1924
1924
It all started with Laura Talmage Huyck, who, after witnessing the devastation of World War I, opened her home for something radical at the time: honest conversation.
She called them “Country Forums on Human Relations,” and students from across the globe came to this quiet corner of the Hilltowns to ask a big question —
how do we live together in peace?
Country on forum relations
1963
1963
Fast forward a few decades. Laura’s daughter Katharine and her husband P.L. Elmore teamed up with friends Winifred and Everett Clinchy to bring the forums back to life.
They created the Institute on Man and Science and donated their family estates to establish our 100-acre campus. Suddenly, this hillside was buzzing with world leaders, scientists, and thinkers, all gathering in Rensselaerville to tackle humanity’s biggest questions.
The institute on man and Science
1970
1970
Building on that momentum, the campus became home to the Rensselaerville Institute, often called “the think tank with muddy boots.” The Institute was known for blending big ideas with on-the-ground action working with communities, schools, and nonprofits to turn innovation into practical change.
Rensselaerville Institute
2012
2012
Carey Institute for Global Good
In 2012, philanthropist Bill Carey set his sights on rekindling that same spirit of inquiry. Although Bill passed away before completing the purchase, his family and the W. P. Carey Foundation carried the vision forward, securing the campus and fueling its future.
Their mission echoed Laura’s original impulse: create a place where curiosity, ideas, and community can spark meaningful change.
2025
2025
Hilltown Commons
We’re still asking questions — big ones, small ones, half-formed ones, and the ones that don’t have answers yet. And we believe the best place to start is by coming together.
At Hilltown Commons, curiosity is the common ground: whether through workshops, retreats, community events, or residencies, we welcome a diversity of voices and perspectives that keep our conversations alive. Nearly a century on, we continue the tradition of gathering to learn, imagine, and grow — together.
