Only 2 ½ hours from New York City, Olana State Historic Site is the home and studio of the well known Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church. The house and the grounds are not only beautifully preserved but also improved upon by an active and engaged staff and board of directors. It is a designated National Historic Landmark and one of the most visited sites in the state. The Olana Partnership, a private not-for-profit education corporation, works cooperatively with New York State to support the restoration, development and improvement of Olana State Historic Site. The house is a unique mixture of Victorian architectural elements and Middle-Eastern decorative motifs. Frederic Church worked closely with architect Calvert Vaux to realize his home. He created views of the Hudson and the surrounding landscape throughout the property that visitors can still visit and enjoy today. As a successful artist, Church sold most of his masterworks, but some do remain or have returned to Olana. El Kahsne Petra, on view in the Sitting Room, was a gift from the artist to his wife. Wanting to have more examples of his work in his home, Church bought Catskill Mountains from the Home of the Artist at an auction in 1890. Other major artworks by Church on view in the main house include: The After Glow, Ira Mountain, Vermont, Star in the East and The Charter Oak.
Hudson River Painter Frederic Church’s home: Olana
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