TOWN OF HOOSICK NEW YORK

First Lady Dolley Madison: the Queen of Washington - Hoosick Township Historical Society
(Snow date February 19th) This event is free and sponsored by Heritage Family Credit Union!

Step back into the early days of the American republic and meet the charming and influential Dolley Madison, one of the most beloved First Ladies in U.S. history. This free public program takes place on Thursday, February 12 at 6:00 PM at the Louis Miller Museum, 166 Main Street, Hoosick Falls. A snow date is set for February 19th. Dolley Madison was far more than a presidential spouse. Born into a Quaker family, Dolley Payne Todd was widowed at a young age before marrying James Madison, future President of the United States. In the rough-and-tumble early years of “Washington City,” Dolley emerged as a powerful social and political force, transforming a muddy, unfinished capital into a vibrant center of civic life. When President James Madison and “Lady President” Dolley Madison moved into the so-called “President’s Palace,” the building was little more than an unfurnished shell. Congress was notorious for its rowdy behavior, and the city itself lacked polish or social cohesion. Dolley changed all that. Through her elegant gatherings, warm personality, and keen political instincts, she “polished” Washington City, earning admiration across party lines. Dolley Madison’s courage was most famously displayed during the British invasion of Washington in 1814. As enemy forces approached and the city was set ablaze, she refused to flee until she had secured important government papers and arranged for the rescue of the iconic portrait of George Washington, risking her own safety to preserve national treasures. Beloved well into her later years, Dolley Madison remained the social heart of the capital, affectionately known as the “Queen of Washington.” This engaging program brings her remarkable story to life and offers audiences a vivid look at the woman who helped define the role of First Lady.

Questions? Contact Joyce Brewer at 518-258-5772 or staff@hoosickhistory.com

200th Anniversary Committee Meeting

January 28 from 6 - 7 pm
Hoosick Falls Village Municipal Building

Join us as we work on plans for the 200th Anniversary of the Village of Hoosick Falls!! We promise you will love being involved!!

Questions? Contact Joyce Brewer: 518-258-5772 or tjbrewer4942@gmail.com

https://www.hoosick.gov/o/toh/page/bicentennial

The Town Offices will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026, due to the winter storm.

The Ice Rink is open tonight, Friday, 1/23, from 4-7 pm.

The Rink will be closed Saturday, 1/24, due to the predicted wind chill temperatures, and closed Sunday, 1/25, due to the predicted snow!

Weather permitting, we will be open again starting on Wednesday, 1/28.
Thank you!

The Louis Miller Museum will host an engaging historical program, Haudenosaunee in the American Revolution, on January 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the museum, located at 166 Main Street, Hoosick Falls. The FREE program will feature Town Historian Rick Ferrannini, along with David and Duane Honyoust of the Onondaga Nation, who will explore the vital and complex role of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy) during the American Revolution. The speakers will discuss alliances, cultural perspectives, and the lasting impact of the Revolutionary era on Native nations in the region. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from historians and Indigenous voices about a pivotal period in local and national history. The program is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating may be limited.

Questions? Contact Joyce Brewer:
518-258-5772
tjbrewer4942@gmail.com

The Town Clerk’s Office will be closed on Saturday, January 17th. The Town of Hoosick Offices will be closed on Monday, January 19th, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.

The Rensselaer County Soil & Water Conservation District is holding its annual Tree & Shrub Sale and is now accepting pre-orders! Click on the link below to see the selection and order! Order pick-ups will be in Hoosick Falls at the ice rink on April 17th & 18th! https://www.renscoconservationstore.com/tree-sale

January’s Town of Hoosick Zoning Board Meeting, scheduled for 1/13/26, is cancelled, as no new applications were received.

Last month's Town Board meeting was bittersweet as we wished Mark Surdam a happy retirement, and recognized him for his many years of dedication to the Town of Hoosick and 12 years spent as Town Supervisor. Presentations were given by many, including Eric Sheffer on behalf of the Town Council, Bruce Patire on behalf of the Rensselaer County Legislature, Rich Crist for Steve McLaughlin, Assemblyman Scott Bendett's Representative, Rick Ferranini as Town Historian, Mary Surdam on behalf of Mark's family, and Rick Tinkham for the Armory Board, as well as many others who came out to show their support and appreciation. We’ll miss you this month, Mark, but wish you all the best! Thank you for your service and happy retirement!!

The Ice Rink will be closed starting today, 1/6, until further notice!! Due to the unpredictable weather coming our way, with the possibility of an ice storm tonight and then warmer weather this week, we will be closing the rink for now. Please stay tuned for more updates! Thank you!

Please visit https://hoosickfallspfoasettlement.com/ for current updates regarding the Hoosick Falls PFOA Settlement with DuPont. HERE IS A CURRENT UPDATE: Everyone who received benefits from the 2021 Settlement should have received either an email or postcard notification by now. If they participated in the 2021 Settlement but have not received any notifications, they should email Stephen Schwarz with their names and property addresses, and he will get them their claim number and PIN to file the short claim form. If they don’t have email, they can call Stephen Schwarz: sschwarz@faraci.com OR (585) 325-5150

If they did not participate in the 2021 Settlement then they need to complete a New Class Member Claim Form, either on-line through the website (www.hoosickfallspfoasettlement.com), or by calling the Administrator at 1-888-808-8974 and requesting that a printed New Member Claim Form be sent by regular mail. New members will need to verify their eligibility by proof that they owned the property when the contamination was discovered for the property classes, or by proof they lived at a contaminated residence for at least six months after 1996 and have a blood test showing PFOA greater than 1.86 ug/L.

The Ice Rink will be open today, 1/5, and tomorrow, 1/6, from 4-7 pm.

We will post an update regarding the rest of the week, depending on what the weather does. Thank you to those who came out this past weekend! Skating and skate rentals are still free. Come out and enjoy the ice while we have it!

The Town of Hoosick Town Board will hold a Special Meeting on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 10:30 am, at the Town Offices.

Purpose of the Meeting: Appointment of a Town Board Member to the newly empty seat.

The official Town Board swearing in will follow.

Here is the current Hoosick Town Court schedule for 2026. Please visit the Hoosick Town Court page for more details: https://www.hoosick.gov/o/toh/page/town-court

Please take notice that the Town of Hoosick Planning Board has adjusted the January and February meeting dates: January 20 & February 23, 7 pm at the Town Offices. Thank you!

The Senior Center has posted its menu and activities calendar for January 2026!

Important safety message from our Town Highway Department: Please, if you can, stay off of the roads for now. They are dangerous and icy, and refreezing quickly. This is especially true on the side roads and at higher elevations. Please stay home if you can. If you must travel, please drive very slowly and take extra precautions.