Chatham

Chatham

Chatham, NY, is a town at the north end of the Taconic State Parkway, on the northern border of bucolic Columbia County, on the east side of the Hudson River. Formed from the towns of Canaan and Kinderhook in 1795, Chatham was an industrial center of multiple interstate rail lines from the 1850s to the 1950s, serving as the junction of the Boston and Albany Railroad for connections east and west, the Rutland Railroad for connections to Vermont and elsewhere in the north, and the New York Central Harlem Line for connections to New York City. The town’s oldest building, the 1811 Inn, formerly known as Groat’s Tavern, was a frequent stop on former President Martin Van Buren’s horseback ride from his home in Kinderhook to the west. Today, 10 sites in Chatham are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Locals and visitors enjoy the town’s live dance, music, theater, film and fine art, as well as highly reviewed restaurants and independently owned shops. Annual seasonal events include Summerfest, Octoberfest and Winterfest.