Saturday, September 26, 2026

Celebrating 125 Years

There's an organization in Columbia County that people who weren't born and raised here may not know much about: the Columbia County Association in the City of New York. The group was founded in 1901 as a means of bringing together people from Columbia County whose fortunes had led them to New York City. In the beginning, the members were New York City residents with roots in Columbia County. Today, the members are Columbia County folk with no particular connection to New York City. The New York City connection seems to have been kept alive in recent years by occasionally holding the organization's annual dinner at Gallagher's Steakhouse on West 52nd Street.

The annual dinner is the occasion to honor the group's designated "Citizen of the Year." This year's dinner took place on Thursday, September 24, in Columbia County, at Columbia Golf and Country Club in Claverack. This year's honoree was Rick Scalera, mayor of Hudson for seven nonconsecutive terms (1994-1999, 2002-2005, 2008-2011) and now in his seventh consecutive term as county supervisor representing the Fifth Ward. 


Lance Wheeler was present on Thursday night to document the event. His video can be found here.

The Columbia County Association in the City of New York even created a coin to commemorate its quasquicentennial, bearing Scalera's name if not his visage.
 
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1 comment:

  1. HudsonCommonSense.comSeptember 27, 2026 at 3:32 PM

    Looks like a beautiful event, with many friendly faces, fond memories, and important history.

    A community and tradition worth preserving and so many pillars and personalities that make Hudson / CC great.

    Of course... nowadays... a "New York City Association in Columbia County, NY" dinner that looks at the future, might be more apt than the "Columbia County Association in the City of New York." that looks at the past.

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