HAIL COLUMBIA! County, that is, where country calm, antique ambience and serene scenery meet

You don't need a passport to view villages steeped in history, gaze on famous works of art, see sheep grazing on rolling green hills or taste world-class cuisine.

They're all to be found in Columbia County, just a 30-minute car ride from the city of Albany.

One of the 14 counties that make up the Albany Diocese, Columbia County provides visitors with ample entertainment opportunities. Each year, visitors are drawn there from as far away as Texas and Holland -- and as near as New York City, many of whose residents are slowly making it into a weekend or summer resort.

Come along

On our way there, my husband Peter and I took a slight detour in order to see a buffalo farm. GEM Farms -- located approximately 5 miles north of Columbia County in Rensselaer County off Route 9 -- is a nice stop for those interested in seeing up close these large animals that once freely roamed the country.

Once you've had your fill of the bison (while they look different from cows, they still smell like them), continue south on Route 9 into the village of Kinderhook, named by Henry Hudson in 1609. He noticed a gathering of Mohican children playing on the shores and referred to the area as "children's corner" -- or "kinderhook" in Dutch.

Charming town

The Columbia County Historical Society, located in the village, manages the County Museum, the James Vanderpoel House, and the Luykas Van Alen House. Those and several other significant buildings can be found in and around town:

* The Vanderpoel House, built in 1820, is an example of federal period architecture. The first and second floors are untouched, with their federal-style elements still in tact. The house boasts of an original elliptical stairway. It is open Memorial Day through Labor Day Thursdays through Sundays and by appointment.

* The Van Alen House is a Dutch farmhouse built in 1737. The house, according to historical society director Sharon Palmer, has drawn the interest of visitors from Holland and Hollywood (it appears in Martin Scorsese's film, "The Age of Innocence"). Visitors to the Van Allen House can get a good idea of how much people have grown over the years. The front doors, by modern comparison, are quite short. The site is very tranquil and quiet.

* Also on the Van Allen property is the Ichabod Crane School House, a one-room schoolhouse. It is alleged that author Washington Irving visited Kinderhook and was a friend of the local schoolmaster, Jesse Merwin. It is believed that the character of Ichabod Crane in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" was modeled after Merwin.

* Martin Van Buren, eighth president of the United States, was born in the village, and his post-presidential home, Lindenwald, is located outside of Kinderhook on Route 9H. It is open to visitors seven days a week, May through October. The site also includes hiking trails. Van Buren was known as "Old Kinderhook," and some historians attribute the expression "O.K." to him. He often wrote "OK," short for "off to Kinderhook," on notes to his staff.

Walking around

Every house and every business is picture-perfect. I envied the shopkeepers and professionals who spend each day in this quaint town.

Ms. Palmer, who moved to the area 20 years ago, said residents strive to maintain their properties. "So many people care about the properties and think of the historic value," she said.

Moving south

Some are drawn to Hudson to visit the American Museum of Firefighting; others, by the 60-plus antiques stores located on Warren Street.

Rev. Winston Bath, pastor of St. Mary's parish in Hudson, said the burgeoning interest in antiques has been good for the city. In the past four years, Hudson has benefitted from the opening of the stores downtown.

"The main street has looked better these last two years than in the 14 years I've been here," he said. "I came in '85 and [the city] went through a four- or five-year period where businesses were going out. Over 750 good jobs were lost when the big plants closed down. Now you can see signs of hope."

Something old

Those interested in antiques can get many ideas while visiting the shops of Hudson, but those seeking more moderately priced antiques should visit the Armory Art and Antiques Gallery, located on State and Fifth Street.

Hudson is also home to the Town Fair toy store on Warren Street. While non-chain stores were once common, they are now a rarity. The shop, in addition to offering the same toys one can find in the mall, offers children's clothes and baby supplies from cribs to clothes.

Toys, children's clothes and shoes are located downstairs. The baby department, on the second floor, includes an extensive inventory of cribs, strollers, high chairs and swings. There is even a seat from a car where parents can practice installing baby seats.

In addition to selection, the shop offers excellent customer service from sales clerks like Phyllis Muller, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Philmont. She is pleased with the resurgence Hudson is seeing. "I've been here since '47 and I remember when Warren Street was shopping," she said. "Now it's busy on Sundays."

Time for lunch

The 120-year-old St. Charles is recently renovated and home to two restaurants: Rebecca's, which offers fine dining, and Bradley's Grill, which offers casual fair. The latter includes Victorian tin ceilings and a view of the city park -- and the waffle-cut fries are delicious!

While having lunch, we realized that we had not heard or seen a cellular phone all day. Perhaps it was just a fluke, but I thought it symbolic of the quiet tranquil atmosphere of the county.

Spinning a yarn

On our way, we made a stop at Countrywool, a small business operated by Claudia Krisniski, an avid knitter. Countrywool is off the beaten path. In fact, before reaching the shop, which is connected to Mrs. Krisniski's house, we traveled down a dirt road. Once inside, customers can choose from a wide range of yarns in various colors, knitting supplies and instructional books.

Mrs. Krisniski, a self-proclaimed child of the '60s, found that after local yarn shops closed, she had to drive two hours to get the natural fibers she preferred to work with. "I sell natural fiber yarns exclusively," she said. "I have a strong belief that if it comes from something living, it's good to work with."

