2024 Events

When: Sunday, December 15, December 22, January 5, & January 12, 5:00 & 6:30 pm 
Where: Jacob Blauvelt House, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: Adults (non-HSRC members) - $10; Seniors and HSRC Members - $8; Children - $5
 
Spend an enchanting evening at the historic 1832 Jacob Blauvelt farmhouse, illuminated with candlelight and lanterns, fragrant with traditional sweets, and decorated with festive greenery. Experience Dutch American holiday traditions of the 1830s with nineteenth century music and song and seasonal refreshments. Prepaid reservations are required. Space is limited. Groups of 10-15 are welcome by prior arrangement. The reservation price includes admission to the Annual Holiday Exhibition.

When: Saturday, Saturday-Sunday, December 7-8, 2024. Programs start at 10:30 am, 12 pm, 1:30 pm, and & 3 pm (Program duration: 45 minutes)
Where: Jacob Blauvelt House, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $5 per person (adults and children) for onsite program; $10 per box for at-home/pickup program (we recommend one box per child).

Visit the Historical Society of Rockland County for an unforgettable experience of wonder and fun! We're opening our 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House to welcome children of all ages to celebrate Saint Nicholas as we've done since 1961. This traditional program is a highlight of the holiday season, and many adults who enjoyed this event in the past, as children, now bring their own families. Why not begin your own tradition and join us? Each child receives a special treat in his or her shoe from Saint Nicholas, and everyone can visit with Saint Nicholas and his horse!

When: Sunday, November 17, 2024, 11 am (rain or shine)
Where: TBA
Admission: $55/person 

Walk along the old railway trail from one end of South Nyack to the other with former South Nyack Trustee Andrew Goodwillie. We'll discuss the fascinating history of the village, including the arrival and impact of the trains beginning in 1870; the industries and commercial buildings that sprang up alongside the railway; the devastation wrought by construction of the I-287 Thruway and Tappan Zee Bridge; the firehouse that itself succumbed to fire; the creation of Franklin Street Park; the National Register Ross-Hand Mansion and its famous owners; and lots more! Handouts will include photographs and maps to help contextualize the history. Please note: This two-mile walk (round trip) is rated easy and will take place entirely on the improved rail trail. Participants should wear comfortable shoes for walking. Please be sure to bring water and to dress appropriately for the weather. Reading glasses are recommended. The walk is expected to take between one to two hours.

When: Friday, November 1, 2024, 12 pm
Where: Portobello Banquets, 155 Ramapo Valley Road, Oakland, NJ  07436
Admission: $55/person (Attendance is limited to 100 guests. Please register promptly!)
 
William Franklin, the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, was the last royalist governor of New Jersey. John Fell of what is now Allendale, NJ, 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 will talk about these two exceptional men and their respective legacies in northwestern New Jersey. Attendees will receive a free copy of Jim's children's book The Ghosts of Allendale, featuring John Fell, the Fell House, and the Celery Farm Nature Preserve, which was once part of Fell's property. The Annual History Luncheon is produced by the Northwest Bergen History Coalition (http://www.nwbergenhistory.org) and co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Rockland County.

When: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 9:30 am-2 pm (rain date: Sunday, October 27)
Where: The meeting place will be provided with your confirmed reservation
Admission: $25/person (Prepaid reservation are required; price includes guided hike and your choice of book about Rockland County history)
 
This hike through history along part of the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, led by Gordon Wren and Tony Benedict, will visit the ruins of ORAK, a mansion built in 1923 for George Buchanan, a vice president of the Corn Products Refining Company, maker of Karo Corn Syrup. We’ll also visit the Jackie Jones fire tower; the crash site of Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, memorialized with an HSRC historical marker; and more. Hikers should bring their lunch, which we anticipate having at one of the historic lean-tos along the trail. Please note: The hike (round trip) is rated strenuous and will include difficult and steep terrain. Participants must be in good hiking shape and wear sturdy hiking boots or shoes. A walking stick is recommended. Bring water and lunch to eat at one of the historic trail lean-tos.

