Hornbeck Boats: Lightest Boats in the Deep Woods

February 19th - May 8th, 2022

Standard TAUNY Center Hours 10am-4pm M-SA

Free to the public

Exhibit includes:

-Hornbeck Boats and lots of information about them

-Dozens of photographs taken by documentary photographer Nancie Battaglia

-A video of people we interviewed about their experiences in their Hornbeck boats

-And a slideshow of photos submitted by people who love their Hornbeck boats

In 1971, Peter Hornbeck, Olmstedville, NY, started making small boats in his shop when he was on break from his job as an elementary school teacher. Inspired by Canton's 19th century boatmaker J. Henry Rushton, Peter aimed to make small, light boats that would allow paddlers to explore the small ponds, streams, and backwaters of the Adirondacks. In the 1990s, with the partnership of his wife Ann, that interest in boats became a full-time occupation. Hornbeck Boats became the epicenter of a vital and growing community of recreational paddlers, assuring Hornbeck's place in the history of small craft.

Peter died in December 2020, leaving the company he founded in the capable hands of his son-in-law. To honor Peter's work and his influence on recreation in the Adirondacks, TAUNY Executive Director Jill Breit and boat historian Hallie Bond are teaming up to develop an exhibit that will open at The TAUNY Center in 2022.

Photo Caption: Peter's friend and former neighbor Dan Berggren spends most of his time in his Hornbeck boat on a chain of small quiet ponds near his home.

Celebrate TAUNY at 35 Years! Take a Look at 35 Most Loved Exhibitions from the Past!

TAUNY turns 35 this year! In honor of this occasion, we’ll bring you our 35@35 series, featuring highlights from TAUNY’s history.

From the very beginning, we’ve loved developing exhibits at TAUNY. Through exhibits, we’ve been able to share so many wonderful people and places in our North Country. Here’s our list of 35 favorite exhibits from the past!

TAUNY's online Exhibit

North Country knits: 2020 Projects. See here.

These knitting friends found a way to keep their weekly gatherings going last summer. Photo courtesy Karen Johnson-Weiner.

TAUNY's Open Call for Personal Collections

Do you or does someone you know have a collection related to folk art and/or traditional life in the North Country? We’d like to hear about it! In 2021, we’ll showcase collections from around our region in a revival of our popular Personal Collections Series. Contact TAUNY Executive Director Jill Breit, jill@tauny.org, 315-386-4289.