Field Trips to Hopewell Depot
(March through October only)
Completing the replication of Hopewell’s 1892 signal tower now enables the Depot staff to arrange field trips and special tours for interested groups. A picnic area, the grounds, the museum interior, as well as strolling on the Dutchess Rail Trail can all be incorporated in such a trip.
Because the museum itself is small, groups larger than 15 will have to be divided to provide a proper pro-active experience. A preliminary dialog with group leaders is a necessity to maximize the experience.
For school groups, the main theme of our tours is how the industrial era affected a quiet rural area, and more broadly, how railroads affected economic and social life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Via the preliminary interview, our staff can adapt its presentations for a variety of grade levels.
The Depot is particularly equipped to focus on the New York State Education Department’s “Grade 4 Framework” (syllabus) Topic 4.6 – Westward Movement and Industrialization. To that end, we have developed an in-depth Teacher Resource Packet to assist 4th grade teachers in seeing what topics would be highlighted in a class visit to the Depot. The packet contains pre-and post-visit activities for students. The packet can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
(N.B.: Hopewell Depot Restoration Inc. grants permission for teachers to replicate the materials designated in the packet for educational use.)
For more information and an application form, go to the following link:
Field Trip Applicaton Form & Policies
Groups wishing to make arrangements and reservations should use the “Contact Us” page on this website, or get in touch with Paul Stich via stich741@gmail.com or (845)226-7631 (private residence) and leaving an initial message.