To provide a firm foundation for our vision and long-term goals, Woodhull acquired its permanent home in a beautiful, rural setting outside New York City in Ancramdale, NY. The Woodhull Institute retreat sits on 368 acres of land at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. It is a place of serenity with rolling hills, ridges, bluffs, hiking trails, wetlands, streams, and clearing for outdoor classrooms. The spot provides an ideal setting to train participants in sensible risk-taking, physical and psychological courage, and teamwork. It is also an ideal location to escape the stress, noise and distractions associated with a busy urban lifestyle.

At the center of this landscape stands a large retreat house in the Neo-colonial style from the mid-nineteenth century, which serves as the Institute's main structure. The Institute houses its Professor Fay Goleman library, common areas, gathering rooms, viewing deck and dining hall.

Our library specializes in women's literature with plans to expand our selection of books on social justice, ethics, leadership, and women's history. Future plans also include a portrait gallery which will bring to visual life the biographies and achievements of outstanding and diverse women leaders. Woodhull hopes both the library and the portrait gallery will inspire 21st century women to create new possibilities for themselves and their communities.

Getting to Woodhull

From New York City

• From Manhattan, take the West Side Highway north.
• Go through the toll and to the Saw Mill Parkway north.
• Take the Saw Mill Parkway north until you reach the exit for the Taconic State Parkway.
• Go north on the Taconic State Parkway. You will be on the Taconic State Parkway for about an hour and a half, depending on travel time.
• You will pass one Highway 82 exit that says "Hopewell Junction". DO NOT TAKE THIS EXIT. Take the second exit for Highway 82 which says "Hudson/Ancram" which you will reach after approximately 25 minutes travel time.
• Make a Left onto route 82 and go through the town of Ancram.
• Keep following 82 until you get to Wiltsie Bridge Road. About one mile after Ancram, at the foot of the road, is a gray house with yellow shutters on the left. Turn left at this house onto Wiltsie Bridge Road. Drive slowly as it is a country road, with not much around, so you may pass it easily.
• Travel for approximately four miles down Wiltsie Bridge Road.
• Look for the Somer Hoff Farm, a set of red buildings very close to the road on your right and left. The driveway for Woodhull will be a dirt road on the right not too far past the farm. Turn right at the sign for Woodhull. Mailbox 351, for a small ranch house, will be on the left.
• The retreat center is approximately one mile up on the right.

From Connecticut

• Take the I-90/MASS.PIKE towards Boston/Albany, NY.
• Take US-20 exit - exit number 2 - towards Lee/Pittsfield.
• Turn left onto US-20.
• Stay straight to go onto MA-102 W.
• Turn slight left onto US-7.
• Turn right onto MA-23.
• Turn left onto MA-23/MA41.
• MA-23/MA41 becomes NY-23.
• Turn left onto NY-22.
• Turn right onto County Road 3.
• Turn onto Wiltsie Bridge Road.
• The Woodhull Institute is approximately 5 miles on Wiltsie Bridge Road. At mailbox 351, and the Woodhull sign, turn onto the dirt road and drive about one mile to the retreat center.

**Please know that this area of Columbia County is very rural; city dwellers may not be used to such wide open stretches! Don't be daunted by the space You may think that you are driving for too long, but keep watching for the indicated signs and you will arrive without problem.