The Zadock Pratt Museum (Prattsville, NY) is located in the western Catskills mountaintop region—an area with a storied history of emerging times and ideas including the birthplace of color photography and the site of the world’s oldest fossils. With the life and legacy of Zadock Pratt at its core, the museum is dedicated to excavating local history, community, and culture through special and permanent exhibits, conservation, education, archives, and public programming.
Built in 1828 and redesigned in the 1850’s, the building is the 19th century Greek Revival home of visionary Congressman, banker, soldier, industrial revolution innovator, and town founder Zadock Pratt. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986.
The Story of the Zadock Pratt Museum
The Pratt Homestead, now the Zadock Pratt Museum was built in 1828 and restored as a museum in 1976.
The Museum has been in existence as a museum since 1959, functioning in a variety of settings until the Zadock Pratt Homestead located on Main Street, Prattsville, was acquired in 1962 by a group of dedicated local residents. Operated by local volunteers, including the then Prattsville Chamber of Commerce, this group re-organized in 1974 to restore the Pratt homestead. With support from the town of Prattsville and the O’Connor Foundation, the building was restored, collections moved, and the museum opened on July 4, 1976. The Museum’s first full-time professional director was hired shortly after the restoration.
The home of the town founder, tanner, banker and U.S. Congressman Zadock Pratt was built in 1828 with additions in the late 1850’s. It was restored to its approximate 1856 appearance. The Museum contains approximately 5,000 sq. ft. dedicated to period room settings, exhibit areas, a research room and a caretaker’s apartment. A modern replica of Pratt’s carriage house was built to house meeting, store and office facilities. It is also used by other community groups for meeting purposes. The museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Zadock Pratt: The Man & His Town
In 1824, Zadock Pratt purchased the meadows at the junction of the Schoharie-Kill and Batavia-Kill Creeks upon which Prattsville now stands for the sum of $1,300.
On October 24 of that year, Pratt moved from Lexington to Prattsville with all his possessions in a one-horse wagon. From his arrival, he informed the few families living in the vicinity, which was then called Schohary-Kill, that he had come to live “with them, not on them,” and proceeded to commence work on the a dam (The Barrier Dam) for the mill pond of his tannery, remnants of which can still be seen at the east end of Town today.
During the winter of 1824-25, Pratt began procuring the materials he would need for his tannery. On March 14, 1825, he began preparing the ground for the foundations of his buildings. On June 6th, he had completed a building 170 feet long by 43 feet wide and began submerging leather in vats. This building was extended until it eventually became 550 feet long.
Business progressed well. Soon Pratt realized that with the large labor force he had assembled he needed stores and shops of multiple nature, home and churches for the betterment of all concerned.
He saw the opportunity of planning a village. First, he laid out a road sixty feet wide through the center of his property, nearly one mile in length, which he subsequently presented to the Turnpike Company. Additional streets were established and ornamental trees were planted along either side of Main and Washington Streets. A few of these historical trees still standing, including two exotics (Ginkos), one near the Reformed Dutch Church on Main Street, and the other at the Pratt Homestead (now the Pratt Museum).
Pratt then divided the land into lots, allowing for sidewalks, and offered these for sale to his works at modest prices. In 1828, he found it necessary to find a masterful builder who could create graceful stlyish buildings to grace his village. It is believed that a Mr. Davida and his crew from Catskill, a man well versed in architecture, created the lovely Greek Revival style structures that can still be seen in the Village today.
Prattsville grew steadily and on March 8, 1833, the 18th century frontier settlement of Schohary-Kill, part of the Town of Windham, became the incorporated Town of Prattsville, one of New York State’s first planned communities.
Pratt Rock Park Restoration Project
In Progress!
Click HERE to listen to Prattsville Supervisor Greg Cross discuss the Pratt Rock Restoration efforts on WRIP!
Built between 1842 – 1862, Pratt Rock was originally designed to memorialize Pratt’s life. Known locally as the “Mount Rushmore of the East”, the carvings on the Rock depict Zadock Pratt, his son George, a horse, a hemlock tree, the tannery, the Pratt coat of arms, a wreath with the names of two of Pratt’s children, and an arm raising a hammer. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
The years, as they have a habit of doing, took a toll on the park, and many of its carvings are at risk of being lost to the natural shifts and movements of the land, and constant weathering. If we, as a community, value the legacy of Zadock Pratt, then we must do what we can to preserve this awe-inspiring place right in our backyard.
The Museum is working closely with the Town of Prattsville and Michael van Valkenburgh Associates on this important restoration project. In 2020, we raised $70,000 to complete Phase I, cleaning and restoration of the historic rock sculptures. We are looking forward to successful fundraising in 2021 to continue into Phase 2!
You can help by donating to the Pratt Rock Restoration Efforts Fund, a segregated fund dedicated solely to restoration efforts to help return the park to its prime. All donations are tax deductible.
The Pratt Museum Coloring Book is now available!
The Zadock Pratt Museum Coloring Book – A Collection of Twenty-Six Catskill Historical Quilting Designs, has just been released through the museum’s publishing arm, The Abigail & Mary Press.
The Prattsville Clews Study & Exhibit
BY CLOVER ARCHER, CHRONICLER OF INKLINGS AT THE INSTITUTE FOR CLEW STUDIES
The Zadock Pratt Museum in collaboration with Prattsville Art Center presents Prattsville Clews – A Case Study by Clover Archer, an online exhibition exploring micro or granular histories – small ordinary moments in everyday lives that fill in the vast amount of time around lifetime milestones or what is more generally considered “important.”
2019 MARKED THE ZADOCK PRATT MUSEUM’S SIXTIETH YEAR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE
New lighting system is being planned with Paul Himmelstein of Applewhite & Himmelstein 
John Young and Young’s Hardware employee Fester volunteer at the Museum 
John Diefenderfer from New York State Archives in Albany works with the Museum in the digitization process 
Catskill regional photographer Francis X. Driscoll photographs the portrait of Zadock Pratt 
The Zadock Pratt Museum’s 2019 History Award Recipients 
Newly Renovated Exterior
Visit The Town of Prattsville website!
Visit our friends at the Prattsville Art Center!
Visit our friends at the Gilboa Museum & Juried History Center!
Zadock Pratt Museum 