October Is Rockland History Month

October is Rockland History Month and to celebrate, The Historical Society of Rockland County will celebrate Rockland History Month in October with several special events including a Fall Family Festival and historical house tours.

Partake in the some of the region's best traditions at the Sunday, Oct. 14 on the grounds of the Historical Society of Rockland County (HSRC) in New City. Festival attendees will observe demonstrations of quilting, candle making, wool carding and others. Children can decorate a pumpkin, write with a quill pen, create clothespin dolls, and try stencil art  

Music will be provided by Ramapo Fault, Rockland’s old-time string band. Visitors will enjoy the oddball antics of Dikki Ellis, a classic old time circus performance with a new age twist.  Listen to the storyteller recount the legend of Naut Kaniff, the last witch of West Nyack 

The historic theme continues indoors with tours of the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt farmhouse and presentations about life in 19th century Rockland County.  The house will be open for guided tours all afternoon.  Nickel-O Farms will bring a pony for children to ride from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food will be available. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is an outdoor festival and in the event of rain, it will be cancelled.

Reservations are not required and parking is free. Admission costs $7 for adults and $3 for members, seniors and children age three to 12. Children under age three are free.  

Later in the month, the HSRC will continue its long tradition of presenting Historical House Tours.  These tours, presented over the past 40 years, are fund-raising events for the Society as well as promoting awareness of local history and the built environment.

The tour will take place in the village of Haverstraw on Saturday, October 20th from 10 a.m. to  4 p.m.  Village Historian Steven Cobb and Mayor Michael Kohut have been working with the HSRC to plan a tour that will showcase village’s warmth and charm.  This year’s self-guided tour offers a look at historically significant buildings of Haverstraw including three on the National Register of Historic Places together with eclectic and charming residences.

Adance tickets available for $35. To make reservations, visit www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/267561 OR call 1-800-838-3006. On the day of the event tickets canbe purchased for $40 at Haverstraw Village Hall, 40 New Main Street, Haverstraw. 

Other History Month events include a bus trip through Ramapo and lunch with County Historian Craig Long on Saturday, Oct. 27.  Two informative exhibitions remain on view thorugh the end of October at the HSRC at 20 Zukor Road. Letchworth Village: The Village Years commemorates the centennial of Letchworth Village through the photographic images of Margaret Bourke White. Rockland Voices, an exhibition made possible by Provident Bank Charitable Foundation tells the stories of interesting people, places and events in Rockland History using highlights from the Society’s permanent collections. 

 For more information about all Rockland History Month Events visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call 845-634-9629.