Established in 2007, the Beecher Scholarship is a competitive annual award for High School students
in Greene County. 

- Applicants must submit an article on local history -

The Greene County Historical Society established the Raymond Beecher Scholarship in 2007 to honor Greene County Historian Dr. Raymond Beecher on his 90th birthday. Dr. Beecher passed away in 2008 but left behind a rich legacy. He authored several books on local history including Letters from a Revolution, Under Three Flags, Out to Greenville, and Kaaterskill Clove: Where Nature Met Art. Dr. Beecher also published a weekly column, "Greene Gleanings" in the Catskill Daily Mail, was a Trustee Emeritus of the Society, Librarian Emeritus of the Society’s Vedder Research Library, and the driving force behind the Society's intervention in the preservation of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and the 1706 Jan Van Loon House in Athens.

The scholarship is available to any high school senior who resides in Greene County, and a $1,000 award will be given to the winner. Applicants are expected to complete a 3-5 page article related to Greene County History. All articles must be original, written in acceptable English style, word-processed and double-spaced. A Work Cited page or Bibliography should accompany all articles. The quality of resources used will be a factor in the selection of the winning essay. The Vedder Research Library (located on the grounds of the Bronck Museum) is open for primary source research. It is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am-4pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm. A panel of three Society Trustees will judge each applicant's project. Articles submitted may be published in the Society’s Quarterly Journal. Students should submit their project to: Beecher Scholarship, GCHS, Inc., PO Box 44, Coxsackie, NY 12051. (Don’t forget to include your address, phone number and high school with your submission.) All submissions must have arrived to the judges by mail at the above address before May 15 annually.

Announcement of the scholarship will be given at graduation or award ceremonies at the student’s high school. An article may also appear in the local newspapers regarding the scholarship winner. Payment of the award will be given to the student at their graduation or award ceremony.

Questions about the Scholarship may be directed to Society Operations Manager Jennifer Barnhart at (518) 731-1033. If you have questions about your subject or available resources you may also try contacting the Vedder Research Library here.