NEWSLETTER
Holiday Whodunit, A “History Mystery” For Children at Staatsburgh State Historic Site
Sundays, December 7,14 & 21
Staatsburg, N.Y. (11/20/25) — Staatsburgh State Historic Site will present the Holiday Whodunit, a mystery for children to solve on the first three Sundays in December. Children ages 6 to 11, and their family members, become detectives and solve a mystery by interviewing costumed interpreters, who portray Gilded Age houseguests of the Mills family, and their servants. Advanced registrations are required at www.Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS. One of Staatsburgh’s most popular programs, the Holiday Whodunit has become an annual tradition for many families, who come each December to enjoy the holiday decorations and crack another Gilded Age case; a new “history mystery” is offered each year!
The Holiday Whodunit will take place on December 7, 14, and 21, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (last reserved entry time at 2:30 p.m.). Advanced registrations are required at www.Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS.
Parents and guardians should plan about an hour for children to make their way through the mansion. After an introduction to the mystery, young sleuths go room to room, interviewing suspects to uncover clues. In each room, they find a house guest of Mrs. Mills or one the family’s servants, each eager to prove their innocence and implicate someone else. At the end of the visit, children submit a ballot with their deduction of “whodunit.” All ballots will be entered in a random drawing for a prize, to be awarded at the end of December. Winners will receive a $20 gift certificate from the Holiday Whodunit’s sponsors, Oblong Books & Music and the Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh.
“The Holiday Whodunit introduces children to the historical guests, staff, and family members who once inhabited Staatsburgh. Each year, we incorporate details that are not only particular to Staatsburgh, but to a lifestyle typical in an American upper-class home during the Gilded Age.” According to Museum Assistant, Deborah Coconis, “If the children pay close attention, they’ll pick up the clues that will help them deduce the one right answer.”
Staatsburgh will open for holiday touring, by reservation, beginning Friday, November 28. The site will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then will be open every day from December 26 through December 30. Site admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors; children 12 and younger are free. Reservations are strongly recommended: www.Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS
The site’s giftshop will be open during all tour hours, offering a wide range of books, jewelry, apparel, toys, and other gift items. Visitors may also enjoy a stroll by the Hudson River, or a hike on woodland trails in adjacent Mills Memorial State Park.
Staatsburgh State Historic Site and the Ogden Mills & Ruth Livingston Mills Memorial State Park are located on Old Post Road in Staatsburg, off Route 9 between Rhinebeck and Hyde Park. The historic site is one of 6 sites and 15 parks administered by the Taconic Region of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. For more information, call 845-889-8851, or visit Staatsburgh’s websites at https://www.Bookeo.com/StaatsburghSHS , www.Facebook.com/StaatsburghSHS, and www.staatsburghstatehistoricsite.blogspot.com. Staatsburgh’s events are also listed at parks.ny.gov
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 80 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.
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