The Dutchess County Historic Tavern Trail brings history and local cuisine together while introducing the community to iconic locales. The Tavern Trail is a collaborative endeavor between the Dutchess County Department of History, local historical societies and signature food and beverage industry partners to create an innovative program that highlights the county’s rich history. Each installment of the program is held at a different historic location and includes a brief presentation on an engaging episode of the local past.
The Tavern Trail's 2026 series will largely focus on the American Revolution in Dutchess County. Here are some 2026 dates and locations:
Click here for updates. RSVP here.
• Friday, July 24, 2026: Germania of Poughkeepsie: "Revolutionary Germans" — Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum will explore gripping tales of how the German settlers in America contributed to the Revolution.
• Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026: Old Drovers Inn, Dover: Join Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum at the Preston Barn at Old Drovers Inn to learn about Dutchess County's Minutemen. On April 19, 1775, companies and battalions of Minutemen from throughout Massachusetts converged on the Bay Road (now Battle Road) between Concord and Boston, fighting the first battle of what would become the American War for Independence. But they weren't the only Minutemen; every colony organized Minute companies and battalions as rapid response troops for patriot defense. New York had them in every county, and these formations of handpicked men from the local militia played a tremendous role in the defense of New York City in the Fall of 1776. Learn the background behind the Dutchess County Minutemen. Who were they? How were they selected? This program is Part 1 of 2; the Sept. event will complete the story with the role of the Dutchess Minute Battalions in the defense of Manhattan.
• Friday, Sept. 4, 2026: Lasting Joy Brewery, Tivoli: Lasting Joy Brewery hosts Part 2 of the Dutchess Minuteman Story: The Escape from New York, 1776. The British Army arrived on Staten Island in the summer of 1776 and began a major push through Long Island and into Manhattan through August and September. As Washington’s Continental Army gave way, militia troops rushed from throughout eastern New York to assist him. Among them were the Dutchess County Minutemen, who began their march from Poughkeepsie to Kingsbridge in September 1776. Join Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum to learn more about the 1776 New York Campaign and the role that Dutchess County’s fighting men played in it.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, Foster's Coach House, Rhinebeck: Denizens of Colonial Dutchess knew what true night was, living in era long before municipal lighting, where stars and occasionally the moon provided the only illumination brighter than a candle. Mysterious occurrences took place during those hours, sometimes leaving corpses behind. Join Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum for the Halloween Tavern Trail, this year exploring cases of “accidental” death drawn from the Ancient Documents Collection. These court records tell of drownings, falls, and other accidents than ended lives — without any apparent human agency at work. Or was there? Hear these special Tales from the Ancient Documents and draw your own conclusions.
Related: Commander in Cheers is an augmented reality experience at participating Dutchess County pubs and restaurants that serves up a pint-sized George Washington — "Tiny George" — to share a story about one of Dutchess County’s revolutionary endeavors. Click here to learn more.