When: Sunday, October 20, 2024, 12-4 pm
Where: 131 Germonds Road, adjacent to Germonds Park, West Nyack
Admission: $FREE
 
We are very pleased to be co-sponsoring this festival with Heritage of West Nyack and the Town of Clarkstown. Join the Revolution, the glorious cause! See how militia men and camp followers of the American Revolutionary War lived in the 1770s. Heard's Brigade of the New Jersey Militia is seeking visitors to cheer on our encampment of 18th century tents, open-fire pit cooking, militia drills, musket firing and other living history demonstrations! Maybe we will come upon the British and those Loyalists! Enjoy, Music, Raffles, Craft Vendors and Demonstrations, Free Mini-Golf & more. FREE parking at Germonds Park and an easy stroll on the sidewalk to the Historic Vanderbilt/Traphagen and Tallman/Budke Houses. Clarkstown Mini Bus Shuttle will also be providing transportation to and from the properties. To see photos from previous years' festivals, visit our FLICKR album of photos at https://flickr.com/photos/100479933@N04/albums.

When: Sunday, October 19, 2024, 2-4 pm
Where: Leaves the Historical Society of Rockland County parking lot at 20 Zukor Road, New City, at 1 pm and returns for a tour of the HSRC barn, plus light refreshments, at 4:30 pm (rain or shine)
Admission: HSRC Members, $79/person; Nonmembers, $89/person
 
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’ll travel back in time by visiting four historic barns in Rockland County that tell these stories about our agrarian past. The tour will explore the change and learn the reasons for it. A bus will take us to three local barns, and we’ll end the tour at our own barn on the four-acre former Blauvelt farmstead property. About the presenter: An engaging educational presenter, author, and storyteller. Tim Adriance is a recognized authority on the Jersey Dutch culture, sandstone house architecture and unique barns of our region. He has New Netherland roots that go back 400 years and is a descendant of early settlers with recognizable names such as Demarest, Haring, and Blauvelt.

When: Sunday, October 13, 2024, 2-4 pm
Where: Historical Society of Rockland County, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Admission: $5/person (includes admission to the exhibition)
 
Peggy Norris, guest curator of the HSRC's 2024 exhibition "'When This You See, Remember Me': Inscribed Quilts from Rockland County," returns for this special Sunday afternoon program to lead visitors through the galleries. She describes the historic quilts on display, which date from 1852 to 1976, and answers visitors' questions. This is the last chance to meet Peggy and learn firsthand about the exhibition, which will close on October 27. About the Presenter: Peggy Norris is a member of the American Quilt Study Group and the Historical Society and Genealogical Societies of Bergen County.

When: Wednesday, September 26, 2024, 11 a.m.
Where: Leaves the Historical Society of Rockland County parking lot at 20 Zukor Road, New City, at 8:15 am and returns to the HSRC at 5:30 pm (rain or shine)
Admission: HSRC Members, $119 per person; Nonmembers, $129 per person (Includes admissions and tour fees, tips, and lunch at the museum’s café)
 
Experience the 1969 Woodstock Festival through artifacts, film, music and even a hippie bus! We’ll start our day with a guided tour led by specially trained docents, some of whom attended the iconic festival themselves. After the tour, we will have lunch at the museum’s Yasgur’s Farm Café. There will be time after lunch for free exploration of the museum’s exhibits, including “The Story of Woodstock and the '60s,” which includes 20 films, five interactive productions, 164 displayed artifacts, more than 300 photographic murals, and dozens of interpretive text panels, and to browse the gift shop. Once we’ve completed our time at the museum, we’ll make the short drive to the Woodstock monument that sits on the site of the original festival.

When: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 7 pm
Where: HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Admission: $5 (Space is limited, and reservations are required; includes admission to the 2024 Quilt Exhibition!)
 
