▁a ▁frequent ▁visitor ▁and ▁som etime ▁resident ▁to ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁rural ▁Ich ab od ▁C rane ▁School house , ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁Washington ▁Ir ving ▁character ▁pattern ed ▁after ▁Kinder hook ▁school te acher , ▁J esse ▁Mer win , ▁is ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁Van ▁Al en ▁House . ▁ ▁The ▁Columbia ▁County ▁Historical ▁Society ▁is ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁the ▁town , ▁with ▁four ▁historic ▁properties , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 7 3 7 ▁Lu yk as ▁Van ▁Al en ▁House , ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁Ich ab od ▁C rane ▁School house , ▁the ▁c 1 8 1 9 ▁James ▁V ander po el ▁' H ouse ▁of ▁History ', ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁C CH S ▁Museum ▁& ▁Library ▁building . ▁The ▁Historical ▁Society ▁also ▁own s ▁and ▁exhib its ▁a ▁permanent ▁collection ▁consisting ▁of ▁important ▁and ▁unique ▁gene alog ical ▁materials , ▁arch ives , ▁paint ings , ▁text iles , ▁furn iture ▁and ▁decor ative ▁arts ▁rel ating ▁to ▁Columbia ▁County ' s ▁culture ▁and ▁her itage . ▁ ▁The ▁James ▁V ander po el ▁House , ▁known ▁as ▁" The ▁House ▁of ▁History ", ▁on ▁Broad ▁Street ▁in ▁Kinder hook ▁village ▁was ▁built ▁circa ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁and ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁example ▁of ▁high - style ▁Federal ▁architecture ▁that ▁is ▁owned ▁and ▁maintained ▁by ▁the ▁Columbia ▁County ▁Historical ▁Society . ▁The ▁Old ▁Columbia ▁Academy ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁Dutch ▁school ▁established ▁on