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Past Events

2017 Events

2017 Overnight Bus Trip-Women's Suffrage

Candlelight Tours of the Jacob Blauvelt House

When: December --- and January 7 & January 14, 2018. Tours start PROMPTLY at 5 and 6:30 pm
Where: Jacob Blauvelt House, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: Adults (non-HSRC members) - $10; Seniors and HSRC Members - $8; Children - $

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. The reservation price includes admission to the 42nd Annual Holiday Exhibition. 

Saint Nicholas Day

When: Saturday, December 9, abnd Sunday, December 10, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm each day. Program duration: 45 minutes
Where: Jacob Blauvelt House, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $5 per person (adults and children)

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. Join in the traditional Dutch celebration. See shoes magically filled with goodies. Hear wondrous and joyful stories. Enjoy holiday refreshments. Meet Saint Nicholas and his beautiful horse. 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! Enjoy refreshments and visit our 42nd Annual Holiday Exhibition.

Historic Sites in the Town of Stony Point

When: Saturday, November 18, 2017
Where: Bus leaves commuter parking lot across from Lynch's Restaurant, 79 South Liberty Drive (Route 9W), Stony Point, at 8:45 am SHARP; trip concludes at 2:30 pm, after lunch at Lynch's
Price: $74/person (non-members); $69/person (HSRC members). Includes bus transportation, guided tours, and lunch.

Our bus tour will travel to sites of several historic and well-known points of interest in the Town of Stony Point, including Letchworth Village, Gilmor Sloane House, Pyngyp Schoolhouse, and several others. The 2017 History in Your Own Backyard series has been made possible by generous contributions from the Town of Stony Point, the Stony Point Center, and the Chapel of St. John the Divine
Episcopal Church.

Bob Burghardt's "Vanishing Rockland," Part II: Riverboats, Railroads & Recreation 

When: Thursday, November 16, 2017; 7:15 pm SHARP
Where: History Center Community Room, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: Admission: $FREE (but reservations are required, and donations are gratefully accepted!)

In this illustrated presentation, HSRC Executive Director Susan Deeks re-creates the "Riverboats, Railroads and Recreation" section of Bob Burghardt's popular "Vanishing Rockland County" slide program of the 1970s-1990s. The program features slides of the artists's paintings and photographs Burghardt took to illustrate the "vanishing heritage," accompanied by readings from his original script, which have been donated to the HSRC by the family of Robert and Cecilia Burghardt.

March & Rally: Centennial of Women's Suffrage in New York State

When: Sunday, November 5, 2017, 12-4 pm
Where: Rockland County Courthouse and HSRC History Center
Price: $FREE!

In November 1917, suffragists won their long-fought battle for women's right to vote in New York State. To honor the centennial of that event, a historical rally will be held in New City, Rockland County's seat, with a march to the Courthouse steps. Marchers will gather at noon in the parking lot behind the county's Sain Building (18 New Hempstead Road). We'll start walking at 12:30 and gather on the steps of the old Rockland County Courthouse for presentations and entertainment that will begin at 1 pm. Join the Historical Society of Rockland County, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women, and New City Library. Women, men and children are welcome! Dress in the spirit of the day -- preferably in period attire, or all in white. After the rally, everyone is invited to join us at the Historical Society of Rockland County, 20 Zukor Road, New City, for the closing reception for our special exhibition "Rockland Voices: Voting Rights for Women," featuring a special gallery talk by Katharine "Kickie" Fulmor; the Suffrage era in song, a program with Linda Russell; oral histories compiled by the New City Library; refreshments.

Tuxedo Park: A Luncheon and Presentation

When: Wednesday, November 1, 2017, 11:30 am
Where: The Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park, NY
Admission: $50 per person (plus cash bar)

Forged out of the Ramapo Mountains on the shores of Tuxedo Lake in 1886 by the wealthy tobacco heir Pierre Lorillard IV, Tuxedo Park was built as a resort haven and sportsman's paradise for society of the Gilded Age. It was the birthplace of the tuxedo jacket, and its Autumn Ball launched the social and marital careers of generations of socialites. In its bucolic landscape, renowned architects built homes in historical European styles for the Astors, Morgans, and Vanderbilts. A man of many talents, Pierre Lorillard also managed a successful tobacco company; raced horses and sailing yachts; and funded archaeological expeditions in South America. The story of this fascinating man will be presented by George Langberg, historian of the Town of Tuxedo. Available on the day of the luncheon will be the award-winning trilogy of full-color, illustrated books covering Txedo Park's architecture, history, and landscape by Chiu Yin Hempel. The Tuxedo Club will be open at 11:30 for guest to enjoy the patio. Lunch will be served at 12 noon.

