The Historical Society of Rockland County is an educational organization dedicated to engaging diverse audiences in promoting and preserving the history of Rockland County. To fulfill its mission, the Society:
A. Collects, catalogues, preserves and exhibits artifacts and archival materials that reflect the diverse history of Rockland County and the Lower Hudson Valley.
B. Sponsors educational programs and publications based on sound scholarship to promote the appreciation of history and cultural heritage of the people of Rockland.
C. Promotes through programs, services and example the preservation, restoration, continuing and adaptive use of the historic buildings and sites in the County.
D. Develops and maintains the financial, professional and human resources necessary to achieve the purposes and goals of the organization.
COVER IMAGE: A group of hearty Hike through History participants stop at one of the historic lean-to shelters along the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. The hike, led by Gordon Wren and Tony Benedict, also visited the ruins of the ORAK mansion; the Jackie Jones fire tower; and the crash site of Northwest Airlines Flight 6231 within Harriman State Park.
Annual Membership Meeting of The Historical Society of Rockland County April 7, 2025 * 6:30 PM
Agenda
Call to Order & Pledge of Allegiance
President’s Annual Report
Review of Annual Report with Committee Reports
Report of Nominating Committee & Election of Trustees
Adjournment
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY 20 Zukor Road, New City, NY 10956 (845) 634-9629
www.RocklandHistory.org
Board of Trustees
Veronica DeMeo Boesch, President; Stephen Beckerle, 1st Vice President; Judge Alfred J. Weiner, 2nd Vice President; Sue Ferreri, Treasurer; Anthony Benedict, Secretary; Judge Victor J. Alfieri Jr.; Fr. Richard Baker; Diane Buell; Jimmy Higgins Jr.; Jennifer Lorenzo; Hon. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick; Jon Resanovich; Lea Wolinetz
Staff
Susan Curry Deeks, Executive Director
Jennifer Rothschild, Director of Programming
Clare B. Sheridan, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Ashleigh Malone, Museum Services Manager
Robert Carroll, Caretaker
Marjorie Johnson, Editor, South of the Mountains
Marianne B. Leese, Senior Historian
We thank you for your continued support of your historical society!
In addition to contributions from members, friends and the business community, the Historical Society of Rockland County received funding in 2024–25 from the Office of the Rockland County Executive, Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and the Town of Ramapo.
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The Historical Society of Rockland County 2025 Annual Membership Meeting April 1, 2024 * 6:30 PM
Minutes
Pledge of Allegiance: Veronica DeMeo Boesch leads the pledge and calls the meeting to order.
Attendance
Trustees: Victor Alfieri, Stephen Beckerle, Anthony Benedict, Ronnie Boesch, Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Sue Ferreri
Members: Bob and Adele Schnell, Bob Boesch, Father Richard Baker, John Resanovich, Dianne Buell, Jimmy Higgins
Staff: Susan Deeks, Executive Director, Jennifer Rothschild, Director of Programming, Marianne Leese, Senior Historian
President’s Report: Ms. Boesch states that she has served as President since 2020. She mentions Leland Meyer and his contributions to the HSRC. Many teachers have served as trustees here. She refers to the printed Annual Report that was distributed and thanks Marianne Leese for her service as chair of the Collections Committee. She invites the trustees to consider taking on the role as vhair of the Collections Committee. Ronnie states that the HSRC has a mission that we are fulfilling through educational programs and bus trips. She refers to the Blauvelt family and the Dutch heritage in this area; she references the American Revolution and the preservation of historic buildings. She thanks the HSRC volunteers.
Executive Director: Susan Deeks directs attention to the printed booklet, particularly the center pages showing financial reports. She explains that there is a deficit due to higher costs. The goal is to grow the endowment for the future and to curtail excessive spending from the endowment funds.
Education: Jennifer Rothschild serves as the Director of Pro-
gramming and organizes group tours and educational programs. She has brought in new volunteers and docents. There is a report on programs in the annual report.
Nominations: Nominating Committee Chair Stephen Beckerle presents the slate of nominees to the board. The nominees Fr. Richard Baker, Dianne Buell, Jimmy Higgins, and John Resanovich introduce themselves. Victor Alfieri will serve a second term on the board. Motion by Stephen Beckerle, seconded by Anthony Benedict, to approve the slate of candidates. Motion carries; all candidates are approved.
Collections: Marianne Leese asks that a Collections Committee form that consists of people who can come here during office hours to look at the proposed items for accession and make a recommendation to the board. She directs everyone’s attention to objects on a table that have been recently accessioned.
Annual Dinner: Ronnie states that May 19 is the date of this year’s Annual Dinner. It will be held at the Paramount Country Club. She tells a brief history of Paramount Pictures’ founder Adolf Zukor’s farm on that nearby property, and she states that the Broadway star Lotte Lenya and her husband, the composer Kurt Weill, also lived near here back in that time period.