In this illustrated lecture, Mark Wright will give 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 will look at some examples of historical documents relevant to Rockland County history in his presentation. About the presenter: Mark Wright has been writing 19th century-style script since 1961. He studied Slate letter carving and letter engraving in England with British masters. Applying handwriting analysis, he discovered missing Thoreau manuscripts in Concord, Massachusetts. Now retired, Mark taught English, humanities, film study, and creative writing at Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest, New Jersey.

When: Wednesday, June 29,, 2024
Where: The bus leaves the Historical Society of Rockland County at 10 am and returns to the HSRC at 5:30 pm
Price: $129/HSRC member; $139/Non-member (Includes all admissions and tour fees, tips, and lunch at Billy Joe's Ribworks)
 
Our first stop is the stately 1820s Neoclassical home of Captain David Crawford, a civic leader and maritime entrepreneur who played a key role in Newburgh's transition from small riverside community to thriving shipping and industrial city. Overlooking the Hudson River, the house, now managed as a museum by the Historical Society of Newburg Bay & the Highlands,  reflected Crawford's wealth and stature in the community. After touring the Crawford House, we will lunch at Billy Joe’s Ribworks, a popular riverfront restaurant. We will then board the Pride of the Hudson for a narrated historic and scenic two-hour cruise. Sights we will see include Mt. Beacon, the highest mountain between the Atlantic seaboard and the Catskills, where gigantic fires were set during the Revolution to warn Washington that the British were coming; Bannerman Island, where Francis Bannerman, one of the world’s largest arms dealers, built a castle to house his workers and family, as well as his extensive arsenal; Storm King Mountain and Breakneck Mountain; and the northern end of West Point, near where Washington laid the great chain to blockade the river.

When: Sunday, June 2, 2024, 1 pm
Where: Lower-level Community Room, HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $5 (Space is limited, and reservations are required; includes admission to the 2024 Quilt Exhibition)

Larry Kigler will present 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. About the presenter: Larry Kigler is the Town Historian for Clarkstown. He is an avid collector of postcards and all things related to Rockland County.

When: Sunday, June 23, 2024, 1-3 pm
Where: Lower-level Community Room, HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $5 (Space is limited, and reservations are required; includes admission to the 2024 Quilt Exhibition)

In this special Sunday afternoon program, Peggy Norris, guest curator of the HSRC's 2024 exhibition "'When This You See, Remember Me': Inscribed Quilts from Rockland County," leads visitors through the galleries, giving descriptions of the quilts on display, dating from 1852 to 1976, and answering visitors' questions. About the curator: Peggy Norris is a member of the American Quilt Study Group, Ridgewood, NJ and the Historical Society and Genealogical Societies of Bergen County.

When: Saturday, May 19, 2024
Where: Paramount Country Club, 60 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $125 (listing at the Friend level) * $150 (enhanced listing - Patron level) * $200 (enhanced listing - Sponsor level)
 
Honoring Adele and Robert Schnell, Pearl River (Lifetime Service Award); Jan Davies, Dr. Davies Farm, Congers (Community Service Award); Judge Alfred and Doris-Renée Weiner (Living Landmark Award) and celebrating the winners of the 2024 Historic Preservation Merit Awards:

• Margaret B. and John R. Zehner Award: Carol LaValle, Tappantown Historical Society
  
• Preservation Leadership Award: Piermont Historical Society
  
• Preservation/Restoration Award: Larry and Mary Vail, Sparkill
• Special Commendation: Lafayette Theater, Suffern, on Turning 100

Join us at Paramount Country Club, the former estate of Adolph Zukor, a co-founder of Paramount Studios, for an evening of celebration. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour, award presentations and musical entertainment. An array of items will be available at a silent auction. 

