Located in the Town of:
thanks to the Rockland Online Directory
COE'S TAVERN
New City - formerly at northeast corner of Route 45 & New Hempstead Road - Operated by
John Coe. On two occasions Continental Army troops encamped here. Maj. Tallmadge and his
dragoons halted here when taking Joshua Heft Smith and Mjr. John Andre from West Point to
Tappan in 1780.
DECLARK-POLHEMUS MILL
Remnants still exist on the southwest corner of Strawtown Rd & Germonds Road, West
Nyack. The last witchcraft trial in New York State supposedly took place at this gristmill
in 1816. Jane (Naut) Kannif, a widow of a Scottish physician, was knowledgeable about herb
medicines and was accused of practicing witchcraft. At the mill, Naut was weighed against
a large brass-bound Dutch Bible on the large flour balance. Jane outweighed the Bible, was
judged innocent and set free. The mill operated into t-he 20th century to grind flour. The
hub of the water wheel still exists as does the dam and mill pond. There is a marker at
the site.
DUTCH GARDEN New City - Designed by Mary Mowbray Clarke in 1933-34 as memorial to county's early settlers. In 1935 it won garden of the year award from Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Master craftsman Biaglo Gugliuzzo of Garnerville created walks and latticed walls of Haverstraw brick. Still standing is Tea House with carvings, some representing aspects of Dutch-American history, others of motifs popular in 1930's - Popeye, the Baker Cocoa and Old Dutch Cleanser maids. Now a county park. Markers on site. Beautiful display of flowering bulbs in spring.
DUTCH REFORMED CEMETERY
250 Germonds Road, West Nyack - Site of First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New
Hempstead (name in reference to many who moved here from Hempstead. L.I.). built 1750-51,
replaced 1871 by present Clarkstown Reformed Church, 107 Strawtown Road. Note gravestones
inscribed in Dutch and those bearing names of 40 veterans of Revolutionary War and War of
1812 and of the Hill family, which produced three generations of artists and a renowned
scientist. Markers on site.
ENGLISH CHURCH
(New Hempstead Presbyterian Church) 474 New Hempstead Road,east of Route 45, New City -
Second oldest church in Rockland County, this church was organized in 1734 by English
settlers from Hempstead, L.I., who wished to have services In English rather than in Dutch
as in the Reformed Church- Present structure was built in 1820's near site of original
church. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Coe's Tavern was located west of
church.
HOOK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Upper Nyack - Early Dutch settlers called Hook Mountain "Verdrietlg Hock" ("Tedious Point"). Said to be site of final local Indian encampment. 1825. Registered as National Natural Landmark along with adjacent Nyack Beach State Park.
JACOB BLAUVELT HOUSE
20 Zukor Road. New City - On grounds of Historical Society of Rockland County. A farmhouse
of Dutch colonial style built 1882. Contains an open fireplace for cooking demonstrations.
The four-acre site also has a museum, herb garden and nature trail. Museum open
Tues.-Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. Tours of Blauvelt House Sunday. 1 to 5p.m. Other times by
appointment. Telephone 634-9629.
OLD STONE CHURCH
N. Broadway near Birchwood, Upper Nyack - Built 1818-1814 of native stone and hand-hewn
timbers by members of Methodist Episcopal Church, this is county's oldest church building.
It has been in continuous use as house of worship since 1814. Marker on building.
ROCKLAND COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Main Street, New City original seat or government was Tappan when Rockland was Orange
County "South or the Mountains." When fire destroyed the courthouse and
"gaol" In Tappan in 1773, a more centrally located site (New City) was purchased
in 1774. The courthouse was temporarily quartered in various places, such as Coe's Tavern,
until the new building was completed In 1784, delayed by the Revolution. New City became
seat of government of newly formed Rockland County in 1798, Present structure is third to
be built on the site. Historical marker at the site.
ROCKLAND LAKE
Route 9W, Rockland Lake, Congers Used by the Indians as a summer campsite, the lake was
called Quashpeak." ice was cut here and shipped to New York City from 1831-1924. It
was packed in sawdust and stored in large ice houses. In the 1860's, a railway was built
to carry the Ice from the lake, over the mountain and down to the docks on the Hudson
River, Main source of water for lake is believed to be a spring. The great demand for the
Ice was due to the high quality of the water. Now a state park, having a nature center.
Town of Haverstraw
GARNERVILLE
A neighborhood within West Haverstraw - Received name from Garner family which operated
textile printing industry on Minisceongo Creek near Railroad Avenue beginning 1838.
Markers on site and on Calico Hill to the east.
HAVERSTRAW
In Dutch, "Haverstroo" means "oat straw,"possibly suggested by the
wild oats that grew at the waterfront beds of natural clay in the area made Haverstraw a
great producer of bricks until WW II.