5th Annual Fall Family Festival with Heritage of West Nyack and the Town of Clarkstown

When: Sunday, October 22, 2017, 12-4 pm, rain or shine!
Where: 131 Germonds Road at Germonds Park, West Nyack
Admission: $FREE

Showcasing the Historic Traphagen and Vanderbilt/Budke Houses. Join the Revolution, the Glorious Cause! See how Militia men and women of the American Revolutionary War lived in the 1770s. Heard's Brigade - 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! Other festival activities include:

• Horse-drawn hayride (12:30-3:30 pm)
• Pumpkin picking, decorating and painting
• Sheep shearing by Fred Depaul. Demonstrations on the history of sheep shearing (1, 2 & 3 pm)
• Children's games and crafts (stencil art, writing with a quill pen and more). Come see what life was like for a?child in 1791 with the Historical Society of Rockland County.
• Lace making demonstration by Mayra Petretti of the Metropolitan Chapter IOLI, in the north wing of the Traphagen House
• Pen-turning workshop with the Hudson Valley Wood Turners, for ages 12 and up (pre-registration is appreciated;?email [email protected])
• Storytelling about the Witch of West Nyack by Dan Hanchrow (1:30 and 2:30 pm)
• Visit with Ben Franklin (portrayed by Jack Sherry) and learn about his life as an?entrepreneur, printer, author, scientist, inventor, statesman, ambassador, and one of America's Founders.
• Free Mini Golf at adjacent Germonds Park

Enjoy, Music, Raffles, Food, Craft Vendors and Demonstrations! Food Vendors and Refreshments for Purchase. To see photos from last year's festival, visit our FLICKR album of photos at?https://www.flickr.com/photos/100479933@N04/albums/72157675606250555

Washington Irving: American Dreams and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Screenings and Discussion with the Filmmaker Jim Ormond

When: Thursday, October 19, 2017, 7:15 SHARP (As a courtesy to the speaker, please arrive early to avoid interruptions)
Where: History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: $FREE (but registration is required, and donations are greatly appreciated!)

Born in New York City in 1783, Washington Irving would be an unlikely candidate for the title "Father of the American Short Story." Yet he is perhaps best known today as the author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle." Just in time for Hallowe'en, Jim Ormond will return to the HSRC with two films focusing on Washington Irving:

• Washington Irving: American Dreams: Irving's own life was as interesting as his best stories. Irving's family encouraged him to become a lawyer, but he never took to the law and never had a facility for it. In his teens, he took part in New York City's vibrant newspaper culture by writing humorous columns under a pseudonym. He later founded the satirical magazine Salmagundi, which became a huge hit with the reading public. In Salmagundi, he coined the name "Gotham" for New York City. His 1809 bestseller A History of New York, offered a spoof history of the development of Manhattan and introduced the term "Knickerbocker" for New Yorker. In reflecting on his life, Irving remarked, "Shadows have proved my substance; and from them I have derived many of my most exquisite enjoyments; while the substantial realities of life have turned to shadows in my grasp. . . . What revelry of the mind I have enjoyed; what fairy castles I have built—and inhabited." Using historical reenactments, Jim Ormond's forty-three-minute documentary traces Irving's life from his beginning as a precocious teenage writer to become the most famous man in America. Viewers follow Irving's journey from the streets of early nineteenth-century New York to the palaces of Europe and the American frontier. The film also touches on Irving's relationships with other writers and politicians, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Mary Shelley, Andrew Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville.

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: "In the dark shadow of the grove, at the margin of the brook, he beheld something huge, mis-shapen, black and towering. It stirred not, but seemed gathered up in the gloom like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller." First written in 1821 as part of Irving's Sketch Book, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has alternatively been called "A Classic of American Literature" and "The Great American Ghost Story." Combining spooky moments with gentle humor and quaint charm, this new twenty-four-minute adaptation closely follows the spirit of Irving's original tale. A narrator tells the story as actors silently act out the scenes---including the thrilling chase of Ichabod Crane by the Headless Horseman!

About the filmmaker: Jim Ormond started Local History Channel in 2012. Since then, his local history segments have been seen on Cablevision in the New York metropolitan area and, more recently, on PBS. Ormond is a former reporter and print editor; together with a talented team of actors, narrators, researchers, videographers and video editors he effectively tells important stories about local history. 