Next Board of Trustees Meeting: Wednesday, April 17 at 7:15 p.m. in the Community Room.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Jennifer
Rothschild, Secretary
President’s Report
It has been a busy year for our Historical Society. Our exhibits, bus tours, and lectures have been an opportunity for our members and the public to learn about our county and the many significant sites in this historic region. I wish to thank our staff and volunteers for the success of our mission. Our Executive Director, Susan Deeks, is an invaluable source of information about the past and present events happening in our area. We value her knowledge and dedication to maintaining the infrastructure of our past. Jennifer Rothschild, our Director of Programming, has been busy planning ahead for our coming year. Our new exhibit, “Home Grown,” opening in May 2025, will celebrates the farming history of our county and recount the farming families who once dominated our area and the present farms that continue to thrive. Ashleigh Malone, our Museum Services Manager, maintains our day-to day-activities and welcomes our visitors. Bob Carroll, our caretaker, works behind the scenes to prep our buildings and grounds for our visitors to enjoy. And Clare B. Sheridan, our new Director of Strategic Partnerships, is a past volunteer and HSRC Trustee whose work for the Society over the past two decades has enabled us to succeed in our mission.
I first met Senior Historian Marianne Leese when I joined the Historical Society Board back in 2006. Marianne has served many roles over the years and has been an active volunteer since 1977. She has also served as our Board President. Her knowledge concerning Rockland history, even our flora and fauna, has been an invaluable asset. She has now stepped back from her position as our Collections Committee chair but will continue to advise us as she more fully enjoys her retirement after so many years as a trusted volunteer.
The current year, 2025, is a most significant one for the United States. Throughout this year we will be preparing for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Rockland was in the forefront of our independence movement. Last July 4, my husband, Bob, and I attended the county’s kickoff celebration of the Semiquincentennial at a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Orangetown Resolutions, hosted by the Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives at the historic Old ’76 House restaurant in Tappan. On July 4, 1774, the leading citizens of Orangetown petitioned King George III to relieve the colonies of the burdensome taxes imposed by Parliament and the Intolerable Acts, which closed the Port of Boston. The Orangetown Resolutions, which predated the Declaration of Independence by two years, It pledged loyalty to the King but decried the actions of Parliament. Our county’s relationship with George Washington, Benedict Arnold, the Marquis of Lafayette, and others has placed us at the forefront of American history. The famous Battle of Stony Point, led by Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, was a victory for the revolutionaries.
Everywhere we look in our county we see history come alive. We at the Historical Society support the preservation of our past through our research library, lectures, exhibits, education programs, and support for the preservation of historic structures. Thank you for your continued interest in our mission.
Respectfully submitted,
Veronica DeMeo Boesch President, Board of Trustees
Reports from the Committees
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
The 2024–25 committee consisted of Richard Anderson, Fr. Richard Baker (Chair), Anthony Benedict, Stephen Beckerle, Ronnie Boesch, Sue Ferreri, and Jimmy Higgins.
The Jacob Blauvelt House, History Center, and grounds again required little beyond regular maintenance in 2024–25. Caretaker Bob Carroll continues to tend the ornamental garden; clean the interior of the History Center, Blauvelt House, and Barn-Carriage House complex; and clear walkways and driveways after snowstorms. We thank Curti’s Landscaping for continuing to mow the lawns and trim the edges; Mr. K’s Gutter Service for cleaning gutters; Second Nature tree service for tending our endangered hemlocks and otherwise examining our aging trees; and the Town of Clarkstown for keeping the parking lot plowed in winter.
In addition, the HSRC was fortunate to receive a substantial gift from an anonymous family foundation to make important updates and repairs to the Blauvelt House. In 2024, we had the deteriorating sills on the steps to the Blauvelt House entryway replaced and all of the shutters on the historic house and History Center repaired and repainted. In 2025, the committee will turn its attention to a larger project: repairing the Blauvelt House’s aging roof.
In a major project led by Director of Programming Jennifer Rothschild and overseen by the committee, the HSRC contracted with R. Dana Pest Control of Stony Point to eradicate bats that have been living in the rafters of the ca. 1865 Blauvelt barn for more than a decade. The company installed screening and closed up openings that were allowing the bats and other rodents to enter the structure, along with one-way valves in the roofline that allowed the bats fly out. Once the barn was free of evidence of
Untermyer Gardens, Yonkers
bat infestation, the Dana team used HEPA filter vacuums to remove animal droppings from the interior and a sterilizing fogger to eliminate bacteria and odors in the air and on surfaces. By the fall, we were able to reopen the barn for public programs and start the process of reorganizing artifacts stored there so visitors can enjoy and learn from them.