HIGH TOR Haverstraw - Highest point on South Mountain. During the Revolution, it served as an important lookout for British activities on the Hudson. A blue-marked trail, the Long Path, may be taken 2 miles eastward from Central Highway along the crest of South Mountain to High Tor. Halfway is Little Tor, the second highest peak on South Mountain.
LONG CLOVE
Congers - Haverstraw. near where Route 304 runs into Route 9W. At Midnight. September 21,
1780, Maj. John Andre landed at this point below Rt. 9W. to confer with Maj. Gen. Benedict
Arnold, who gave secret information about West Point fortifications and forces to Andre.
At dawn, the conspirators adjourned to Joshua Hett Smith's house in West Haverstraw to
complete their plans. Historical marker above site on Rt. 9W. "Clove" is from
Dutch for "pass."
Town of Orangetown
ANDRE MONUMENT Andre Hill, south of Old Tappan Road, Tappan; 1/2 mile west of Railroad Crossing - Marks reported site of execution of Maj. John Andre, hanged for espionage, Oct. 2,1780. In 1821, Andre's remains were exhumed, taken to England, and buried with honor in Westminster Abbey. George Washington said of Andre, "He was more unfortunate than criminal...an accomplished man and gallant officer"
BRAUNSDOFIF PARK Pearl River, Central Avenue & S. Main Street - Named after Julius Braunsdorf, first industrial developer of Pearl River and inventor of various models of sewing machines, newspaper printing presses, carbon arc light bulbs, and electric generators. His sewing machine factory is now the Dexter industrial complex. Braunsdorf installed first indoor lighting in the world in U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
CAMP SHANKS MUSEUM AND MONUMENT The monument is located at Independence Avenue & Lowe La. off Western Highway, Tappan. The museum is located on South Greenbush Road near the intersection of Routes 303 and 340 and is open on weekends. - Camp Shanks ("Last Stop U.S.A.") served as a major staging area for American troop embarkation and debarkation, 1943-46. During WW II over 1.3 million G.I.'s were out-processed from Camp Shanks, to Europe and North Africa. Italian and German POW's were housed and repatriated here. Covered 2,040 acres. After the war became Shanks Village, an emergency housing project for student veterans, until 1956.
DE WINT HOUSE
by Daniel De Clark was sold to John DeWint in 1746. This national landmark is reportedly
the oldest dwelling in Rockland County. George Washington and his staff lived here during
the Andre Trial. Also on the grounds are 1810 Carriage House Museum, and 5 -acre arboretum
with tagged trees and shrubs. Museum and house open daily 10- 4. Call 359-1359.
JOHN GREEN HOUSE
Main Street,at Gedney, Nyack -. Built in 1817 by John Green of local sandstone, now
covered with stucco, painted yellow. This is the oldest house standing in Nyack. Green
started the first lumber yard in Nyack and later opened a store. House is a private
residence
JOHN MOORE'S MILL
Site on Sparkill Ck. below Route 9W Viaduct, Sparkill-In early 1800's John Moore. a black
American, operated a saw and grist mill and from 1810-15, a caning mill. A person of many
skills. he is regarded as having made some of the finest millwheels in Rockland County.
MANSE
Kings Highway & Old Tappan Road, Tappan - Built of stone in 1729, considered to be
oldest parsonage in continuous use in United Stafes. Architecture is typical Hudson Valley
Dutch colonial, ornamentation on exterior being added later. Restructured 1788; frame wing
added about 1830. Marker at site.
MARIA'S ROCK
Front lawn of Lederle Laboratories, N. Middletown Road, Pearl River - An 18th- century
legend tells of a little girt named Maria who wandered from her home in Tappan and died of
hunger and exposure. Tradition says that villagers found her bones near the massive
boulder.
NYACK COLLEGE
South Nyack - Established 1897 by Dr. A.B. Simpson as the Missionary Training Institute.
Considered to be first school of its kind in North America, Simpson Hall, built 1897, is
believed to be one of oldest wooden institutional structures and largest Victorian
structure in the Hudson Valley.
NYACK-TARRYTOWN FERRY
Foot of Main Street, Nyack - Begun 1834 by Isaac S Blauvelt on vessel named
"Donkey," an anglo corruption of Dutch "donk ya," or 'thank you."
Ferry remained in service until the opening of Tappan Zee Bridge in the l950's. This spot
was also the start of the Nyack Turnpike, first direct highway across Rockland County.
