling this excellent talk for the Fall. We will be back with a new date soon. Thank you for your support and understanding!
"For the benefit of the community"
-Mary Deane Beattie
High on a bluff above the Hudson River, Beattie-Powers Place has been a singular presence in the Village of Catskill, NY for nearly two centuries. In 1990, the house and six-acre park were bequeathed to the village by Mary Dean Beattie for the "benefit of the community."
Since 2005, the all-volunteer organization Friends of Beattie-Powers Place has been dedicated to opening the site to the public, while preserving and protecting it for future generations. To learn more about our mission and how you can help, click here.
An extraordinary 1830s Greek Revival house
Beattie-Powers Place was originally the home of James Powers, born in the area in 1785. Powers, a noted lawyer and New York senator, was a prominent figure in the Catskills & Hudson Valley of the 19th century. He loved the region and was involved in its early promotion. His farming interests lead to cultivation of celebrated fruit trees and even vineyards for winemaking, despite the region's cold climate. By 1839, on this site with stunning views of the Hudson River, Powers had this Greek Revival-style home built from a pattern by Minard Lafever, one of the finest American architects of his time. Today, it is a rare surviving example of its kind in the Hudson Valley.
Concerts & lectures in a unique setting
Spring through fall, the house's intimate parlors host live events open to the public. Fans of chamber music, jazz and bluegrass can enjoy first-rate concerts by renowned artists and brilliant students. Ideas are discussed, too, with talks by experts on topics such as landscape design, preservation law and baseball history. We are working to provide our programming safely to the public via online and distanced events, so please stay tuned! Please click here for recordings from recent events on our YouTube channel.
Since 2005, the Friends of Beattie-Powers Place has transformed what had become a neglected site into an inviting oasis. Walk, picnic, enjoy the well-tended gardens and winter sledding. Choose a bench and take in the changing seasons, the Hudson River, and Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Looking East across the river, enjoy a magnificent view of Olana, home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. Open dawn to dusk, the park is open to all, year-round.
We hope to see you soon!