Respectfully Submitted, Fr. Richard Baker, Chair
BUS TRIPS
The 2024–25 committee consisted of Anthony Benedict, Ronnie Boesch, Jimmy Higgins, Jennifer Rothschild (Chair), and Rosemarie Viggiano. The committee enjoyed formulating and carrying out six events in the 2024–25 fiscal year, including three bus daytrips, a bus tour of historic Rockland County barns, a Hike through History, and a Walk through History, with a total of 135 participants.
The six events in 2024–25 were:
Bus Daytrip: Untermyer Gardens, May 15
Bus Daytrip: Newburgh Historic Sites, June 29
Bus Daytrip: The Museum at Bethel Woods,
September 26
Bus Tour: Historic Barns of Rockland , with Tim Adriance, October 19
Hike through History: Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, October 26
Walk through History: South Nyack Rail Trail, November 17
All of these events promote the HSRC as an organization and fulfill our local history mission. They raise funds to support that mission, build friendships and goodwill, and increase membership. We generally offer discounts for members on fee-based programs.
Events are spread out fairly evenly throughout the year, giving the HSRC visibility in advertising and community discussion. These events also keep us involved with other nonprofit organizations and businesses throughout the county and region.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jennifer Rothschild Director of Programming
Crawford House, Newburgh
David
COLLECTIONS & LIBRARY
Serving on the 2024–25 Collections Committee were Fr. Richard Baker, Diane Buell (Chair), Ronnie Boesch, Marianne Leese (Senior Historian), Dianne Macpherson, Ashleigh Malone, Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, and John Resanovich.
Dianne Macpherson, a retired archivist, continues to volunteer on Thursdays. Sparkill historian Larry Vail has also been helping in the collections.
Frank Eberling Mail Wagon Restoration
The trustees approved contracting with Tad Fallon of Fallon and Wilkinson, LLC, of Baltic, Connecticut, to do the restoration of the mail wagon. Since October 2023, the wagon has been at his studio. Initial cleaning and integration of the paint has been done. The tattered canvas roof has been removed and replaced. Mr. Fallon has found the mail wagon to be structurally sound, is excited to be working on the project, and anticipates it will be completed by midsummer of fall of 2025.
Members of the Eberling family have generously donated toward the restoration, as have friends of the Eberlings and of the HSRC. As of this spring, two $1,000 challenge matches from Marjorie H. Johnson and Jose and Eileen Cardona have been met. The HSRC also received an extremely generous gift from the Austen-Stokes Ancient Americas Foundation that will allow us not only to complete the restoration but to create a proper environment in which to display the wagon.
Transferred
Charter Agreement, dated March 9, 1898, Harborton, VA, between C. W. Marsh, owner of the schooner J. Calhoun Johnson, and Henry Hinrichs, of Haborton, in which Mr. Marsh charters the schooner to Mr. Hinrichs on or about March 25, 1898, until about June 18, 1898. The charter was found in the collections without a provenance. It had no HSRC object ID number. Since it was not part of Rockland’s or lower Hudson River Valley history, it was transferred to the Harborton History Museum, Harborton, VA.
Accepted into the Collections
Pen and Wash Painting of Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church by New York artist Harry Herring. Framed, 27” × 30.75”. Offered by Ruth Remington, Miami Beach
Sepia Photograph, Dr. Pierre Bernard and His Nyack Nighthawks. Clarkstown Country Club, South Nyack, 10.5” × 13”. Offered by Christian & Missionary Alliance, Archives Office, New York City
Rockland County Playhouse: Entrance Sign. Wood, 35.25” × 41.5” high. Miscellaneous material, such as articles, brochures, photos, indentures, tickets, correspondence, construction plans. Operating by different names over the years the Greenbush Theater, The Pickwick Players, the Rockland County Playhouse the playhouse operated on Kings Highway, Blauvelt, from the early 1940s through the early 1960s. It was located in a converted barn and had a summer stock company. Many actors served their apprenticeships there; some going on to film and television careers for example, Jo Anne Worley, Bruce Glover, and Louise Sorel. After the theater closed, the barn was destroyed by fire. Judith and Alwin Leber were the owners and producers. The collection is being offered by their children, Lisa H. and Adam Leber.
Colored Postcard, Stony Point Battlefield. “Site of the Surrender of the British to ‘Mad Anthony’, Stony Point Park, Stony Point, N.Y. … July 16th, 1779.” Mailed to Emma Wallner, Chatham, IL, by Susie Mitts, Paris, MO; dated June 11, 1921. Susie Mitts rambles on after thanking Emma for the card and “handk[erchief].” “I was going to write a letter but was out of paper so picked up this card.” The note
is dated June 11, 1921. Offered by Alvin Schaut, Plainfield, WI
Colored Postcard, Dairy Farm, Pearl River. “Dexter Card,” Dexter Directory Co., Pearl River. Mailed to Flora J. Race, Binghamton, NY, by a sibling, who writes, in part, “The best of water here Oh Boy.” Postmarked August 5, 1943. It is not known which dairy farm this is, but it is representative of the many dairy farms that once existed in the county. Offered by Alvin Schaut, Plainfield, WI.