NYACKS
Nyack - Stone Indian relics and heaps of oyster shells found along the shore of the Hudson
indicate this was a favorite fishing spot of the natives. In 1675, the first white man
settled in Rockland County at Nyack. Three major industries once thrived here: sandstone
quarrying for New York City building (ca. 1800-40), boat building - sloops, steamboats,
and then pleasure craft and WW I & WW II submarine chasers (ca. l8l5-l948), and shoe
manufacturing (ca. 1828-1900).
THE OLD 76 HOUSE
110 Main Street, Tappan Built in 1752 by Dutch Colonials, this historic tavern bore
witness to the signing of the Orangetown Resolutions of 1774, among America's first
separationalist documents and was the site of the imprisonment and execution of the
infamous British spy, Maj. John Andre. Exclusive historic preservation efforts retain the
charm of this operating colonial tavern. Open every day for lunch and dinner. Listed on
the National Register of Historic Places. National Landmark status, and commended by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Marker at site Telephone 359-5476.
PIERMONT
Formerly Tappan Landing. Tappan Slote ("Slote" is Dutch for "ditch,"
referring to cut passage through marshy mouth of Sparkill Creek: "kill" is Dutch
for "creek"). Served as eastern terminus of New York & Erie Railroad,
completed from here to Dunkirk, N.Y. in 1851, then the longest trunk line in U.S. Still
remaining is 4000-ft.-long pier into Hudson River once used for loading and unloading
trains and boats. One can walk, or drive with a pass, to end of it. Tallman Mountain State
Park to the south. A backer and first president of railroad, Eleazar Lord, built a stone
mansion. "The Cedars." now called "The Castle," on mountainside
overlooking Piermont. Private residence.
ROCKLAND CEMETERY
Kings Highway, Sparkill - In 1847 Eleazar Lord, first president or New York & Erie
Railroad, donated 200 acres of his property on Mt. Nebo for cemetery. He envisioned it
becoming major burial place for New York City residents. Its best-known grave (on the
third plateau) is that of John C. Fremont, The Pathfinder." California's first
governor and senator. Eleazar Lord's family plot is on the lower south slope.
SNEDEN'S FERRY
Palisades (Sneden's Landing, Rockland) The Sneden family operated a ferry at Sneden's'
Landing along with Jeremiah Dobbs, who operated from the opposite shore (Dobbs Ferry).
Begun by Dobbs in 1898. the ferry service was one of the oldest in 'the region and
continued until 1944. In 1775. when Martha Washington drove from Mt. Vernon to Cambridge,
Massachusetts to meet her husband, venerable ferry mistress Molly Sneden (1709-1810)
piloted her across the Hudson River.
TAPPAN REFORMED CHURCH
Kings Highway, Tappan - Organized as Low Dutch Christian Reformed Chunch of Tappan 1694,
it is oldest congregation in Rockland County. Its first structure built 1716 (worshipers
met in homes before this), was site of the trial of spy, Maj. John Andre. later condemned
to death, and of Joshua Hett Smith, tried for and acquitted of treason. Present structure
built in 1835. It has box pews to help keep in warmth from little footstoves brought by
worshipers in winter. In cemetery are buried original settlers of county, early ministers
of church, and Revolutionary War soldiers. Some stones inscribed in Dutch. Marker at site.
TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE
Nyack - Complete in 1955 across the Tappan Zee (Dutch for sea) portion of the Hudson
River, it dramatically changed Rockland County from a rural to a suburban community as New
Yorkers moved from the city to the country.
VILLAGE GREEN
Kings Highway to west of Tappan Reformed Church, Tappan - Site of first Orange County
courthouse (until 1798 Rockland County was a part of Orange Co.). Burned down in 1773,
along with the jail. Later the Andre trial was held In the Church, the only building in
Tappan suitable for the assembly of a military court. The green also had a whipping post
and stocks, a stray cattle pound and, during the Revolution, a Liberty Pole (a flag pole).
Town of Ramapo
LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE MUSEUM
50 Schoolhouse Road, east of Rt. 45. Chestnut Ridge - One-room *schoolhouse, now a museum,
owned and operated by the east Ramapo Central School District. Built in 1890 and used
until early 1970's when pre-kindergarten classes were held there. Open most Sundays 2:30
p.m. Telephone 577-6099 or 354-1518.
MONSEY GLEN
West of At. 59 & 306 intersection, Monsey. An Indian encampment where numerous
artifacts have been found. Some rock shelters still visible. Rockland County was inhabited
by the Munsey band of Lenape, or Delaware, Indian, of the Algonqulan linguistic stock. The
New York & Erie Railroad was 1ater built through the glen.
THE ORCHARDS
Route 45 & South Mountain Road, Pomona - Possibly oldest fruit farm in United States,
operated by the Concklin family since 1717. "Pomona" is taken from Latin word
for fruit.
