Yes, an appointment is recommended. To ensure that there is Archives staff available to assist with researchers needs, please telephone the Archives at (845) 340-3415. It is recommended that appointments be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. In addition, by telephoning the Archives a researcher will have an opportunity to speak with an Archives staff member regarding their specific search request.
Yes. The Persen House receives many groups for tours each season. Tours are catered to the needs of the group, whether for grade school students, college students, tourists or local community groups, the Persen House has something for everyone. Please contact us to Schedule a Tour.
No. Admission is free.
Birth, death and marriage records are filed with the clerk of the Village, Town or City government where the event took place. Click here for a list of Ulster County town and village clerks.
Land Records are available at the Ulster County Clerk's Office. The County Clerk's Office is located at 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York in the Ulster County Office Building.
The County Clerk has military discharges; however, access is restricted by section 250 of the Military Law amended March 18, 2005. The law states, “No filed certificate or any information contained therein, shall be disclosed to any person except the veteran or parent, spouse, dependent or child of the veteran, representative of the estate of the deceased veteran or a public official, acting within the scope of his or her employment, unless such disclosure is authorized in writing by the veteran.” For further information please visit the
Yes, we have a few documents related to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The most popular of these records are Revolutionary War Service Affidavits, Civil War Military Discharges, and Regiment Rolls.
No. The Persen House is a County-owned museum and, as such, does not accept monetary donations.
One of the many women pioneering the fight to officially adopt the 19th amendment was Dr. Alice Divine of Ellenville. Dr. Divine stands out as one of the more prominent women representing Ulster County in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her story consists of helping those suffering in more ways than one.
The first European settlers to what is now known as Ulster County were the Dutch. The Dutch West India Company colonized New Netherland (now New York City) around 1621 to capitalize on the fur trade, and by 1652 we see the first land deed in Ulster County. The village of Wiltwyck (now Kingston) kept their records in the Dutch language. These records have been in the care of the Ulster County Clerk since the first clerk in 1671.
