Olana’s Historic Landscape Tour

Self-guided tour of 1.5 miles of historic carriage roads

Time: 45:08 (audio); approximately 1 hour with making stops

Helpful Hint! There is free guest WiFi available at the Visitor Center/Museum (network name: OlanaGuest) for downloading your tour. In addition, there is a map + corresponding brochure available for purchase in the Museum Store.

Learn about the history and ongoing restoration of Olana’s artist-designed landscape. Imagine walking through a Frederic Church painting. While you learn a myriad of facts, you will be inspired by Church’s many historic carriage roads. The tour can be listened to anywhere, but to follow along with the geography, please start at the historic map sign at the bottom of the parking lot stairway. We suggest wearing good walking shoes. The route travels on Ridge Road, South Road + New Approach Road.

TOP wishes to thank local actors Leigh Strimbeck and Paul Ricciardi for their excellent dramatic readings. Many thanks to Wave Farm/WGXC for making the audio recording possible and for Henri Scars Struck for donating his original score. This tour was written by TOP’s Landscape Curator, Mark Prezorski. Copyright TOP 2016. This project was funded in part by a grant from the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Photo credit: Frederic J. Church, Plan of Olana (detail), 1886, watercolor on paper, OL.1984.39, Collection of Olana State Historic Site, NYSOPRHP