Housed in a sunny, climate-controlled space on the site of Henry Draper’s observatory in Draper Park, the Hastings Historical Society archive is a virtual treasure trove of Hastings’ past.
Our archive is home to over 12,000 photographs and hundreds of oral histories, maps, newspapers, and family papers, as well as information on houses and residents and the history of the village. In addition, we have a small library, numerous works of art and artifacts ranging from Native American projectile points to 19th century scientific instruments and 100-year-old toys. The digitization of the archive is an ongoing project supported by grants and donations.
The archive is open to the public whenever the Historical Society is open and by appointment.
Over 12,000 photographs including rare and unique collections
More than 400 maps ranging from a copy of one from 1785 showing our earliest landowners, to maps of our changing downtown and our neighborhoods over the years, as well as the 2003 Hastings trailways map.
Hastings High School yearbooks intermittently from 1918 and continuously from 1943 to the present (except 1989). We welcome the donations of Hastings High School, Farragut Middle School, and Hillside Elementary School yearbooks we don’t currently have. Please see our Wish List.
Hundreds of artifacts ranging from 10,000-year-old Native American projectile points found in Hastings, to spectroscopes, telescope parts and weather instruments used by the Draper family in the 1800s. We also have the wooden whistle of Hastings’ first policeman, Stephen Maher, as well as Billie Burke’s tea set, and old Hastings High School varsity letters.
Over 300 works of art, many by local artists including “Hudson River Valley” by Rosetta Bohnert and “The Clearing” by Helen Patterson Williams.
A library of over 130 books by authors who lived in Hastings including:
The Bottom of the Well by Frederick Upham Adams
The Chemistry of Plants by Dr. John William Draper
The Park Book by Charlotte Zolotow
as well as numerous books of local historical interest
Collections of family papers, from actor Alan Brock, who lived in Hastings for over 80 years, to the Lefurgy family, whose lineage here goes back to Colonial times.
Twenty file drawers of biographical and historical material covering subjects from “Actors, Billie Burke” to “Youth Organizations, Hastings Youth Council.” These files also contain information on neighborhoods, streets and some individual houses.