When: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Where: The bus leaves the Historical Society of Rockland County parking lot at 20 Zukor Road, New City, at 9:45 AM and returns to the HSRC around 3:00 PM (rain or shine)
Admission: $139 per person/HSRC Members; $149 per person/Non-members (Includes all admissions and tour fees, tips, and a riverfront lunch at the Half Moon Restaurant)
 
We’ll take a combined bus and walking tour of the West Point Campus with a special on-board guide who will tell us about the U.S. Military Academy’s role in the Revolutionary War and other famous conflicts and about many of the graduates who have shaped our nation. The tour will stop at Trophy Point, overlooking the Hudson River, and the Plain. Depending on availability, it may also include the main Cadet Chapel, with its beautiful stained glass windows; a drive by Blaik Field at Michie Stadium and Holleder Center; the Air Flight Memorials; and the American Soldier Statue Following the tour, we’ll enjoy an elegant luncheon at MacArthur’s Riverview Restaurant at the historic Thayer Hotel, a national treasure since it opened in 1926 and visited by past U.S. presidents, international leaders, and celebrities.

When: Sunday, May 5, 2024, 2 pm
Where: Lower-level Community Room, HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $139 per person/HSRC Members; $149 per person/Non-members (Includes all admissions and tour fees, tips, and a riverfront lunch at the Half Moon Restaurant)

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 explores the great variety of quilts from 1800 to 1976, with a special look at quilts made in Rockland and Bergen counties. Following the presentation, guests are welcome to visit the 2024 exhibition “When This You See, Remember Me: Inscribed Quilts from Rockland County,” curated by Peggy, in the upper-level History Center galleries. About the presenter: Peggy W. Norris is a member of the American Quilt Study Group, Ridgewood (NJ) Historical Society, and Genealogical Society of Bergen County.

When: Sunday, April 1, 2024, 1-4 pm
Where: HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $FREE (donations are greatly appreciated)

Come meet up with other history/historical architecture lovers to tour the Lustron House in nearby Closter, New Jersey. Jennifer Rothschild, the HSRC's director of public programming, will greet you at the house, which is set up as a mid-century-styled house museum. The tour is free of charge. The Lustron House was an innovative solution to the housing shortage that followed World War II, when returning GIs needed homes that were affordable for their families. The engineer Carl Strandlund came up with a solution that used steel that had been saved for the war effort. He imagined that the porcelain-enameled steel panels previously used for gas stations and White Castle hamburger restaurants could be put to use to create modest housing. Thus, the Lustron House was born.

When: Thursday, April 18, 2024, 7 pm
Where: Community Room, HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Admission: $FREE (Reservations are required and donations are appreciated)
 
From before the U.S. Civil War to the nation’s Revolutionary War Bicentennial anniversary in 1976 and beyond, women have shared their pride, friendship, and community by adding names to quilts. The 2024 exhibition, "When This You See, Remember Me: Inscribed Quilts from Rockland County," showcases 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), Mount Tabor (NJ) Historical Society, and the Upper Saddle River (NJ) Historical Society. The exhibition runs from April 21 to October 27, 2024, and is open to the public on Wednesdays-Fridays and Sundays, 1-4 pm, and by appointment. Admission is $5 per person and benefits the Society's education and preservation missions.

When: Monday, April 1, 2024. 6:30 pm
Where: HSRC, 20 Zukor Road, New City, NY 10956
Price: $FREE and open to the public
 
The order of business will include reports of the committees and Elections of Trustees. 

All members of the public are invited.

To view the 2023-24 Annual Report online, click here.

Nominating Commitee

Trustees nominated for a three-year term (Term 2027): Hon. Victor J. Alfieri Jr., Congers; Rev. Richard B. Baker, West Nyack; Jimmy Higgins, Congers; John Resanovich, New City; Diane Buell, New City

Trustees continuing in office:



Term 2025: Stephen Beckerle, Stony Point; Thom Kleiner, Sparkill; Jennifer Lorenzo, Stony Point; Lea Wolinetz, Suffern

Term 2026: Anthony Benedict, Airmont; Veronica DeMeo Boesch, Airmont; Sue Ferreri, New City; Hon. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Nyack; Hon. Alfred J. Weiner, Wesley Hills

With gratitude for their Board service to Andrew Glikin-Gusinsky and Janet Oravec!