Historic Barns of Nipmoose

The Historic Barns of Nipmoose may well be the ultimate Escape New York City wedding destination. Located about 3 1/2 hours from Manhattan, in one of the northernmost counties of the Hudson Valley and lying close to the Vermont state border, this multi-barn venue is surround by 120 acres of farmland with a sweeping panorama that will make you feel like you’re in a world of your own.

For New York City brides with families predominately based in the metropolitan area, the site is definitely a trek. Ditto for Boston brides and their families who face the same drive time. For Albany and Capital Region brides, the site is a hop, skip, and a jump across the Hudson River to the town of Buskirk. But in all cases, the trip is well worth it for the one of a kind privacy and sweeping views the Barns of Nipmoose offer.

Before we get to the details important to your wedding event considerations, here’s a little backstory about the Barns of Nipmoose. The site dates back to the 1700s when the first known owners of the land, the Darling Family, established a farm close to the banks of the Nipmoose River. Between 1799 and 1839, the farm changed hands three times until it was purchased by the Sherman Family who worked it for over a century. In the early 1900s, the Sherman farm operated as a dairy farm but this enterprise came to end sometime around the 1950s when the cows were sold off and the land was leased to neighboring farmers.
In 2000, the non-profit Persistence Foundation — dedicated to preserving agricultural lands and heritage — purchased the farm and the buildings that were on it, many of them in very bad shape. Two of the barns were selected for restoration and today these are the buildings where weddings at Nipmoose take place.

Constance Kheel, historian and president of the Persistence Foundation, and Barbara Squires, Nipmoose’s event manager, led us on a tour of the barns explaining the roles of the three historic buildings in every Nipmoose wedding celebration.
We started with the “Scottish” barn, so-called because of its tapered, 14-foot high support posts typical of the Scottish style barns built over 200 years ago. Constructed entirely of white oak, this structure is believed to be one of the earliest of its kind in America. “I don’t know of any other like it,” says Constance, explaining how the supports of the barn were interconnected with “secret joinery’ techniques now known to only a very few people.

The 1800 square foot Scottish barn interior is pre-strung with lights and can seat up to 182 guests (156 with buffet setup, or 146 with dance floor). If used as a ceremony venue, it can accommodate 218 seated guests. To preserve its historic details, there is no air conditioning or heating, but the space is airy enough with the large pivoting doors seen above (which we are told are also unique architectural features).

Right beside the Scottish Barn is the “German” Barn, which as you might have guessed, was built using German methods of barn building. The structure dates to the early 1800s but originally did not stand at Nipmoose; it was brought here in the early 1900s by the Sherman Family and erected over a stone basement to house dairy cows.

As this building was conceived as an events space during the renovation, it does have heating (but no air conditioning) as well as track lighting and a ceiling fan for ventilation. The 1380 square foots space can accommodate stand-up cocktail parties for 150 guests; seated dinners for 106 guests (96 guests with buffet, and 70 guests with a dance floor).
On the basement level there are couches, restrooms, and plenty of space for getting ready. Caterers can also use the space if need be.


Back above ground and on the western side of the German barn there is a stone wall and a pair of doors which is a favorite spot for bride and groom portraits. At night, the wall is strung with lanterns and sparkler send-offs are often staged here.

Nearby stands the Corn Crib, which is the third and smallest of the historic barns. Like the German barn, it too is a transplant coming from a nearby farm where it was built in the 1800s. Its original role was to store corn and to keep it safe from vermin, but today it has a number of uses during Nipmoose weddings.

Inside, depending on the angle of the sun, the corn crib fills with pinpoints of lights. “A lot of couples like to take photos in here when the light is like this. It’s really magical,” says event manager Barbara Squires.

In addition to the historic barns, there is a small red modern barn which was built for the restoration work but today is a staging area for caterers. It has additional restrooms, electricity, and running water. All couples getting married at Nipmoose are responsible for choosing and hiring their own caterers.
Also, all furniture rentals are the responsibility of couples. For more than 180 guests, tents and additional portable restrooms are required.
There are parking spaces for 80 cars and room for buses to drop guests and to turn around.
In the near future, there are plans to restore a nearby 1800s farmhouse on the property which will likely play into Nipmoose wedding events. We’re looking forward to more news about this and excited for the site’s expansion.

Couples interested in holding their wedding events at Nipmoose are advised to visit the site at least a year in advance. “Especially during the autumn months when the fall colors are in demand, we advise brides to start early,” says Barbara Squires.
Imagining your wedding event at The Historic Barns of Nipmoose?
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Additional Information:
To learn more about The Historic Barns of Nipmoose visit https://nipmoosebarns.org.
To discuss your Nipmoose wedding with Duetimage Hudson Valley Wedding Photographers, call (845) 905‑6323 or visit: http://www.duetimage.com/contact.