RAMAPO IRON WORKS
Route 17, base of Terse Mountain, Ramapo - Producer of cut nails, wood screws, cotton
cloth, and spring steel in first hair or 19th century. Founder, Jeremiah H. Pierson, was
influential in building Nyack Turnpike and New York & Erie Railroad across the county.
Cotton mill still standing on east side of road.
THE REFORMED CHURCH OF WEST NEW HEMPSTEAD
Brick Church Rd., New Hempstead - This historic church, known as Brick Church, was
established in 1774. Its church yard contains the graves of Revolutionary soldiers and
some original settlers. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Historical markers
at the site.
ROCKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
College Road, Suffern - Originally home or first pastors of Brick Church until parsonage
farm sold 1837 to Superintendents of the Poor for use as the Almshouse. College was
established in 1959. Original farmhouse is part or administration building.
SLOATSBURG
Sloatsburg, originally Pothat. Named after the Sloat family, who settled in area about
1760. Jacob Sloat, a mechanical genius, opened a mill in 1815 for making cotton cloth. He
successfully turned to making cotton twine exclusively after patenting process for
dressing it in 1840. At peak, produced 8,000 lbs. par week. Ceased operations in 1878,
Original Sloat stone house was a tavern, a regular stop on New York to Albany stage route,
and' during Revolution, a headquarters for American troops stationed in the Ramapo Pass, A
private residence, Listed on National Register of Historic Places.
(SMITH'S CLOVE SIDMAN'S CLOVE)
From Suffern to Monroe - Main route of travel through western Hudson Highlands. Main road
was Albany Post Road,, one of oldest in the state, which served as stagecoach line between
Albany and New York City and was heavily traveled in winter when the Hudson River froze
over the 20 miles of road through the Pass became Orange Turnpike (now St. 17) In 1800,
tolls were collected until 1886 to maintain and improve road. N.Y. Thruway now runs
through the Pass. South entrance in Suffern was garrisoned during the Revolution.
SUFFERN
John Suffers settled here in 1773 and built a tavern and inn on northwest corner of
Washington & Lafayette Avenues (marker on boulder at site). When the first post office
in Ramapo was established hare in 1797,hamlet named New Antrim after Suffern's native
village in Ireland. Suffern served as first Rockland County judge, 1798-1806. Hamlet
renamed Suffern in 1850. Suffern's tavern sheltered many Continental Army officers.
including Can. Washington and Aaron Burr, commander of the troops guarding the Ramapo
Pass. Torn down about 1856. On triangle at Lafayette & Washington Avenues is
Revolutionary cannon and statue of WW I soldier. Marker on cannon.
SUFFERN VILLAGE MUSEUM
61 Washington Avenue, Suffern (Municipal Building)-Open September - June Sundays 2 to 4
p,m. except for major holiday weekends. Houses collection on Suffern history. Traveling
Trunk program is available for classroom use, 4th-7th grade. Trunk holds items
representing Rockland history from 1741-1841 Handicapped accessible. For special group
tours phone 357-3667.
Stony Point
KING'S FERRY
Stony Point, site just north of Stony Point Battlefield - An important river crossing for
American troops and supplies during the Revolution. and link between New England and the
states to the south,- thus. the importance of capturing Stony Point from the British in
1779
THE STONY POINT BATTLEFIELD
State historic site, off Route 9W, Stony Point - Occupied by the British in 1779. In a
surprise midnight attack on the fortifications in July 1779, General Anthony Wayne and his
American Light Infantry defeated the British. Special events held yearly. Site has museum,
lighthouse built 1828 to guide ships through the narrow part of the Hudson River, and
outdoor signs telling about the battle and where the fortifications were. Park operates
April 15 through last weekend of October. Musket and artillery demonstrations and cooking
and camp life demonstrations. Riverviews. Guided and self-guided tours. No admission
charge. Weekly hours, Wed.-Sat. 10 n.m. - 5p.m., Sun; 1-5 p.m. Closed Mon. and Tues. Open
Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Telephone 788-2521.
TRAILSIDE MUSEUM
Route 9W, Bear Mountain State Park, on site of Fort Clinton - Has a nature trail, exhibits
of geology and local history (excellent one on Indians and on Dan Beard founder of Boys
Scouts of America), . and outdoor zoo of native animals, binds, and reptiles. Telephone
786-2701.
TORNE MOUNTAIN
Harriman State Park. Ramapo - Highest peak in western Rockland County, overlooking the
Ramapo Pass and remnants of once-thriving Ramapo Iron Works. During Revolution, the Torne
served as a lookout for British ship movement on the Hudson. Legend tells that Gen. George
Washington lost his watch on the mountain and it may still be heard ticking up there in a
crevice of rock.
thanks to the Rockland Online Directory