In the FHK Gallery for 2012

Save The Best To Last:  The Fred J. Johnston Story

This new exhibit was created to celebrate the 200^th birthday of the c. 1812 historic house at 63 Main Street and the life of the man who rescued it from being razed in 1938, then devoted his life to preserving it. The exhibit features photos from Mr. Johnston’s personal collection that chronicle his rise from selling antiques at age 17 from the family’s garage in St. Remy to becoming an antiques dealer of national stature whoused the historic house at 63 Main Street as both his home and showroom. The eight elegant room settings he designed to display his collection can be viewed on house tours offered by the Friends of Historic Kingston to whom it was bequeathed by Mr. Johnston when he died in 1993.

The exhibit also pays homage to the builder of the c.1812 Federal style house, John Sudam, a prominent attorney, New York State Senator and Regent. A large portrait of Sudam painted by John Vanderlyn, Jr. has been loaned to the exhibit by SUNY Ulster.

Other  preservation “success stories” throughout Kingston are also celebrated with a photo display of houses and commercial buildings that received Annual

48 West Chestnut Street

Preservation Awards from the Friends of Historic Kingston throughout the past several years. Friends of Historic Kingston member and artist Ken Gray created the exhibit which can be viewed Friday-Saturday, 11-4 through October. There is no admission fee.

Exhibit sponsors are the Halper Foundation, Floyd Lattin and Ward Mintz, Rhinebeck Bank and Interface Carpet Corporation.

The Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery is located adjacent to the 1812 Fred J. Johnston Museum, at the corner of Wall and Main Streets in Kingston’s Stockade Historic District. For more information, call (845) 339-0720.