Daytrip: Chestnut Ridge-South Spring Valley with Marie Monteagudo

When: Saturday, October 14, 2017
Where: Bus leaves DaVinci's Restaurant (800 Chestnut Ridge Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977) at 9 am; trip ends after lunch, at approximately 2:30 pm
Price: $74/person; $69/person for HSRC members. Includes bus transportation, guided tour, and a scrumptious lunch (all tips included)

Spanning the Centuries: Chestnut Ridge/South Spring Valley, 1790-1970 ...This historic area of Rockland may surprise you. We'll learn more about the Upper Pascack Sandstones; the Haring mill site; the Duryea Farm; the Threefold Community and its founder, Charlotte Parker; and the eclectic mid-century Dexter Park neighborhood from our guide, Marie Monteagudo.

Northwest Airlines Flight 6231 Hike through History

When: Saturday, September 30, 2017, 2 pm - RAIN OR SHINE
Where: St. Johns in the Wilderness church, 16 St. John's Road, Stony 
Price: $5/person (pre-paid reservations are required)

Northwest Airlines Flight 6231 crashed in Harriman State Park on December 1, 1974, just minutes after taking off from Kennedy Airport, on its way to Buffalo. The HSRC and the Historical Society of the Palisades Interstate Park Region invite you to hike to the 1974 commercial plane crash site. The hike is approximately two miles (one mile in and one mile out). It is an easy to moderate hike over gently rolling terrain. Sturdy footwear is recommended due to some rocky terrain. A short lecture will take place at the site. Please note that those who choose not to hike to the site can follow other vehicles to a camp road located within a few hundred yards of the site.

Bob Burghardt's "Vanishing Rockland," Part I: Early Settlers, Farms & Commercial Crossroads

When: Thursday, September 14, 2017; 7:15 pm SHARP
Where: History Center Community Room, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Price: Admission: $FREE (but reservations are required, and donations are gratefully accepted!)

In this illustrated presentation, HSRC Education Coordinator Richard Donegan re-creates the "Early Settlers, Farms and Commercial Crossroads" section of Bob Burghardt's popular "Vanishing Rockland County" slide program of the 1970s-1990s. The program features slides of the artists's paintings and photographs Burghardt took to illustrate the "vanishing heritage," accompanied by readings from his original script, which have been donated to the HSRC by the family of Robert and Cecilia Burghardt. Plan to arrive a little early to enjoy the exhibition "Rockland Recollections: The Art of Robert Burghardt" in the History Center galleries. 

Tappan Zee Bridge Experience: Past, Present and Future

When: Tuesday, August 15, 2017, rain or shine!
Where: Boarding at Haverstraw Marina (9:30-9:45 am); trip ends at the marina between 2 and 3 pm (departure and return times may vary depending on tides)
Price: $93 per person (HSRC Members); $98 per person (Non-members). Includes boat transportation, guided tour, and box lunch

The Tappan Zee Bridge is the largest infrastructure project under way in the United States. The HSRC is pleased to offer an exclusive opportunity to observe this important undertaking from a unique vantage point. Join us on the River Rose, a Mississippi-style paddle wheeler, as we cruise along the Rockland shore of the Hudson River to the Tappan Zee Bridge. Participants will view the current bridge construction from vantage points that are as near to the bridge as LEGALLY and SAFELY possible. Narration and commentary will be provided by historians from the HSRC, as well as by leaders of the current bridge project (availability and conditions permitting). These guides will also be available to answer questions you have about the past, present and future of the Tappan Zee Bridge. On our return trip, we will enjoy a cruise along the Westchester shoreline.

Local History Meetup: The Great War at Ringwood Manor

When: Friday, July 7–Saturday July 8, 2017
Where: Motorcoach departs West Nyack Commuter Parking Lot 7/7 at 8 am SHARP; returns 7/8 at 8:30 pm
Price: HSRC Members: $299/ person (single occupancy), $239/person (double occupancy); non-members: $319/person (single occupancy), $259/person (double occupancy). Includes overnight accommodations, admission to attractions, gratuities, and all meals except lunch on Friday and Saturday. 

