Vernon Historical Society, 173 Barrett Rd, Highland Lakes, NJ 07422, US

Truly a hidden gem in the Rivertowns, the Hastings Historical Society is housed in a beautifully constructed home right off of Draper Park on Broadway. Originally built in 1860 as an observatory, the Draper home is rented to the Historical Society for a nominal fee and open to the public on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am-2pm. The staff, comprised of a dozen volunteers, keeps comprehensive archives on village history including: collections of documents, photographs, maps postcards and artifacts. Visit the Historical Society to research the history of your home, do geneaological research on relatives and ancestors who used to live in Hastings, browse through police blotters from over 100 years ago or see the current exhibition on village history. Archivist Muriel Olsson welcomes visitors, and (if given enough warning) will open the home during off-hours as well. The Historical Society is also responsible for creating the "Museum in the Streets," a walking tour of the village marked with placards explaining Hastings' most interesting sites. A map for this self-guided tour is available from most Hastings businesses. Their mission is to collect, preserve, and share the history of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. To become a member and receive their award-winning quarterly newsletter, click Here. Also check out their regularly-updated blog.