A living history museum and the oldest building in Schoharie County. Open noon through 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekends.
This building, a medieval, German-style construction was built by the Palatine Germans for their minister, Peter Nicholas Sommer, who came to Schoharie from Hamburg, Germany in 1743. (The name "Palatine" is a generic term for the German people who settled here in the early 18th century.) In 1971, with the aid of the Presbyterian church and a matching grant from the New York State Historic Trust, the Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association restored the 1743 Palatine House and created a "Living Museum". From May to October, visitors can experience colonial life and times by taking guided tours of the house, grounds and adjacent cemetery, where Rev. Peter Nicholas Sommer and his wife, Maria Sommer, are buried. Through continued research, assistance from the New York State Council on the Arts and donations of 18th century articles from local residents, the Palatine House preserves an important part of our colonial past.
Contact the Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association at 518-295-7505, or email us at [email protected].