This overnight tour celebrates important people and events in New York State history, including Harriet Tubman, William Seward and the Centennial of Women's Suffrage!  Join us on the luxury motor-coach, equipped with lavatory, microphone, and DVD, as we travel upstate. First we will delve into the personal lives of the historical figures Harriet Tubman and William Seward with visits to the Harriet Tubman House and the Seward House Museum in Auburn. To mark the one-hundredth anniversary of women's suffrage in New York State in 2017, we will then visit Seneca Falls, enjoying dinner and overnight accommodations at the Gould Hotel. We'll also explore three sites within the Women's Rights National Park, as well as the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Seneca Museum of Waterways and Industry. The Seneca Falls visits are designed to allow you time to explore your own interests or follow a set schedule. This is an "attraction dense" trip. Guests will bring their own bag lunches to eat on Friday during the drive. Guests will also buy their own lunch on Saturday. Included means are dinner on Friday, breakfast on Saturday, and a box dinner for the return trip on the bus. The tour is expected to sell out quickly; so don't delay! Space is limited and dependent on room occupancy. Please indicate single or double occupancy. After registration, participants will be provided with a full itinerary and further information.

July Daytrip: Tappan Zee Bridge Experience: Past, Present and Future

When: Wednesday, July 5, 2017, rain or shine!
Where: Boarding at Haverstraw Marina (9:30-9:45 am); trip ends at the marina between 2 and 3 pm (departure and return times may vary depending on tides)
Price: $93 per person (HSRC Members); $98 per person (Non-members). Includes boat transportation, guided tour, and box lunch

The Tappan Zee Bridge is the largest infrastructure project under way in the United States. The HSRC is pleased to offer an exclusive opportunity to observe this important undertaking from a unique vantage point. Join us on the River Rose, a Mississippi-style paddle wheeler, as we cruise along the Rockland shore of the Hudson River to the Tappan Zee Bridge. Participants will view the current bridge construction from vantage points that are as near to the bridge as LEGALLY and SAFELY possible. Narration and commentary will be provided by historians from the HSRC, as well as by leaders of the current bridge project (availability and conditions permitting). These guides will also be available to answer questions you have about the past, present and future of the Tappan Zee Bridge. On our return trip, we will enjoy a cruise along the Westchester shoreline.

June Daytrip: Tappan Zee Bridge Experience: Past, Present and Future

When: Thursday, June 8, 2017, rain or shine!
Where: Boarding at Haverstraw Marina (9:30-9:45 am); trip ends at the marina between 2 and 3 pm (departure and return times may vary depending on tides)
Price: $93 per person (HSRC Members); $98 per person (Non-members). Includes boat transportation, guided tour, and box lunch

The Tappan Zee Bridge is the largest infrastructure project under way in the United States. The HSRC is pleased to offer an exclusive opportunity to observe this important undertaking from a unique vantage point. Join us on the River Rose, a Mississippi-style paddle wheeler, as we cruise along the Rockland shore of the Hudson River to the Tappan Zee Bridge. Participants will view the current bridge construction from vantage points that are as near to the bridge as LEGALLY and SAFELY possible. Narration and commentary will be provided by historians from the HSRC, as well as by leaders of the current bridge project (availability and conditions permitting). These guides will also be available to answer questions you have about the past, present and future of the Tappan Zee Bridge. On our return trip, we will enjoy a cruise along the Westchester shoreline.

HIYOB: Historic Houses of Worship in the Town of Stony Point

When: Saturday, June 3, 2017
Where: Bus leaves Living Hope Fellowship Church, 326 North Liberty Drive (Route 9W), Tomkins Cove, at 8:45am; trip concludes at 2:30 pm, after lunch at Sheeran's Restaurant.
Price: $74/person (non-members); $69/person (HSRC members). Includes bus transportation, guided tours, and lunch.

We are pleased to offer a bus tour of several historic houses of worship, including Turning Point Church, Jones Point; Trinity United Methodist Church, Stony Point; Living Hope Fellowship, Tomkins Cove; Stony Point Presbyterian Church; Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Tomkins Cove; St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Tomkins Cove.

RCEHPMA Country Supper

When: Sunday, May 21, 2017 
Where: Jacob Blauvelt Historic Site, 20 Zukor Road, New City, NY 

Cocktails at 4 pm 
Tour the Historic Jacob Blauvelt House and visit our History Center Exhibitions

Supper & Ceremony, 5-7 pm
Featuring delightful cuisine

Keynote Speaker: Hon. Howard Phillips, Supervisor, Town of Haverstraw

RSVP by May 5, 2017

$50 - Pre-paid basic reservation;
$70 - Pre-paid benefactor reservation (includes a listing in our journal)

Festive Attire

Hillburn Walk through History

When: Saturday, May 6, 2017; 9:30 am 
Where: If you have a confirmed reservation but did not receive our email with the meeting place, contact us today (May 5, 2017) by 4 pm at (845) 634-9629
Admission: $5/person (pre-paid reservations are required) 

Dr. Travis Jackson was entering the fourth grade when Thurgood Marshall came to Hillburn to help in the desegregation of the village's schools. Dr. Jackson will lead this informative walking tour around the Hillburn village and describe the important civil rights event that took place in 1943. 

