Community Cares!
A weekly blog from the
Rockland Community Foundation
Celebrating activities that make a difference in the
county we call home.
History in Your Own Backyard
Community Cares welcomes this week's guest blogger, Clare Sheridan, President of the
Historical Society of Rockland
There is no doubt about the historical richness of Rockland County. Numerous locations
can be found throughout Rockland that represent, illustrate and help tell the stories of
important milestones in history from the prehistoric periods to the present day. At the
Historical Society of Rockland County (HSRC), it is our goal to document, preserve and
share this history with our fellow Rocklanders and beyond.
In order to meet our broad and challenging mission The HSRC offers various informative
programs, scholarly publications and educational events throughout the year: Walking
Tours, Radio Broadcasts, Museum Exhibitions, Festivals, Lectures, and there is even a
collection of oversized reproductions of some of our most interesting historical
photographs on view at the Palisades Center Mall.
In 2013, The HSRC will broaden these efforts even further. We are proud and delighted
to announce a multi-year series of historic Rockland County day trips. This series
entitled “History in Your Own Backyard” was developed as a continuation of the
incredibly popular day trips that the HSRC offered in 2012. The 2012 trips were a series
of bus tours, led by our municipal historians, through many geographic regions in our
County: Orangetown, Clarkstown, Stony Point, Ramapo and Haverstraw. The new
multi-year series will focus on specific themes: Historic Houses of Worship, Cemeteries
and Pipe Organs in Rockland County.
The multi-year series will begin in 2013 with the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown
on Saturday, June 1st with a bus tour to explore the towns’ historic houses of worship –
all over 150 years old! This trip, which is part of the NY State Path Through History
Weekend, will include the Reformed Churches of Tappan (1694) and Clarkstown (1749),
Greenbush Presbyterian (1812) and The Old Stone Church – Upper Nyack (1813 – the
oldest church building in Rockland County), Iglesia La Mision - formerly St. Paul's
Methodist - South Nyack (1843), Christ Episcopal, Sparkill (1847) and St. Charles AME
Zion, Sparkill (1856). The trip will conclude after a delicious lunch at the historic Il
Fresco Restaurant in Orangeburg.
The 2nd tour in the series will take place on September 21. Guests will tour by bus,
several of Clarkstown’s and Orangetown’s historic cemeteries including Oak Hill, Mount
Moor, Tappan, Snyder, Germonds, Martinus Hogencamp, Greenbush and Rockland
(Sparkill). A knowledgeable guide will board the bus at each stop, presenting the
history of each cemetery. In addition guests will learn about some notable people
buried at each cemetery. Although guests will be disembarking at 2 or 3 cemeteries,
these stops will NOT involve a lot of walking. The day will conclude with a buffet
luncheon at Casa Del Mare in Upper Nyack.
The final tour of the 2013 series will take place on November 16. This bus tour will
travel to sites of several of Orangetown’s and Clarkstown’s most historic and well-known
pipe organs. Guests will experience these majestic instruments as their organists
present classical, sacred and popular selections. The tour ends with lunch at Banchetto
Feast in Nanuet.
In 2014 and 2015 the series will continue with similar tours to visit houses of worship,
cemeteries and pipe organs in other geographic regions of the county.
These tours, along with all of our other mission-driven programs and events, will help us
achieve our goal of sharing the rich cultural and historical aspects of our Preserve
America County with our community. We hope that you will consider taking part in all
that we have to offer at The Historical Society of Rockland County!
For further information about events and programs at The Historical Society of Rockland
County including the “History in Your Own Backyard” series, please visit
www.RocklandHistory.org. Find us on Facebook, send us an email at
info@RocklandHistory.org or call us at 845-634-9629.
About the Community Cares Blog and the Rockland Community Foundation
The Community Cares Blog, hosted by the Rockland Community Foundation, celebrates
the spirit of giving in our community. Each week, we will post a story of philanthropy or
shine a spotlight on an activity that is making a difference in the lives of our neighbors.
We invite Rockland non-profits, individuals and businesses to contribute to the
Community Cares blog by sending an email to info@rocklandgives.org.
As the umbrella charitable organization for the county, the Rockland Community
Foundation is working to connect donors with the causes they care about most. Our
grants support a wide range of interests and, with the support of Rockland residents and
businesses, we are committed to a path of growth that will enable us to help the nonprofit community continue their vital work. You can learn more by visiting us at
http://www.rocklandgives.org.
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