Hours of Operation:  Open in conjunction with
the Museum of Rhinebeck History beginning
in the middle of May through the last weekend
of September.  The Museum is open from
1:00 until 4:00 PM each Saturday, or by
appointment.    To make an appointment,
please contact the Quitman House at      
              (845) 871-1798
The house is wheelchair accessible, but
limited to the first floor.  Please call for
more  specific information.

In 1798 the Palatine congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Peter the Apostle, Rhinebeck, New York, built an Adams style house for its pastor, the Reverend Frederick H. Quitman. The parsonage complemented the Stone Church, which had been constructed in 1786 on land purchased from Gilbert Livingston.

The two buildings stood at the crest of a hill on the west side of the King's Highway. Surrounding the Church lands were the 18th Century farms of the congregation. Frederick Quitman, a native of Germany, served the Rhinebeck pastorate from February 1798 until ill health forced his retirement in 1828. The Lutheran Church in this country recognized him in his day as one of its leading thinkers and spokesmen. Harvard University honored him with a Doctoral degree in 1814.

Of his seven children, three became distinguished in either local or national history. William Quitman was a respected local physician and Henry S. Quitman served as Rhinebeck's Town Supervisor in the 1830's. John A. Quitman became a governor of Mississippi, and during the Mexican War, distinguished himself as a brigadier general.  

The parsonage housed St. Peter's pastors until 1929, when due to declining church membership, it became rental property. It continued as such until 1974, when the house was saved from demolition by six concerned members of the Rhinebeck Historical Society. In 1975, its historical importance was recognized when the Stone Church complex was listed on the NY State and National Registers of Historic Places.

The Quitman Resource Center for Preservation was incorporated in 1976 as a non-profit organization and the house was renamed for its original occupant, the Reverend Frederick H. Quitman.  In 1986 the Town of Rhinebeck recognized the Quitman House as a local landmark.

The QRC Today

The Quitman Resource Center for Preservation proudly reflects on its many accomplishments since it was organized in 1976:

 ·  the completion of the Quitman House rehabilitation;

 ·  the provision of office and exhibition space for the Town Historian, Museum of Rhinebeck History,
    Hudson River Heritage, Northern Dutchess Alliance, and Not-for-Profit Press;

 ·  the creation of the Consortium of Rhinebeck History which encourages the collaboration of numerous history oriented   
    organizations in submitting material for a computerized database, and staffing the Local History Room on Tuesdays and
    Thursdays;

 ·  the nucleus of a preservation resource library;

 ·  the acquisition of an 18th century Palatine Farmstead in 2002;

 ·  the presentation of preservation workshops for the local community;

 ·  and the creation of a garden in memory of board member, Ernie Foss.

Not an easy feat for a relatively small collection of volunteers, who, along with a group of annual supporters and the leadership of John and Marilyn Hatch, have given Rhinebeck a historic house which more than lends itself to Rhinebeck's sense of place.

Located between Rhinebeck and Red Hook at 7015 Route 9 (½ mile north of Route 9G), the Quitman House is easily reached by car from the New York State Thruway or from the Taconic State Parkway. 

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