The eighth President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, was born in Kinderhook and retired to the area (Lindenwald).

The home where he was raised, his father's tavern, no longer exists; however, a historical marker is located near the site at 46 Hudson Street.

[4] The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, Van Buren's retirement home is located 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the village and is open to the public.

Van Buren's burial place is in the Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery along Albany Avenue in the northwest part of the village, about a half mile from his childhood home.

Northwest of the intersection, CR 21 is known as Albany Avenue, while southeast it is called Hudson Street.

[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), all land.

Kinderhook Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River, forms the southeastern boundary of the village.