Three Postcards of Camp Bluefields, created by Nyack photographer Norman A. Burke. Two of the postcards were never sent; the third was sent to Mariba(?) Morse, Oxford, NY, by her brother Carter: “This is were 2 eat. They issued the rifles to-day they are Canadian rifles. Write often I will try to do the same.” Camp Bluefields, also known as the Blauvelt Rifle Range and Camp Bluefields, was operated by the New York Guard from 1910 until 1913. It was abandoned in 1913 after residents from Nyack, South Nyack, and Grand View complained about stray bullets causing damage to property and feared loss of life. The Young Women’s Christian Association then used the site as a summer camp for girls. The YWCA’s programs continued until the United States joined the fighting in World War I, when the site was revived as a military camp Offered by Kurt Riegel of Sidney, NY.
Postcard of Peach Orchard of Halloran Brown, Monsey, ca. 1907; not mailed. Halloran Brown (d. 1953, age 84) was a well-known orchardist in the county who established an apple & peach orchard on his 10-acre property at Viola Road and Rt. 306. He also grew potatoes. Jeremy Brown, his granddaughter, grew up on the farm. She relates that Hal-
loran Brown was told peaches could not be grown in Rockland because it was too cold for them, but he proved them wrong. The bushel baskets loaded on the truck are filled with peaches, the first truckload of the first harvest. Jeremy’s father, John, is sitting up front on the truck with one of his sisters. John Brown was born 1901 and was about 6 or 7 in the picture. Halloran is thought to be standing on the left. Offered by Jeremy Brown, granddaughter, Falmouth, Mass.
Plaster bust on black plastic base, “Squire of Rockland Lake.” Signed by Shirley Williams, 1959. Around neck hangs a gold foil seal, “Rockland Lake, N.Y. Shirley Williams Original.” Unknown who Squire of Rockland Lake was. Shirley was a well-known sculptor, especially for her carvings in wood. HSRC has another of her pieces, one she made for the Society in the shape of Rockland County, wood, 1965. Donor’s mother, Ruth Dillon, grew up in Rockland Lake. Likely she knew Shirley Williams, but otherwise, not known how she got the bust Offered by Lawrence C. Bolson, Port St. Lucie, FK.
Commemorative Plate – Nyack. On back is: “Designed exclusively for M. J.’s Ceramic Studio, Nyack, 1981, #0031.” Offered by B. Schleyer, Detroit.
Commemorative Plate – Orangetown Tricentennial. “Rich in History,” 1686-1986. Made by Kettlesprings Kilns, Alliance, Ohio, no. 3446.2. Offered by B. Schleyer, Detroit.
DeBaun Drug Co., Spring Valley, Pharmacy Bottle. Colbalt blue, corked; prescription #39115, year 1912, day 13, month torn off. “One-fourth teaspoon as directed.” Prescribed by Dr. Shehan. Offered by John Resanovich, New City.
Two Photographic Prints, taken in the Jacob Blauvelt House. (1) HSRC Candlelight Tour docents Janice Coyle
and Lorna Williams, December 13, no year given (ca. 1985), Kathy Gardner, photographer; (2) HSRC Jacob Blauvelt House Common Room, Frank Deak, photographer, undated (ca. 1990).
A number of photographs were given to the Haverstraw library by the Rockland County Times ca. 2000 when it moved from its offices in Haverstraw. The library has been sorting through all the photos received from the newspaper and finding homes for the ones they do not want. Offered by Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library.
Advertising Poster, Amateur Boxing Exhibition, April 11, no year, Spring Valley Senior High School. Proceeds to benefit VFW building fund. 18” x 13.25”. Poster has no known provenance. Found in the St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture archives collection. Unable to determine exact date. The Spring Valley Senior High School opened on Route 59 ca. 1958. Thurs., April 11, fell in the years 1963, 1968, 1974. Event likely in 1960s. Offered by St. Lawrence County Center for History and Culture, Canton, NY.
Postcard, St. Augustine’s Church, New City. Sepia, published by Fred. H. Steinman, General Store, New City, ca. 1900. Offered by Christine Kowalski, New City.
Certificate of Promotion, Spring Valley High School, Elementary Dept., given June 24, 1904 to Elisha Donaldson, second grade, promoted to third grade. Dr. Ingrassia has given material in the past that had belonged to Jeanette Donaldson Murdock. Elisha Donaldson was likely related to Jeanette. Part of the Murdock archives were on view in the 38th Annual Holiday Exhibition. Offered by Joseph Ingrassia, MD, Nanuet.
Three Land Deeds, 1792, 1794, 1819, pertaining to lands owned by the Smith family in Airmont and in Upper Saddle River, NJ. Although two of the deeds are for land within what is now Upper Saddle River, they pertain to lands owned
by the Smith family that lay on both sides of the state border. Offered by Kay Yeomans, Curator, Upper Saddle River Historical Society.
