Although her grandfather and father were officials of the Dutchess County Historical Society and members of her family have been prominent in its activities since its founding in 1914, Eileen Mylod Hayden says that it’s more than just family tradition that led to her own long and distinguished career with the venerable institution. To hear the just-retired executive director tell it, it’s all about raising awareness of the epochal greatness of Dutchess County.
“Dutchess County need not take a backseat to any county in the entire country when it comes to historical significance,” Hayden, who retired from the post on Oct. 1 after 16 years in office, says with assured enthusiasm. “Its contributions on a national and international scale in the realms of politics, society, culture, and the economy have been profound from the earliest times, and over time. Pound for pound, the county is second to none.”
She then launches into a litany of events, turning points and transformations which may be familiar to many, but are always worthy of remembrance: Dutchess’s economic importance in colonial times; its role in the American Revolution; the ratification of the U.S. Constitution by New York State in Poughkeepsie in 1788; the city’s flourishing as an port of trade in the days of the Erie Canal; the Hudson River School of painters, telegraph inventor Samuel Morse’s residence here; the county’s function as a venue for the salvation of the country and the world under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But she hastens to add that amidst the mega-events and the giant footprints of the movers and shakers, it is essential to remember that the common man has his own important role as protagonist in the historical process.
“The man in the street has a lot more to do with history than people think,” she explains. “For a great many things that happen on a large scale, the impetus comes from all of us. Our lives contain the nexus for change. In the triangle of history, the kings and presidents may be on the top while the people are on the bottom. But leaders have to react to forces that spring from below, on all levels of the triangle. The motto ‘Think Globally, Act Locally’ should be thought of in that light.”
It is this strong grasp of the meaning of history that led Dr. Werner Steger, the president of the Board of Trustees of the society, to honor Hayden in especially warm terms on her retirement.
“Those who have worked with her will miss her guidance and firm hand at the helm of an organization serving the county’s historical needs for almost a century. An educator and historian to the core, she taught in local schools for a number of years before changing her audience to history lovers. Her knowledge of local, state and national history was nourished within a family with a long documented interest in discovering, preserving and using history and historical resources for community good.”
Hayden’s grandfather, John J. Mylod, was a founding member of the society, and as a trustee worked with fellow officer Franklin Roosevelt “to make history available to the people of Dutchess County,” as she puts it. Her father, Frank V. Mylod, served as the society’s president, and Hayden herself served a 10-year apprenticeship on the board before taking over the position of executive director.
Before that, earning a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of New Rochelle and further historical studies at SUNY New Paltz prepared her for her vocation, together with “lifelong learning” amidst the byways of history.
The Dutchess County Historical Society, whose mission is to “preserve, explain and interpret” the rich heritage of the county, has many venues, programs and activities. But its two main centers, both located on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, are its offices and research facility in the Gov. Clinton House at 549 Main, and its historic preservation, the former parsonage known as the Glebe house, at 635 Main. Both are living embodiments of the 18th century, but the resources available there cover larger stretches of time.
“Our library and archive at the Clinton House are open to members and the public, and a variety of people use the facility,” Hayden explained. “But the society’s scope hardly ends there.”
History throughout the area
Again launching with ease into a litany of history, she discusses the archaeology project in Hyde Park aimed at uncovering traces of an 18th century enclave of free blacks and runaway slaves, an American Revolution program at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, the summer program for middle school children, an after-school program with the Catharine Street Community Center and the Black History Committee. Yet it is the Silver Ribbon Tours, which take groups to towns around the county to highlight their historic treasures, that obviously have a special place in her heart.
“There is no town in Dutchess County that does not have its own unique gem to show off,” she said. “Whether it’s a Georgian house, a historic church or an old railroad bridge, there is always something with a story to discover.”
Yet despite the richness of the historical legacy she has presided over for many years, Hayden stresses that it is sharing it with people that has given her the most satisfaction.
“People themselves have given me my strongest memories,” she says, “Their enthusiasm for programs, whether they be demonstrations of needlework or displays of old newspapers, has been extraordinary. So many people have been involved and supportive.”
And what comes next in the ongoing historical odyssey of Eileen Hayden?
“There will be more leeway for travel and family time, but I am still a member of the society,” she said. “I am just going from official to volunteer. I will be able to enjoy the activities for their own sake, now that I am not responsible for so many aspects of their success. And I encourage everyone to come and enjoy them too.”