That’s what these young men may have had in mind when they posed for a photo on the Robertson farm in New Kingston with a monumental stack of perfectly proportioned wood in 1922. If anyone can identify these guys, or explain how the wood splitter worked, or how the pieces of firewood could have been so identical, or why they were stacking it in the doorway of a barn, please let us know!
Photo courtesy Gary Robertson
Join the crew from the Delaware & Ulster Railroad and members of the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown this Saturday, October 27 at 10:30 for the unveiling of the historic marker commemorating the significance of the railroad in the development of the region. In recognition of the most precious commodity ever carried on the rails of the Up & Down, the D&U will offer complimentary passage on the 11AM train to all who attend this monumental event.
The historic marker was made by Catskill Castings of Bloomville
The historic marker is partially funded by the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM), which has initiated placement of three other markers at historically significant sites in the town. Members and community volunteers working with HSM, a non-profit organization, preserve and promote local history through programs, exhibits and projects. For information and to find out how to get involved, visit www.mtownhistory.org.
The Delaware & Ulster Railroad is located in Arkville, NY. For more information call 845-586-2929 or visit us the web at durr.org
Doug Kadow, president of the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society, shared some history of the former U&D at the dedication of the Arkville historic marker which HSM helped erect.
HSM’s Lucci Kelly, left, joined Doug Kadow, president of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad Historical Society; Vic Stevens, Chief Mechanical Officer of the Delaware & Ulster Railroad; and Dave Riordan, president of the Catskill Revitalization Corp. which runs the DURR, in unveiling the new marker at the Arkville Station.
Several hundred more pages of the Catskill Mountain News, 1967-73, have been added to the commons! This batch of digitized microfilm will be the last for awhile, the end of a five-year effort to make the News, 1902-1973, readable and searchable on line.The only years that are missing are 1920, 1925 and 1968.
The Historical Society is so pleased to have been able to accomplish this, with the help of several major donors. We are grateful for contributions from the late Ed Scheider and Herman Gottfried; from CMN Publisher Dick Sanford; from the O’Connor Foundation, and from a generous anonymous donor. Our thanks go to Dick and the News for allowing the microfilming and scanning of bound newspapers from 1902-37; to the NYS Library for loaning microfilm of issues from 1938-73; to Hudson Microimaging of Port Ewen for the great job they did in reformatting this treasure trove of local history.
And we so appreciate the work of the Northern NY Library Network in hosting this collection on their site: http://history.catskill.net. Check it out!
The Historical Society has lost a good and faithful friend with the passing of George Hendricks. A trustee on the board since 2008, George was always ready to help. He was a prime mover in getting our historic marker program started with the installation of the first one in Highmount, at the boulder that held an 1840s Anti-Rent War flag. He worked tirelessly for two summers with Brian Wheaton and others to restore the Arkville Cemetery, where some of his ancestors are buried.
It’s because of George, and a chance conversation he had with New Kingston Valley Grange members at church one Sunday, that HSM was gifted our home on Cemetery Road. He looked forward to mowing the grass there, and looking out for the place.
George was so very proud of his ancestry, and the fact that his sons are the 9th generation of the Hendricks clan in Middletown. He loved to share his genealogy research with others, always looking for those elusive bits of information that would flesh out the lives of people from the past.
His passion for local history and genealogy was such that even when his illness left him tired and weak, he would not bow out of the Living History Tour of Margaretville Cemetery, in which he portrayed his great-great-grandfather, George Hendricks.
Just a few weeks ago, his body failing but his memory sharp, he provided details on owners of New Kingston barns for our farm documentation project, which captured the interest and enthusiasm of hundreds of visitors at the Cauliflower Festival.
We wish he could have been there. But in a very real sense, he was.
Thank you, George, for breathing life into history, and prompting us, always, to remember.
GEORGE HENDRICKS PHOTO GALLERY
Click for a larger view of each image…
Those who missed the Living History Tour of Margaretville Cemetery on June 30 will have a chance to see it this Saturday, Oct. 6 when a one-hour video produced by Nick Bibbo will be screened twice at the Historical Society of Middletown (HSM) hall, 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville.
Screenings are at 4 and 7 p.m. Admission is $4, which includes free popcorn!
The hall will open at 3 p.m. Come early to enjoy the autumn color at the pond, and to view “Barn Yesterday,” the exhibit based on the photographic survey of Middletown area barns. The exhibit was unveiled at the Cauliflower Festival Sept. 29 to enthusiastic response.
At the June 30 cemetery tour, 10 area residents portrayed people from Middletown’s past. Groups of visitors were led by costumed docents through the historic burial ground, which dates back to 1850.
They met Undertaker Charles Gorsch (played by John Hartner); J. Francis and Adah Murphy, founders of the Pakatakan Artists Colony in Arkville (played by Fred Margulies and Elizabeth Sherr); farmer George Hendricks (played by George Hendricks, Jr.); doctor, legislator, editor and anti-war advocate Orson Allaben (portrayed by John Bernhardt); and famed outdoorsman and animal trainer Niles Fairbairn (portrayed by Michael Fairbairn).
Also, legendary log raft steersman Erastus Clute (played by Joe Hewitt); beloved Margaretville Hospital founder Dr. Gordon Maurer (portrayed by Kent Brown); and attorney Ward DeSilva and his milliner wife Margaret, (portrayed by Ken and Amy Taylor).
The final HSM event of the year will be the Annual Meeting and Luncheon on October 20, when historian Frank Waterman will present a program on “Jay Gould’s Map.” To reserve a place ($15), call Lucci Kelly, 607-326-4734.