Material relating to the Erastus Johnson Family of Summit Park (Spring Valley/ Village of New Hempstead). Includes an album with identified photographs, deeds, correspondence plus miscellaneous items. The Johnson family lived in a farmhouse that still stands (and is for sale) at 670 New Hempstead Rd. They were prominent landholders beginning in the 18th century. HSRC historical marker on site. Daniel Johnson and his son Erastus filled many positions in government. Daniel was a Justice of the Peace, an Associate Judge of Rockland County, a member of the NYS Assembly, 1834-1835, and State Senator, 1839-1842. Erastus was Ramapo Town Supervisor, 1863-1864, and Presiding Justice of Ramapo, 1867-1879. Ownership of the property passed from the Johnson family in 1946 to Harold T. & Pauline H. Sherwood. Harold was an active member of HSRC, a historian and collector of maps, now housed at the County Archives. Offered by Danald P. Eckerson, Toms River, NJ.
Watercolor painting of 15 Kings Hwy., Orangeburg, by Jerralee “Jerre” Vanderhoef. The painting was done when the house was the temporary headquarters of the HSRC, 1959-1974. Note: This was temporary headquarters of Tappan Zee Historical Society beginning 1959, before it merged with Rockland County Historical Society to become the Historical Society of Rockland County in 1965.
Continued on page 18
N.B. The Finance Committee reports are current as of March 31, 2025. They are not audited financial statements; nor do they include income or expenses received in the final week of the fiscal year. As such, they are preliminary and subject to change.
FY Income was $311,950 versus a plan of $312,698. This favorable outcome was due to higher than projected foundation support, individual support, and membership revenue.
FY Expenses were $370,964 versus a plan of $312,698. This unfavorable outcome was due to higher than projected personnel, insurance, utilities, building maintenance, computer software and support, office equipment, marketing, and special event expenses.
Balance Sheet Summary as of March 31, 2025
ENDOWMENT
N.B. The Endowment Report is based on the calendar year (January 1–December 31, 2024). All other reports are based on the fiscal year (April 1, 2025–March 31, 2025).
The Endowment Fund opened the calendar year at $3,122,449.20, and closed at $3,322,810.05, for a positive net change in portfolio value of $200,360.85.
As of December 31, 2024, the portfolio consisted of 30% fixed income securities, 3% cash and cash equivalents, and 67% equities.
It is managed by The Mahoney Group, with Raymond James as custodian.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Boesch, Chair Endowment Committee
Additions to the Research Library
Research material and first draft of Don Loprieno’s book, The Enterprise in Contemplation: The Midnight Assault of Stony Point, published in 2004. Includes transcript photocopy of “The Court Martial of Lt. Col. Henry Johnson, 1781, convened in New York City; and photocopies and notes from the George Washington Papers (1741-1799) in Library of Congress.
HudsonRiverPilot:FromSteamboatstoSupertankers, by Captain John G. Hamilton, 2001. Added to the library as reference material. Gift of the Diebold Estate.
Respectfully submitted, Diane Buell, Chair, and Marianne B. Leese, Senior Historian
EXHIBITIONS
In April, we opened “‘When This You See, Remember Me’: An Exhibition of Inscribed Quilts from Rockland County,” guest-curated by Peggy Norris, a member of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG), the Ridgewood (NJ) Historical Society, and the Genealogical Society of Bergen County. The exhibition showcased 13 quilts that feature the names or initials of local women from the collections of the Historical Society of Rockland County, the Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives the Reformed Church of West New Hempstead (Brick Church), the Mount Tabor (NJ) Historical Society, and the Upper Saddle River (NJ) Historical Society.
The quilts were chosen for what they tell us about local wom-
en, the times in which they lived, and their textile artistry. Of special interest in the exhibition were seven applique album quilts made in the 1850s whose imagery, fashioned from patches of cloth, included the flowers, fruit, and animals that surrounded these rural women. They also rendered buildings, tools, geometric designs, a memorial, a train, and much more. In addition to curating the exhibition, Peggy hosted two “Meet the Curator” gallery talks, on Sunday, June 23, and Sunday, October 13, and hosted an all-day site visit by the AQSG.
The semipermanent “Rockland Voices” exhibition also reopened to the public in April featuring the “Day” and “Night” Bicentennial quilts, twentiethcentury examples of inscribed quilts that illustrates Rockland’s rich history.
The 48th Annual Holiday Exhibition, “Holidays on the Home Front: Rockland County in World War II,” used text, objects, images, and original cards and letters the to evoke the joys and sacrifices experienced by Rockland County residents, at home and abroad, during the great global conflict of the midtwentieth century. The exhibi-
Bicentennial Album Quilt
tion was curated by HSRC Executive Director Susan Deeks, with special thanks to Senior Historian Marianne Leese, Director of Programming Jennifer Rothschild, Museum Services Manager Ashleigh Malone, and Caretaker Bob Carroll, and to the Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives for permission to use photographs from its collection of Camp Shanks holiday parties.
