Your support. Our success. Clermont's future.
November 2026
Dear Friends,
This has been an extraordinary year at Clermont, and I’m excited to share some of the many highlights with you.
Throughout 2026, we welcomed new visitors, expanded opportunities to experience Clermont in meaningful ways, invested in the future of this National Historic Landmark, and began virtual programming to share stories with people near and far.
We began the year by trying something entirely new: our first-ever Winter Series, extending opportunities to connect with Clermont and its history into the quieter colder months. The series gave our community a way to gather, learn, and stay engaged—and its success demonstrates the growing interest in thoughtful, accessible programming beyond the traditional season. We’re excited to continue the Winter Series in 2027, as we find new ways to offer year-round programs for learning, discovery, and connection.
And none of it happens without you!
This summer, hundreds of visitors discovered Clermont’s historic gardens through our participation in the Growing Together Mid-Hudson Garden Tour and our program partnerships with The Garden Conservancy and The Cultural Landscape Foundation. For the majority, it was their very first visit to Clermont.
Our free Harmonies on the Hudson concert series once again brought families, friends, and neighbors together on the banks of the Hudson for live music. We are especially grateful to our presenting sponsor, Fix Brothers Fruit Farm. Their partnership and support in 2026 are truly appreciated (not to mention the complimentary apples, pears, and peaches they provided for our guests!).
Our commitment to education continues to grow. Through Harvesting History, area children enjoyed learning through hands-on experiences that connect Clermont’s history, gardens, agriculture, and landscape. The program also reaches adults with disabilities, helping us share Clermont with audiences of all ages and abilities. The impact extends beyond Clermont. Produce grown in our teaching garden is donated to food banks in Columbia County (including the Germantown Community Cupboard) allowing what is grown locally to be given back to our neighbors. This program is graciously supported by a grant from the Alexander and Marjorie Hover Foundation.
Keeping Clermont welcoming and accessible is our top priority. Throughout the year, the Friends support a wide variety of free community programs, including yoga, bird walks, forest bathing, garden tours, geology walks, lectures, concerts, family activities, and more. Whether someone comes to Clermont for its history, mansion, gardens, trails, programs, natural beauty, a picnic, or simply for a peaceful afternoon overlooking the Hudson, we want everyone to feel that there is a place for them here.
We have continued our significant investment in Clermont’s historic gardens and landscapes, helping to care for and enhance some of the most beloved spaces on the property. These gardens are an important part of Clermont’s history, but they are also living spaces that require ongoing attention, expertise, and investment. Working in partnership with our horticulturist and state staff, and with the help of a dedicated group of volunteers, we are helping ensure that these historic landscapes remain beautiful, engaging, and meaningful for today’s visitors while preserving them for future generations. We are especially grateful to The Garden Conservancy and the HRBT Foundation for their generous support this year.
We offered a variety of ways to experience Clermont beyond the estate. Our Chancellor’s Open House Series opened the doors to remarkable properties, some directly connected to the Livingston family, providing intimate experiences not ordinarily available to the public. We launched virtual programming to reach audiences well beyond the Hudson Valley and created a new Friends of Clermont YouTube channel allowing these programs to educate and inspire long after they are presented.
This year also brought a sold-out Revolutionary Garden Party with record attendance and support—another wonderful reminder of how strongly people believe in Clermont and its future. We are especially grateful to the staff at Clermont State Historic Site, and all our sponsors and local businesses that helped make this event a tremendous success.
Your support makes this work possible.
As an independent nonprofit organization, the Friends of Clermont provides resources that go beyond what state funding alone can provide. Your annual gift helps us care for Clermont’s historic gardens and landscapes, provide free educational and community programming, welcome new audiences, invest in important improvements, and ensure that Clermont remains vibrant and accessible for generations to come.
One major improvement this past year included the restoration of the north and south ends of the Walled Garden. This important work was made possible through the Environmental Protection Fund’s Park and Trail Partnership Grant program, with matching funds provided by Friends of Clermont.
Additionally, working in partnership with our horticulturist, we completed several improvements throughout Clermont’s historic gardens and landscapes. These projects involved replacing aging and deteriorating structures that had become unsafe, ensuring these beloved spaces remain both beautiful and accessible for visitors. Improvements included:
Walled Garden: Replacing the aging pergola with a new structure.
Wilderness and Cutting Gardens: Rebuilding the footbridge connecting the two gardens.
Children’s Garden: Replacing the deteriorating fence surrounding the garden.
In celebration of these improvements, and thanks to a generous grant from Ballston Spa National Bank, we created a new garden guide to help visitors explore and appreciate Clermont’s historic gardens.
We are currently working with our state partners to improve accessibility to the Visitor Center and develop new printed and digital resources to help visitors better understand, navigate, and explore the site.
Emily (our advancement manager) and I attended the Parks & Trails New York Statewide Friends Conference, hosted by Parks & Trails New York, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Department of Environmental Conservation in September. The conference (held every two years) brings together Friends groups and public lands champions from across the state to meet fellow advocates, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and spark new collaborations that support New York’s parks, historic sites, greenway trails, and public lands.
Me and Emily with New York State OPRHP Commissioner, Kathy Moser
If you’ve ever wondered how much of a difference your support makes, check out New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s 2025 Friends Group Impact Report Executive Summary. It’s a remarkable look at the collective impact of Friends groups across the state—and demonstrates how vital supporters like you are to preserving, enhancing, and strengthening our state parks and historic sites.
And there is more to look forward to in 2027.
The Friends of Clermont will celebrate 50 years of supporting the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of Clermont State Historic Site. It is an important milestone—and an opportunity not only to celebrate how far we’ve come, but to imagine what we can accomplish together in the next 50 years.
As we prepare for that anniversary, I hope you will consider making a generous year-end gift to the Friends of Clermont.
Every gift, at every level, makes a difference. Even more, it demonstrates that there is a community of people who believe Clermont is worth preserving, sharing, and investing in.
Thank you for being part of our community and for helping make this remarkable year possible. We are deeply grateful for your support and excited about all that lies ahead.
With gratitude,
Randy J. Tryon Executive Director Friends of Clermont
P.S. As we approach our 50th anniversary, your year-end gift will help us begin this milestone year from a position of strength. Please consider making a gift today to preserve Clermont, keep community programs accessible, and share this remarkable place with generations to come.
