Before I forget I wanted to tell you how much I LOVE the guide that you did for the Holland Dames. I purchased a few copies. One of them I have shared with a genealogist for the Warriors who is mostly familiar with southern ancestry. He was delighted to have such good guidance. So thanks – this is useful for MANY groups.

While the document, Researching Your Dutch Ancestors: A Practical Guide, is purposed to help prospective members with the process of becoming a member of the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, it is also an excellent guide and example for all genealogy researchers as well as for preparing an application for membership in any lineage organization.

Our goal in producing the guide is to help make the application process easier by leading applicants and researchers to the best resources available.

The book is available for purchase in our Gifts and Books section.

The New York Times recently featured the Society and the dedication of the newly restored stained-glass window, “The Arrival of the Halve Maen, 1609,” in its blog, City Room. You can read the article there. The extensive article interviews a past Holland Dames' Directress General, mentions the donors whose generous donations helped, and also has many photos of details of the glass.

The window was donated to the New-York Historical Society in 1909 by the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, Descendants of the Ancient and Honorable Families of New Netherland. The window, manufactured by the Gorham Company, was an outside window for over 50 years and exposed to the elements. It was then enclosed but by 2008 it showed signs of serious deterioration.

Funding was secured to restore the window and to clean its many pieces and it is now reinstalled in its original home, the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library of the $65 million renovated New-York Historical Society located at 170 Central Park West, at 77th St., reopening Nov. 11, 2011.

A major contribution for the restoration was given by the Anna Glen Vietor Memorial Fund. Anna Glen was the Directress General of the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames from 1996 to 2001. She was a major force in the Dutch community in the New York Metropolitan area. Three of her daughters are Holland Dames and four of her grand daughters are Holland Dames.

The restoration was a project of the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames and we are very pleased to see that the outcome has been such a positive one, i.e. saving a small piece of history for others to enjoy and learn more, and meeting the objectives of our society: to collect and preserve genealogical and historical documents relating to the Dutch in America, to encourage excellence in historical research relating to the Dutch in America, and to establish commemorative and durable memorials in lasting tribute to the early Dutch settlers.

As of September, 2011, our Activity Calendar has been updated with new information about upcoming events. In particular, you'll find information on the 34th New Netherland Seminar being held on September 16 and 17 at the Buena Vista Conference Center in New Castle, DE, as well as the forthcoming Directress General's Luncheon on October 25th.

This elegant 35-inch square, hand-rolled silk twill scarf honors the early Dutch settlers in America with its colorful tulips, Delft tiles, and distinctive Dutch roof gable designs. the limited edition scarf, commissioned by the Society for the Daughters of Holland Dames, features a center medallion with a crowned golden lion rampant, which is the insignia of the Dutch royal family. This beautiful scarf makes a lovely gift and is also suitable for framing.

To order, send a check for $135.00 payable to Society of Daughters of Holland Dames: 1220 Park Avenue, Suite 9B, New York, NY 10128, Orders received by December 10th will be mailed in time for Christmas.