The 2024-25 exhibitions were underwritten in part by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Office of Rockland County Executive Ed Day. Thanks for the support!
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Deeks, Executive Director
MEMBERSHIP
There are currently 480 active members, which represents a .97% decrease from last year:
Our effort to increase membership in 2024-25 included:
Continuing solicitation to social media followers to become active, paid members.
Sending gratis issues of South of the Mountains to lapsed members with their renewal notices.
Offering memberships in all event and program journals.
South of the Mountains continues to be the most popular tangible benefit; discounts on trip and event fees are also a welcome membership benefit. We thank Marjorie Johnson and Marianne Leese for editing the journal and the contributing authors for making the publication unique in our region. We also thank Ashleigh Malone, and Clare Sheridan for tracking memberships, and Jennifer Rothschild for coordinating volunteers–notably, Richard Anderson, Fr. Richard Baker, Ronnie and Bob Boesch, Kathleen DeLargy, Carl Ferrero, Kay Levinson, Dianne Macpherson, Marcia Norton, Janet Oravec, Ahsun Qazi, Larry Vail, and Jeanne Zeitvogel to help with envelope stuffing this year.
Respectfully submitted, Susan Deeks, Executive Director
NOMINATING
Members of the 2024-25 Nominating Committee are Richard Anderson, Stephen Beckerle (Chair), Anthony Benedict, Sue Ferreri, Clare Sheridan, and Gordon Wren.
Trustees nominated for a three-year term (Term 2028):
Jesse Malowitz, Suffern
Maria Mignone, Valley Cottage
Josephine Lore, Nanuet
Philip Roventini, CPA, New City
Trustees continuing in office:
Term 2026
Anthony Benedict, Airmont
Veronica DeMeo Boesch, Airmont
Sue Ferreri, New City
Hon. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Nyack
Hon. Alfred J. Weiner, Wesley Hills
Term 2027
Hon. Victor J. Alfieri Jr., Congers
Fr. Richard B. Baker, Blauvelt
Diane Buell, New City
Jimmy Higgins, Congers
John Resanovich, New City
We thank Stephen Beckerle, Thom Kleiner, Jennifer Lorenzo, the late DorisRenée Weiner, and Lea Wolinetz for their Board service!
Respectfully submitted, Stephen Beckerle
1st Vice President Chair, Nominating
Committee
2024–25 Programs and Special Events
Thursday, April 18, 2024
ThursdayEveningLecture
Creative Gatherings:
Meetings of Artists in Rockland
Mark Waller, former principal of Gallery Moderne in Sparkill, gave a fascinating talk on the history of the early to mid-twentiethcentury artists’ salons in Rockland County. Renowned artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Jo Davidson, and Miriam Schapiro factored into the county’s remarkable place in art history and interconnected with other important art world figures and movements.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
SundayAfternoonLecture
Stitches in Time:
Quilts from 1800 to 1976
American quilts have decorated our beds and kept us warm for two centuries. They tell stories about women and their communities. In this special presentation, Peggy Norris, guest curator of the 2024 exhibitions “When This Your See, Remember Me,” explored the great variety of quilts from 1800 to 1976, with a special look at quilts made in Rockland and Bergen counties.
Sunday, May 19, 2024
Annual Dinner and Historic Preservation Merit Awards
At the 2024 Annual Dinner, held at Paramount Country Club, we honored Adele and Robert Schnell, with the Lifetime Service Award; Jan Davies and Dr. Davies Farm with the Community Service Award: and Judge Alfred J. and Doris-Renée Weiner with the Living Landmark Award. Sadly, Renée passed shortly before the dinner was held; the award was lovingly bestowed posthumously. We also celebrated the winners of the 2024 Historic
Preservation Merit Awards: the Carol Lavalle, president, Tappantown Historical Society (Margaret B. and John R. Zehner Award); the Piermont Historical Society (Preservation Leadership); Larry and Mary Vail of Sparkill (Preservation/Restoration Award); and the Lafayette Theater in Suffern, which turned 100 years old in 2024 (Special Commendation). Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, award presentations, musical entertainment by Mark Wright, and a special display of historical photographs of the country club building and grounds when it was the estate of Paramount Films’ founder Adolph Zukor.
Sunday, June 2, 2024
SundayAfternoonLecture
Towns of Rockland in Pictures and Postcards
In this special program, Clarkstown Town Historian Larry Kigler presented his popular visual tour of towns, villages, and hamlets of Rockland County, including places that no longer exist or are now “ghost towns,” such as Rockland Lake.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
ThursdayEveningLecture
Tracing the Line of Beauty: The History of Cursive Handwriting
In this illustrated lecture, Mark Wright gave us a look at the development of the teaching and use of script writing, starting in the 1600s, with an emphasis on the teaching of handwriting in the 19th century in the United States and United Kingdom. He looked at some examples of historical documents relevant to Rockland County history in his presentation.
