U.S. Geographical Survey Map, 1943 This article examines a 1943 topographic map of the Haverstraw Quadrangle, surveyed in 1938 by the U.S. Department of the Interior Geological Survey. The map reveals Croton's landscape before Route 9 construction. …

New Croton Dam, 1978 Photographer Jack Boucher captured aerial and ground photographs of the New Croton Dam in 1978. These images are now part of the Historic American Engineering Record collection housed at the Library of Congress. The collection c…

Double Arches Promenade The Double Arches Promenade in Ossining was undergoing reconstruction. The article features a historical postcard from June 11, 1907, "published by William Terhune, Ossining on Hudson," showing the location approximately a ce…

Croton Point, 1898 This article features a historical map of "Teller's Point or Croton Point" created by Edward Hagaman Hall for an 1898 magazine article in The Spirit of '76. The map documents roads, buildings, and fifteen numbered points of histor…

Declaring Independence, July 2, 1776 On July 2, 1776, the Pennsylvania Evening Post published the earliest known printed announcement that independence had been declared. The notice appeared modestly on the final page, above ship advertisements, rea…

Resolved, Unanimously, July 9, 1776 On July 9, 1776, Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt and ten other Westchester County deputies met at the Court House in White Plains to vote on the Declaration of Independence. They convened as part of "the Provincial C…

You Need Not go to the Rhine to See Vineyards In September 1859, The Gardener's Monthly published an account of a visit to Croton Point, describing Dr. Underhill's extensive vineyard operations. The estate "was visited through the summer by numerous…

Croton Reservoir in Central Park, Rejected Design In 1857, the Central Park Commission conducted a design competition. Thirty-three entries were submitted, with only five surviving to the present day. Two rejected designs are currently displayed at …

Celebrating Ossining's Double Arch This post celebrates the restoration of Ossining's famous Double Arch promenade, which reopened on Saturday, July 20, 2013. The Double Arch is a granite aqueduct structure spanning the Sing Sing Kill. In 1839, the …

What a Delightful Ride The article presents a historical account of traveling by rail along the Hudson River in 1873, written under the pseudonym "Vieux Moustache" by author Clarence Gordon, originally published in the Troy Daily Whig on April 26, 1…

Ruins of the Underhill Wine Cellars The article presents three undated photographs, likely from the 1920s or 1930s, documenting the remnants of wine cellars on Croton Point. These images were captured by Leslie V. Case, who served as superintendent …

Sing Sing Camp-Meeting This article examines the history of the Sing Sing Camp Meeting, a Methodist religious gathering established in the Hudson River region. According to an 1874 New-York Daily Tribune article, the camp meeting was founded over 40…

August 13, 1841 - "A ride to the Croton Dam" The post features a historical diary entry from Julia Lawrence Hasbrouck, dated 172 years prior to publication. Hasbrouck documented a journey from Sing Sing to the Old Croton Dam that occurred on Friday,…

Finney Farm, circa 1916-19 A photograph of the barn at Finney Farm in Croton appears among images documenting Mabel Dodge Luhan's residences. The photo is mounted on an album page that is part of the Mabel Dodge Luhan papers housed at Yale's Beineck…

Motoring Across the Croton, 1912 A 1912 photograph captures an early automobile crossing the Van Cortlandt Bridge over the Croton River, offering a glimpse into the dawn of motorized transportation in the Hudson Valley region. The narrative identif…

A Different View of the Double Arch In 1925, when Alvah P. French published his multi-volume History of Westchester County New York, most of the photographs he included were contemporary, showing the county as it was in the 1920s. One can imagine a …

Dr. Underhill's Elevated Railroad The article highlights a rare historical photograph showing the tracks of the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway Company, sourced from the New York Historical Society. "Richard T. Underhill, the 'Grape King' of C…

Bird's Eye Views of the Croton Aqueduct, 1879-1887 This post examines two historical perspective maps depicting New York City's water infrastructure during a critical period of urban expansion. Will L. Taylor created a four-sheet engraving publishe…

The Ultimate Bird's Eye View of Manhattan This post presents an interactive map mashup comparing Manhattan's development across 177 years. The visualization combines an 1836 map by Colton with contemporary satellite imagery, allowing viewers to expl…

New Croton Dam Post Card This post features a vintage Colortone postcard depicting the New Croton Dam, published by the Ruben Publishing Co. in Newburgh, N.Y. and printed by "C.T. Art" (Curt Teich Art). Based on the code number visible in the lower …

The Greatest Jubilee That New York . . . Has Ever Boasted This month marks the 171st anniversary of what was described as "a jubilee in commemoration of the greatest blessing that a city like New York could receive—the introduction of an abundant su…

Hudson River Sights by Walt Whitman This piece presents Walt Whitman's prose observations from his 1882 collection Specimen Days & Collect, capturing the poet's impressions of Hudson River life during the industrial era. Whitman celebrates the cons…

New Croton Dam, circa 1906 This post features a historical postcard depicting the nearly completed New Croton Dam, published by William Terhune, "Ossining on Hudson," N.Y., circa 1906. The postcard was sent from Ossining on March 13, 1906.

View of Haverstraw Bay, circa 1868 At first glance, this print appears to be a Hudson River landscape painting, showing a northward view from Scarborough. The composition depicts the widest section of the river, stretching from Rockland Lake to the …

Croton Cider - Then & Now This piece explores Croton's agricultural heritage by contrasting historical cider production with contemporary practices at Thompson's Cider Mill. Thompson's Cider Mill is a modern venue where visitors can observe traditi…

The Season of the Vintage This article presents a letter originally published in the October 23, 1862 issue of the New York Times describing the Croton Point vineyards near the Hudson River in New York. The letter depicts an autumn harvest season, …

Halloween with Houdini in Harmon On Halloween 1922, renowned magician Harry Houdini performed what he termed a "pseudo seance" at the Harmon residence of Sophie Irene Loeb, a journalist and social reformer. Houdini used the word "pseudo" deliberatel…

The Mystery of the Devil's Footprints This article explores a local legend about mysterious footprints in rock formations near Croton-on-Hudson, New York. The story centers on Hessian Hill, where Alfred P. Gardiner purchased land in 1906 and built a…

Croton Point and Ossining, circa 1905 This post features a historical postcard depicting a northwestern view over Ossining's rooftops toward Croton Point and Haverstraw. The card was postmarked January 18, 1905. The postcard is classified as an "un…

The Mystery of the Lost High Bridge Watch On January 17, 1883, the Troy Daily Times published a lost-and-found advertisement for a small gold English watch engraved with an image of High Bridge spanning the Croton River in New York. The owner valued…