First inhabited by the Mohicans and settled before 1651, Kinderhook,
New York, has an intriguing historical past. Today, Kinderhook's
celebrated art galleries and restaurants attract visitors and locals
alike.
While the town has ties to the American Revolution and was home to
America's eighth president, Martin Van Buren, Kinderhook is most known
for being the origin of America's first ghost story, The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow. The story's main character, Ichabod Crane, was based on
Washington Irving's close friend Jesse Merwin, a teacher who moved to
Kinderhook in 1808. Due to the story's success and its terrifying icon,
the Headless Horseman, Kinderhook and the Hudson Valley have evolved
from farmland and sleepy folklore to an area full of cultural interest.