Knitting

Countrywool is also home to a chapter of Knitting for the Neighborhood, a group that makes socks, hats and mittens for community groups. In the past, their work has benefitted several community agencies, including Catholic Charities. The group is now working on knitting projects that will benefit Lithuanian orphans. A Lithuanian American, Mrs. Krisniski said since gaining independence, Lithuania "has no money for orphanages."

Behind the shop are barns where the Angora rabbits raised for their fur live. Angoras are larger than the bunnies you might see in your yard. They are sheared several times a year, and their fur is spun into yarn. Their fur is long and must be groomed on a regular basis.

During our visit, we saw many baby bunnies. Mrs. Krisniski breeds the rabbits for their fiber as well as to sell. Some people, she explained, show Angora rabbits in the same way dogs are shown. Others keep the animals as pets.

Castle on a hill

The house was designed by Church and his wife Isabel Carnes Church, using a visit to the Middle East as their inspiration. After traveling there, the couple decided that they wanted their house to be a Persian mansion. The main room on the first floor was built to resemble an open-air Persian courtyard.

Church designed the house using the same techniques he used for his paintings: He started with pencil sketches, followed by color sketches. The house, built in 1870, is filled with exotic colors and tiles. Church himself chose and mixed the colors for each room, and designed the exterior and interior stencils used to decorate the house.

The house is filled with an extensive art collection, including works by Church himself. His hand in the decorating didn't stop there. He also designed the landscape, planting thousands of trees, dredging a marsh to create a reflecting pond, and carefully laying out the roads to create a living landscape.

This attention to detail paid off. The views from the house of the Catskill mountains and the Hudson River are breath-taking. After touring the house, we spent time strolling the grounds, taking in the perfect views of the mountains and the river.

Slowing down

The Inn, located on 10 peaceful acres, is owned and operated by Meg and Bill Stratton. She's a graduate of Catholic Central High School in Troy. It is one of 50-plus bed-and-breakfasts and inns located in the County. The Strattons opened the nine-room inn four years ago in a barn they converted themselves.

The Inn's Great Room, decorated in a casual country style, is light and airy, and your eyes are drawn up to the post-and-beam vaulted ceiling. Guests can relax in front of the fireplace or in the outdoor whirlpool spa that is sunk in a cedar deck, which wraps around a 200-year-old maple tree.

Taste

The whole inn smells of vanilla, the result of Mrs. Stratton's daily baking of chocolate chip cookies, which are served to guests with lemonade or tea each afternoon.

We weren't the only ones staying at The Inn at Silver Maple Farms. Models and a photo shoot crew from Italian Vogue came in from New York City that night. A few weeks prior to our visit, the staff of "Martha Stewart Living" stayed with the Strattons while they worked on a segment of the television program that was being filmed in Columbia County.

The Strattons didn't give anyone preferential treatment -- all of us enjoyed the genuine enthusiasm with which the Strattons greet each day.

Mrs. Stratton, whose day begins at 5:30 a.m. and is filled with cooking and cleaning on a large scale, credits her Catholic school education for giving her the drive to run the Inn. She attended St. Mary's Elementary School in Waterford and the former Keveny Memorial Academy in Cohoes before going to CCHS. She said the late CCHS music teacher Sister Mary Ellen John inspired her.

"She really helped me," Mrs. Stratton said. "She taught me to follow my dreams, and she had a lot of energy."

Counting sheep

The inn and restaurant are located in a 1790 Georgian colonial manor home on 500 acres. Dinner is served in four intimate dining rooms, and both the inn and restaurant have received many awards.

While waiting to be seated for dinner, we strolled the grounds, enjoying the pastoral views of sheep grazing in the field and the soft, casual gardens. Guests can enjoy the beauty of the property while sitting in Adirondack chairs placed throughout the property.

Our meal began with an appetizer of sheep's cheese, made at the dairy, accompanied by red peppers and cucumbers. Next, we were served country bread and onion brioche. Lamb chops were featured on the menu as well as other American fare. I enjoyed the beef tenderloin while Peter had lamb chops. The meal was so filling we weren't able to try one of the wonderful sounding deserts on the menu.

A new day

Those who live and work there agree that there is much to see:

* Said Mrs. Stratton, "There's beautiful countryside, the historic sites of Kinderhook, the Shaker Museum, Olana and antiques."

* Father Bath recommended the many farms and farmstands, as well as the scenery. "I enjoy driving around the county," he said. "There are rolling hills, and beautiful views of the Catskills and Berkshires."

* The pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Philmont, Rev. Raymond Ethier, has lived in Columbia County since 1995 and hasn't seen everything yet. "I'm still exploring," he said. He, too, enjoys the beauty of the rural setting and enjoys taking side roads to see where they take him.

* Rev. William Turnbull, pastor of Nativity/St. Mary's in Stuyvesant Falls, enjoys the setting. "I've lived here eight months," he said. "The scenery is attractive, and the drive along the river is gorgeous. But the most appealing to me are the historical sites."

* Rev. John Molyn, pastor of St. John the Baptist in Valatie, is another newcomer to the County. "I've been here eight months, and I like it here," he said. "The people are wonderful. They're friendly and open. There's not the bustling professional atmosphere, but there is personal attention."

(05-27-99) [[In-content Ad]]