Western Ramapo Walk through History

When: Saturday, April 8, 2017, 9:45 am (rain or shine) 
Where: Ramapo Saltbox Environmental Research Center (ERC)
Price: $5/person (pre-paid reservations are required)

Join us for a walk into yesteryear. This is an opportunity to view a little-known and very historic area of Rockland County that has remained largely unchanged. Storyteller/environmental educator Chuck Stead will lead us, starting at the Ramapo Saltbox Environmental Research Center (ERC) on Torne Valley Road. Topics will include the history of the iron mines and ironworks, the Native American community, environmental issues, and the Torne Brook. Be sure to bring water and wear appropriate footwear for a wooded walk. Surfaces may include smooth asphalt, uneven gravel, and rocky dirt paths, with mud likely. (If the mud is severe, we will reroute.) This event is not stroller friendly. 

Annual Meeting of the Historical Society of Rockland County 

When: Monday, April 3, 2017, 7 pm
Where: HSRC History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City, New York

The order of business will include reports of the committees and elections of Trustees. All members of the public are invited. The Nominating Committee offers the names of the following Historical Society members: 

Trustees nominated for a three-year term (Term 2020)

• Richard W. Anderson, Congers

• Daniel Garcia, Congers

• Philip C. Roventini, New City

• Jeff Weinberger, Esq., New City

• Gordon Wren, Spring Valley

Trustee nominated for a one-year term (Term 2018):

• Andrew Glikin-Gusinsky, Suffern

Trustees Continuing in Office

Term 2018

• Dustin Hausner, New City

• Thomas J. O’Reilly, Pearl River

• Hon. William Sherwood, Stony Point

• Hon. Alfred Weiner, Wesley Hills

Term 2019

• Joni Anger, Pomona

• Hon. Veronica DeMeo Boesch, Airmont

• Larry Kigler, New City

• Madeline Muller, West Nyack

• Joseph Natale, Haverstraw

Annual Dinner 2017

When: Sunday, April 2, 2017, 5-9 pm
Where: The View on the Hudson, 101 Shad Row, Piermont
Price: $200 (listing at the Sponsor level in the souvenir journal)
              $150 (listing at the Patron level)
              $100 (listing at the Friend level)

Honoring:

• Lifetime Service Award: The Zugibe Family of Rockland County

• Living Landmark Award: Walter Luther, Chairman, Historical Society of the Palisades Interstate Park Region

• Community Service Award: Al Magnatta. A veteran of World War II, Mr. Magnatta has been a volunteer firefighter since 1946 and serves as Rockland County's Senior Deputy Fire Coordinator. He is a forty-year member of the Volunteer Firefighters Association and the all-volunteer Congers Fire Department's oldest active member. He recently marked seventy years of active service to that department and still responds to fire calls when the alarm goes off.

Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour, musical entertainment, award presentations and dancing. An array of items will be available at a silent auction. Proceeds from this annual event benefit the operating fund of the Historical Society of Rockland County.

Daytrip: Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House and Fraunces Tavern

When: February 4, 2017
Where: Bus leaves the Historical Society at 9 am and returns at 4:15 pm
Price: $109/person (HSRC Members); $119/person (non-members). Includes bus transportation, docent-led tours and a delicious luncheon

Leave the driving (and parking) to us! The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House?home of the George Gustav Heye Center of the?National Museum of the American Indian?is one of the most splendid Beaux Arts buildings in New York. Rich in architectural and historical significance, the Custom House is a National Historic Landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We will enjoy a docent-led tour of the historic and architectural features of this important building, after which guests will have 40 minutes to explore the Museum of the American Indian. Then we will walk to Fraunces Tavern for a delicious luncheon. After lunch, guests will have time for either a docent-led or self-guided visit through Fraunces Tavern Museum, a 1719 building filled with a collection devoted to the history of New York's role in Colonial America, the Revolutionary War, and the Early Republic.

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