Saturday, October 10, 2024
HistoricBarnTour
Rockland County Barns, with Tim Adriance
As farming practices changed in the 1800s and the early Dutch culture became more and more “American,” so did the way barns
were built. We traveled back in time by visiting five historic barns in Rockland County that tell these stories about our agrarian past, concluding at the HSRC’s own barn on the four-acre former Blauvelt farmstead property. The tour was narrated by Tim Adriance, an engaging educational presenter, author, and storyteller and recognized authority on the Jersey Dutch culture, sandstone house architecture and unique barns of our region.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
11th Annual Fall Festival
WithHeritageofWestNyack andtheTownofClarkstown
In celebration of Rockland History Month in October and to continue our focus on collaboration and preservation, the HSRC teamed up for the eleventh year with Heritage of West Nyack and the Town of Clarkstown for the annual Fall Festival. The one-day event was held at Germonds Park in West Nyack to raise awareness of ongoing efforts to preserve the historic Onderdonck-Tallman-Budke and Traphagen farmhouses, now owned and being preserved by the Town of Clarkstown.
Friday, November 1, 2024
HistoryLuncheon
The Turncoat & The Patriot
Presented by Jim Wright
William Franklin, the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, was the last royalist governor of New Jersey. John Fell of what is now Allendale, New Jersey, led local opposition to the British during that time. Although their paths probably never crossed, their dual lives provide a unique look at nearby Bergen County in Revolutionary times. In advance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, noted local author Jim Wright talked about these
two exceptional men and their legacies in northwestern New Jersey. The Annual History Luncheon is produced by the Northwest Bergen History Coalition and co-sponsored by the HSRC.
Saturday–Sunday, December 7–8, 2024
St. Nicholas Day Festival
Each year since 1961, the HSRC has welcomed children of all ages to celebrate St. Nicholas Day. This traditional program is a highlight of the holiday season, and many adults who enjoyed the event as children now bring their own families. This year, 91 children accompanied by 97 parents, grandparents, and other adults enjoyed the eight St. Nicholas Day performances. Special thank to Richard Anderson (St. Nicholas), Jennifer Brooks (storyteller), Clare Sheridan, Jennifer Rothschild, Marianne Leese, Ashleigh Malone, Kay Levinson, Fr. Richard Baker, Mary and John Resanovich, Jeanne Zeitvogel, and other staff and volunteers who helped our guests learn about early Dutch holiday traditions; visit with St. Nicholas; enjoy spiced cider and ginger cookies by the open hearth; and discover holiday treats in the children’s shoes.
Sunday evenings, December 15 & 22, 2024, and January 5 & 12, 2025
Candlelight Tours of the Jacob Blauvelt House
Some 150 adults and children joined us this holiday season for special Candlelight Tours of the decorated Jacob Blauvelt House, experiencing Dutch American holiday traditions of the 1830s. Two evening tours were held on the Sundays of December 15 and 22 and January 5 and 12. We thank Fr. Richard Baker and Mark Wright for assistance in decorating the historic house and lending us authentic Dutch speculoos (wooden cookie molds) to display, and Jacquelyn Drechsler for again providing nineteenth-century flute music for the tours. Candlelight Tours require a great deal of volunteer support. Special thanks in 2024-25 are due to Fr. Richard Baker, Ronnie and Bob Boesch, Diane Buell, Irene Cossa, Ashleigh Malone, Stephanie Patiris, Jennifer Rothschild, Clare Sheridan, and Adele and Bob Schnell for making the program a success.
Sunday, January 26, 2025
SundayAfternoonLecture
The Lawrence-Tonetti Waterfall
This slide presentation and panel discussion with Francesca Costa, Palisades Interstate Park Public Historian; HSRC Programming Director Jennifer Rothschild; and John Ratcliff, grandson of the sculptors Mary Lawrence and François Tonetti, explored the fascinating history of The Waterfall, a natural feature enhanced by Lawrence and Tonetti in the early twentieth century with streamfed pools, a Roman-style pergola, and sculptural fountainheads. This magical spot is now contained within the Palisades Interstate Park, where thousands of hikers pass by its ruins.
Outreach
HSRC in Print
SouthoftheMountains
The history quarterly South of the Mountains is the flagship publication of the HSRC and a tangible benefit of membership in the Society.
Highlights from 2024–25 issues include “The Rocks of Rockland” and “More Rocks of Rockland”; “A Rockland County Dutch Barn in Hiding,” by noted expert Greg Huber; and “The New Magazine.”
