The Haverstraw Brick Museum is a hidden gem in the Hudson Valley, and it’s a fantastic Road Trip: Close to Home.

There is a lot to learn because Haverstraw was actually one of the first settlements in the United States dating back to the 1600s. "The Haverstraw Brick Museum was originally started by descendants of the brickyards, it's a very small museum but it's a little jewel on the Hudson," says Haverstraw Brick Museum Executive Director Rachel Whitlow.

The brick-making industry played a crucial role in this village and the country. "If you're walking around and you're seeing all these beautiful brick buildings, it’s really cool to know where those bricks came from," says Whitlow.

And you can do just that - by booking an appointment and walking through the past that created our present - brick by brick. “Haverstraw Brickyards, at one point, were making 300-million bricks a year and they were responsible for providing bricks for almost two-thirds of the buildings in New York City," marvels Whitlow.

You'll also see how the world of science pushed the industry to success.  In fact, you can get a closer look at this mini version of a brick machine, a key invention of the industry. The original machine was actually quite large and could make 60 bricks a minute or 50,000 bricks a day.

But it's not just a look back in time , it also embraces the future with a rotating exhibit called "THE NEW BRICK."  "This exhibition is in partnership with Pratt Institute that takes ideas or concepts from the archives from inventions that happened here in Haverstraw,” explains Whitlow.

Like the invention of the automatic brick-making machine, but with a unique twist. "We are tying that to NEW innovation and brick-making using robotic 3D printing with clay. By bringing it here to Haverstraw we're allowing students to see something that very few people would get to see," says Whitlow.