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WAPPINGERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
Wappingers Falls, NY · EIN 146050573 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A82Z · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · wappingershistoricalsociety.org
revenue
$69K
expenses
$56K
net assets
$300K
employees
1
volunteers
45
program ratio
37%
mission · from form 990

Primary intent of the historical society is to preserve local artifacts, precious documents, and maps and photos pertaining to our village, town and surrounding areas.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Wappingers Historical Society preserves and shares the local history of Wappingers Falls, NY, and surrounding areas. The organization maintains the historic Mesier Homestead, a c.1742 building it uses for educational tours and community events. Its activities include preserving artifacts, documents, and photographs, with a focus on notable local figures such as baseball Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Historical Research and Publications
Collects, publishes, and shares research articles on local history, including architectural studies, family histories, and historic events
Mesier Homestead Tours
Offers monthly public tours and private by-appointment tours of the historic Mesier Homestead, a c.1742 building central to local history
Online Virtual Tour
Provides a virtual 360-degree tour of the Mesier Homestead for remote access to the historic site
Revolutionary Roots Initiative
Developing a guidebook and historic sites map highlighting Revolutionary War-era landmarks in Wappinger, NY
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Local History Preservation and Education 4 activities
    • Collaborate on historical exhibits and displays
      Collaborated on a postcard gallery exhibit featuring over 100 images to depict the historical development of the Town of Wappinger and displays historical artifacts as part of the Mesier Homestead furnishings accessible through tours.
    • Conduct historical and archaeological research
      Conducts and publishes research on local history, including the documentation of one-room schoolhouse consolidation, cataloging and analysis of the Taylor Collection with archaeologist Professor Thomas Lake, and compilation of architectural studies on the Mesier Homestead.
    • Offer educational programs and public events
      Hosts a Speaker Series with visiting speakers on local historical topics, publishes feature articles on regional history, and shares videos on local history such as the Hudson Fulton Celebration and Dennis "Big Dan" Brouthers.
    • Preserve and maintain historical collections
      Preserves local artifacts, documents, maps, photographs, and Native American artifacts, including over 2,000 items from the Taylor Collection dating back 8,500 years, as well as Civil War-era documents and transcriptions. Collections are sourced from donations by local residents and private collectors.
  • Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
    • Host annual events and member gatherings
      Hosts an annual fundraising gala, The Spirit of Mesier, each June to support restoration and preservation, along with members-only events such as a July Potluck Picnic and a December Holiday party.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Operate gift shop and sell historical publications
      Operates a physical gift shop and online store selling locally authored books, reprinted 1937 architectural drawings, volumes of the "Hidden Treasures..." series, and educational materials and souvenirs related to local history, including publications on Dennis "Big Dan" Brouthers.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Provide guided and self-guided tours of the Mesier Homestead
      Offers monthly public tours on select Sundays, private weekday tours Tuesday through Friday, by-appointment "Signature Experience" tours, and virtual 360-degree panoramic tours. Also hosts Open House events in December to view holiday decorations.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Provide public access to historical collections
      Offers public access to historical materials through online sample transcriptions and scanned images from the Castro Collection, a virtual 360-degree tour of the Mesier Homestead, and a dedicated webpage displaying selected ephemera. Also shares research articles and historical content online.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Publish historical newsletters and communications
      Compiles and digitizes historical society newsletters from approximately 1967 to 2010 for public access and publishes a quarterly newsletter distributed to members via email.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Restore and preserve the Mesier Homestead
      Conducts ongoing restoration of the original 1741–1743 section of the Mesier Homestead for stabilization and future public access. Includes commissioning architectural and condition studies, paint analysis, and developing bid packages for repairs based on historical data.
  • Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
    • Support educational capacity building
      Hosted a Marist College intern to document research on the Mesier Family, supporting student engagement and expanding institutional knowledge.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$69K
Contributions & grants$53K76%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$13K19%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$56K
Program expenses37%
Admin / overhead58%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$25K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$301K
Cash$52K
Investments$249K
Liabilities$393
Net assets$300K
Liquid reserves64.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +38.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 10
  • Alix Winsby — Trustee
  • Amy Hauck-Barr — Trustee
  • Connie Boden — Trustee
  • Danielle Masterson — Trustee
  • George Hemroth — Trustee
  • James Williams — Trustee
  • Joseph Cavaccini — Trustee
  • MaryJane Chapin — Trustee
  • Nancy Piscitello — Trustee
  • Trish Holohan-Costello — Trustee
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Dutchess Community College Partner — Collaborated with Professor Thomas Lake from Dutchess Community College to catalog and analyze the Taylor Collection of Native American artifacts.
  • Dutchess County Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on sharing historical content, including providing access to Morris Goring's last letter home and Molly B. Jones's article on Franny Reese.
  • Eileen Stickle Partner — Current Editor of The Homestead Chronicle, continuing and evolving the publication's style since 2018.
  • Grinnell Library Partner — Collaborated with the Wappingers Historical Society to support the postcard gallery exhibit.
  • Jackie Hammond Partner — Longtime member who founded and designed The Homestead Chronicle newsletter.
  • Joe Santacroce Partner — Local historian and videographer who created the video “River of Mountains” about the 1909 Hudson Fulton Celebration, shared by the society.
  • Kathleen Helmer Castro Partner — Donor of the Castro Collection materials to the Wappingers Historical Society.
  • Library of Congress Partner — Holds original documentation from the 1937 Historic American Buildings Survey of the Mesier Homestead.
  • Marilyn Kaplan Partner — Architect from Preservation Architecture who prepared the 2018 existing condition drawings and study of the Mesier Homestead.
  • Mesier Homestead Partner — Collaborates on offering private weekday tours at the historic site.
  • Preservation Architecture Partner — Professional firm that prepared existing condition drawings and reports for the Mesier Homestead in 1997 and 2018.
  • REV250 WF Partner — Collaborates on programming related to Wappingers' 250th birthday celebrations and Revolutionary War heritage.
  • Richbrook Conservation Partner — Conservation firm that conducted the 2006 exterior paint chromochronology study of the Mesier Homestead.
  • Sports Museum of Dutchess County Partner — Collaborates with the Sports Museum of Dutchess County, which holds an autographed baseball by Dennis "Big Dan" Brouthers in its collection.
  • The Pilon Group - Architects Partner — Architectural firm that prepared the 2001 architectural study of the Mesier Homestead.
  • Wappingers Historical Society Network — Member organization maintaining connections with related historical and cultural sites.
  • Works Progress Administration Government — Conducted the 1937 Historic American Buildings Survey documentation of the Mesier Homestead.
  • info@wappingershistoricalsociety.org Partner — Point of contact for community members to contribute scanned historical newsletters.
strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Engaged Historical Preservation
    methodology: community-sourced history
    By collecting and presenting community-sourced materials and partnering with local stakeholders, the organization preserves a diverse and inclusive local history because community participation strengthens historical accuracy and public connection to heritage.
  • Living History Through Site and Artifact Interpretation
    methodology: historic-house-museum
    By using historic house tours, archaeological analysis, and archival collections with period-specific context, the organization makes local history tangible and relatable because immersive, evidence-based interpretation fosters deeper public understanding and engagement.