Discover Historic Places In Your Backyard

May is National Historic Preservation Month and when The Historical Society of Rockland County hosts its annual Rockland County Executive's Historical Preservation Merit Awards Dinner.  The theme of the month is "Discover America's Hidden Gems" – Celebrate Historic Places Right in Your Own Backyard.” The 22nd annual dinner takes place on Sunday, May 20.

The society will present a variety of awards at the event. Historical Preservation Merit Awards honorees include the Hudson House in Nyack for Adaptive Use and Jeffrie Lane, architect, for Preservation Leadership. The Orchards of Conklin in Pomona will receive a special commendation in recognition of its 300th anniversary. 

Commendations for promoting Rockland County history through historical publications will be awarded to: 

• The Nyacks – Winston C. Perry and The Historical Society of the Nyacks; Arcadia Press, Publisher
• Suffern – Rockland County Historian, Craig Long; Arcadia Press, Publisher
• Orangetown – Mary Cardenas and The Orangetown History Museum and Archives; Arcadia Press, Publisher
• Honoring Our Heritage: Celebrating the People, Science and Innovation at Pearl RIver – The History of Lederle Laboratories by George Potanovic, Jr., Sun Studios Design and Pfizer, Inc., Publisher; and 
• Rockland County: A Century of History by Linda Zimmermann – The Historical Society of Rockland County, Publisher.

The special guest speaker will be Arthur H. Gunther III. The event will be held on the grounds at the Jacob Blauvelt Historic Site in New City. It will begin with a cocktail reception at 4 p.m. and country supper from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets cost $45 and can be ordered until May 11 by calling 845-634-9629.