Living Landscape Series: Rock & Stone

Join us for the first installment of Spiral House Park's new Living Landscape Series, inviting visitors to experience the remarkable landscape through the lenses of geology, ecology, history, and art. Set on the grounds of our former bluestone quarry, the evening features a guided walk with renowned geologist Bob Titus, a presentation on the region's rich quarrying history by Jonathan Palmer of the Ulster County Archives, an exploration of the park's unique ecology with Becky Nesel, and a live stone-carving demonstration with property manager Rudy Numssen. Families can also enjoy free rock painting throughout the event. Together, these experiences reveal the ancient forces that shaped the Hudson Valley, the cultural history embedded in its stone, and the living landscape that continues to evolve today.

Program Schedule

• 4 – 5:15 PM | Rock Solid Stories: A Walk Through Geological Time – with Bob Titus
  • Dr. Titus, a leading geologist of the Catskills region, returns to Spiral House Park to guide this walk through deep time. Drawing from decades of research and writing, he will share the story of the Catskills Delta during the Devonian period as it is revealed through the park’s landscape. This walk offers both scientific insight and engaging storytelling.
• 5:30- 6:00 PM | Pollinator Bath Demonstration (limited to 10 participants) with Rudy Numssen
  • Rudy Numssen has worked on this land since age nine, helping build the Spiral House, its garden walls, and Tom's sculptures. He now serves as the Park's property manager. Join Rudy outside the original studios to learn how to cut and polish stone and craft your own pollinator bath — like a birdbath, but smaller and shallower, perfect for thirsty pollinators. Get an inside look at the tools, skills, and talent behind the Spiral House, grounds, and sculptures.
• 6:15 - 7:00 PM  | Quarry History Presentation with Jonathan Palmer from Ulster County Archives 
  • Join Jonathan Palmer for an evening presentation exploring the rich quarrying history of this region — from the industry's 19th-century peak, when tens of thousands of workers quarried and shipped stone up and down the Eastern Seaboard, to the abandonment that left behind the rugged, beautiful terrain now at the heart of Spiral House Park. It's a rare chance to understand the land beneath your feet in an entirely new way.
• 6:45 - 8:00 PM | Rock Ecology of Spiral House Park with Becky Nesel 
  • We will explore the many connections between the geological foundations of Spiral House Park, and the ecosystem supported by them. We'll learn a little bit about how the bedrock formed in this area millions of years ago, the living things that now call this place home today, and how intertwined they are with each other!
• Throughout - Kids Activity Table: Rock Painting – A hands-on creative space for younger visitors, led by Suzi Miranda. Free and open throughout the event!

Tickets:

• Day Pass: $ 35 - $45 (sliding scale)
• Kids Under 12 Day Pass : $15
• Pollinator Bath at 5:30pm (space is limited 10 max) :  FREE, reservation required!
• Discount Code (15% off) for Members, Students, Seniors, Veterans, and Neighbors: MSSVN2026