Enjoy historic Newburgh’s candlelight tour this holiday season

Mark your calendars for the Newburgh Historical Society’s annual Candlelight Tour of historic homes and buildings on Sunday, December 8, between 12 and 5 p.m. The 1830 Captain David Crawford House, the Society’s headquarters located at 189 Montgomery Street, is the starting place for the tour and will be decorated with natural greens, floral arrangements, and fruit decorations typical of the nineteenth century. The Historical Society’s 2024 exhibit, “From Farm to Ferry: The Art of Charles Keller in Newburgh, 1950-1960,” will be open and from 12 to 2 p.m., visitors will also be able to enjoy holiday tunes in the Crawford House parlors performed by the violin/viola duo, Duo Solitude.

The house tour also features an assortment of public and private spaces within the city and town of Newburgh and the town of New Windsor. These include city and suburban houses, homes in the rehabilitation process, and some of Newburgh’s notable landmarks. Neighbors across the Greater Newburgh area will open their fascinating houses and buildings, showcasing their historic significance or their individual takes on holiday decoration. Though parts of the tour are walkable, a car will be necessary to reach many sites.

Jeff Doolittle, research manager of the Historical Society, said: “The Candlelight Tour has become one of the highlights of the holiday season in Newburgh. This year, we are especially excited as we have 19 houses and buildings on our tour offering people just a taste of Newburgh’s many historic architectural styles.”

The annual tour is the Historical Society’s major fundraiser. The proceeds are used to fulfill the Historical Society’s mission to preserve the history of the greater Newburgh area by promoting an appreciation of the region’s architectural, cultural, and historic resources.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at newburghhistoricalsociety.org or by calling 845-561-2585. An illustrated guide booklet and a custom map will be provided to add historical context and enrich the visitor experience.