Welcome to the online companion to the book Composing Olana, by Annik LaFarge, published by Fordham University Press / Empire State Editions in spring 2026 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederic Edwin Church on May 4, 1826.

This website was designed to mirror the sections of the book, with page numbers for handy reference. This makes it easy for a reader — whether she’s walking in the park or curled up at home — to appreciate the deep history of this place.

There are 9 sections in the book, including the Introduction, which are made up of short entries describing a feature in the landscape; the carriage roads built by Frederic Church; the home and work of his teacher and mentor, Thomas Cole; wildlife at Olana; the Persian-inspired house at the top of the hill; and much, much more. You can access each entry via the Table of Contents page, which lists each one and includes a hyperlink that will take you directly there.

Photography in the printed book is limited to black & white images, but here on the companion website, which is organized into the same 9 sections as the book, you’ll find multiple views for each entry, including historic and contemporary images; artworks by Church and other Hudson River School painters; and outdoor exhibitions commissioned by The Olana Partnership. And, of course, lots of photos of dogs.

All photos that appear here were taken by Annik LaFarge, unless otherwise noted with copyright text in the captions.