South of the Mountains, a winner of the Greater Hudson Heritage Network Award for Excellence, is published in four issue per year, thanks to editor Marjorie H. Johnson, consulting editor Marianne Leese, and our many contributors.
HSRC on the Radio Crossroads of Rockland History
Our monthly radio program broadcast on WRCR 1700 AM and streaming on WRCR.com entered its thirteenth year in 2024–25. Hosted by Clare Sheridan, “Crossroads” featured the following programs:
April 2024: “Spring Exhibitions at the HSRC and Orangetown Museum,” with Peggy Norris (HSRC) and Mary Cardenas and Elizabeth Skrabonja (Orangetown)
May 2024: “Mike Hays, Nyack News & Views,” with Mike Hays, president of the Historical Society of the Nyacks
June 2024: “Place Names in Rockland,” with New City Library local history library Joe Barbieri
July 2024: “Sparkill History Project,” with Larry Vail
August 2024: “Nyack Jazz” exhibition, with Miriam Hoffman, trustee, Historical Society of the Nyacks
September 2024: “American Revolution” (reprise)
October 2024: “Mount Moor Cemetery,” with Bill Batson, president, Friends of Mount Moor Cemetery
November 2024: “Holidays at Harmony Hall,” with Peter Bush, Friends of Harmony Hall
December 2024: “Concklin Family History,” with family historian Beverly Csordas
January 2025: “Cleary-Newman Murder” (reprise), with Eugene Newman
February 2025: “Rockland Lore,” with Jonathan Kurk
March 2025: “Anna Francis Levins,” with Eve Kahn and Elizabeth Stack
To date, 170 programs and excerpts are available for download or for Podcast listening. The New York History Blog continues to pick up “Crossroads” and share it with the larger New York State History Community through their platform.
In addition to providing links under the “Podcasts” tab on the RocklandHistory.org website, we are pleased to announce that our archived podcasts continue to be available on all of the major podcast platforms.
HSRC on the Internet Website and Social Media
More than 8,750 individuals visited RocklandHistory.org at least once since the new site went live in the fall. The majority (95%) lived in the United States and accessed the website via some form of broadband or satellite connection, though access via cell phones continues to grow. We thank George Ballane and his team at BizTechPro for redesigning and relaunching the RocklandHistory.org site, which is easier to navigate and update. The number of people who “Like” or “Follow” the HSRC’s Facebook page grew again this year, from 5,659 on March 31, 2024 to 5,700 on March 31, 2205. Most of our Facebook friends live in Rockland County, with the remainder in the New York metropolitan area and a few out of state and overseas.
The HSRC continued to email the weekly “Flashback Friday” feature to members. The column, compiled by Clare Sheridan, curates items of local history significance that were published in Rockland County newspapers between 150 and 50 years ago. Each column is also archived on RocklandHistory.org, under the “Research” tab. These consistent periodic publications allow the HSRC to leverage social media to engage new audiences. Social media platforms on which we are participating include Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, Tumblr, and X. Our presence on these sites, where we share the history of Rockland County with images, text, and video, has continued to increase. In addition, the HSRC’s online media including the “Crossroads of Rockland History” radio podcast continues to be available through the New York Heritage portal (https://nyheritage.org), bringing even more history enthusiasts to our digitized collections
https://nyheritage.org/organizations/historical
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY
Please consider becoming a member of the Historical Society of Rockland County!
Beyond the sheer knowledge that you are helping to preserve Rockland County’s legacy of land and culture, you will also receive the following tangible member benefits:
• Quarterly mailings of South of the Mountains, the only journal of Rockland County history, published continuously since 1957.
• Seasonal mailings of our Calendar of Events and/or newsletters.
• 10% discount on HSRC publications, maps, and items in our Museum Shop.
• Reduced fees for HSRC programs and services.
• Free admission to the Jacob Blauvelt House and to most of the HSRC’s exhibitions.
Payment: My check for $_________ is enclosed. Credit Card #
Expiration Date: ________ /________ CCV
Mail to: HSRC, 20 Zukor Road, New City, NY 10956
Memberships are also available online at www.RocklandHistory.org. Questions? E-mail info@rocklandhistory.org or phone (845) 634-9629
The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and the principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its mission is to acquire, preserve, and exhibit objects, buildings, and sites that reflect the history of Rockland County and to research, document, promote, and publicize the county’s rich historical heritage for the people of Rockland.
The HSRC is open to the public Wednesday–Friday, 10 am–5 pm, yearround and on Sunday, 12–4 pm, during exhibitions, events, and programs.
Library research and tours of the Jacob Blauvelt House are available by appointment by contacting (845) 634-9629.
www.RocklandHistory.org
Special thanks to Jennifer Rothschild, Ashleigh Malone, and Susan Deeks for the photos used in this report and archived on our Flickr site at https://www.flickr.com.photos/100479933@N04.
