Huguenot Street Historic District

Huguenot Street Historic District is a neighborhood with seven stone houses and colonial structures spread across ten acres, displaying early American architecture from the 1700s. Alongside the residences stand a reconstructed church, a burial ground, and a visitor center that together tell the story of this settlement.

The first settlement began in 1678 when French Huguenots reached an agreement with the Esopus Indians to live near the Wallkill River. Over the centuries, the district developed into one of the oldest continuously occupied places in America while preserving its original structures.

The district tells the story of French Protestant refugees who found shelter here and the Lenape peoples who originally inhabited the land. The buildings and their contents reveal how these different communities lived together and shaped the region.

The site is accessible throughout the year, with guided tours through the stone houses, church, and burial ground running more frequently during warmer months. It is helpful to visit the visitor center first to gain an overview before exploring the individual buildings.

Several of the stone houses were built with limestone from local quarries, giving them a distinctive appearance rarely seen in other early American settlements. This specific building method shaped the district's character and remains a noticeable feature today.