The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

New Castle Historical Society

Spring into History at the Greeley House

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Special Guest Presentation! “Westchester County: A Historical Tour in Postcards”– Thursday, March 24th, 7:30 pm

Please join the New Castle Historical Society in the Horace Greeley House parlor for an evening of local history presented through historic postcards. The program, presented by Patrick Raftery of the Westchester County Historical Society, discusses the history of Westchester County from the late-17th century to the present using historic postcards. Among the topics covered are historic houses and churches, the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, the Croton and Kensico dams, monuments, transportation, education and recreation.
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Many of us have only seen photos of the past in black and white, and thus we imagine our ancestors’ past in hues of gray. Obviously we know better, but it’s hard to visualize the vibrant colors of the past since many of us have never seen it. Luckily for us, photographers and postcard producers would colorize their photos and cards, so that those vivid hues and tints were widely available to those who could not experience it first-hand. We can enjoy these photos and postcards and imagine what our ancestors might have experienced: what scents they sniffed, what colors they saw, and what textures they might have touched! Looking at these items we can take a glimpse into the past.

Registration is recommended, but all are welcome to attend. Please register by calling Cassie Ward at 914-238-4666 or by emailing director@newcastlehs.org.
Recommended Donation: $10

Includes: Program, self-guided tours, and wine & cheese.
Location: Horace Greeley House, 100 King St., Chappaqua, NY
Other upcoming events: www.newcastlehs.org/events

Always a Most Wonderful Time of the Year At the New Castle Historical Society

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A previous Gold in Your Attic booth from a past Chappaqua Expo
A previous Gold in Your Attic booth from a past Chappaqua Expo

By Matt Smith

The holiday season is in full swing, and nowhere in town is that more evident than the New Castle Historical Society. You may have, earlier this month, already participated in the annual Tree Lighting ceremony, or sang with the community at Bell Middle School. You may have also created some old-fashioned crafts, or admired the festive Victorian decorations that adorned the Greeley House mantles. No matter which holiday activity you’ve chosen to indulge in, we’re sure you can agree: this is truly a magical time of year.

At the helm of all of the “holly jolly” festivities is NCHS Executive Director Cassie Ward, who took the reins of the organization from the now-retired Betsy Towl in February 2015. “I’m a trained public historian,” she says, of how she expresses herself through her work. “I absolutely love history and working with history. Whenever I can find different ways to connect people with history, whether it’s through a special event, through an education program, or maybe even through a research request, that gives me what I call” (and she beams as she says this) “history happy-chills,” which she explains to be her version of euphoria. In regards to taking on this new role at NCHS, Ward adds, “I feel like I’m following my bliss. [It] feels really good to share history.” And she’ll continue to do just that, with the slew of events NCHS has planned in the coming winter months.

To that end, if by chance you did miss any of the Historical Society’s cheery early-December offerings, you may be relieved to know that one event is still ongoing… and it’s sure to make your spirits bright: it’s the “Gold in Your Attic” Special Holiday Sale!

Run by Nancy Hurwitz and Fran Osborne, the sale is a “spin-off” of the booth regularly featured at the annual Chappaqua Expo. Community members can peruse a variety of holiday-related collectibles; among them, china, jewelry and silverware, to name a few. “They [also] have a lot of artwork, different pieces for the home [as well as] antiques [and] a lot of unique treasures,” comments Ward. “It should be a great sale.” ‘Gold in Your Attic’ continues at Greeley House through December 19th.

Tree lighting
Tree lighting

Another exciting upcoming event is the NCHS 50th Anniversary celebration, commemorating a half-century of “collecting and preserving New Castle history.” NCHS kicked off the year-long celebration with a party last month, which included a unique “Last Man Standing” cash raffle, wherein every ticket entered was pulled, with several revealing either a cash prize or an item donated by a local merchant. The grand prize–awarded to the “Last Man Standing,” as the title suggests–was worth up to $2,000. Proceeds from the evening went to financing the organization’s future programs. And yes, this November 14th bash has indeed already passed, but rest assured that many more events commemorating this momentous occasion, including a celebratory gala, will continue into the New Year and beyond. (Of note, NCHS will officially mark its milestone birthday in June 2016).

Ward remarked, too, that she appreciates these events because they elicit “a nice, jolly feeling” within the community; in “bringing everyone together,” they bolster the holiday spirit in town. As she and the other NCHS employees begin planning for the future, she hopes that their “exciting and innovative” new activities will continue to evoke that positivity year-round. “We will be expanding all of our programming (educational, historical services, community outreach, and special events–and hope that these programs will appeal to everyone–from children to parents and grandparents,” she says, of the plans for 2016. “All of the new programs will encourage the local community to interact with history in engaging and unique ways.”

And why is it so important that NCHS keep doing what they’re doing, and receiving community support? The answer is simple. “Sometimes, people will come [in] and they’ll tell me that they’ve never been [to NCHS] before,” Ward explains. “So, the more community activities we can provide and really get people involved with such a great cultural resource right in the center of their town, the better it is for us, and the better it is for the people of New Castle.”

The New Castle Historical Society & Greeley House is located at 100 King Street in Chappaqua. For more information on the organization, please visit www.newcastlehs.org.

 

New Castle Historical Society to Host Sept. 19 Garden Party Fundraiser

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For release from The New Castle Historical Society:

The New Castle Historical Society is hosting its first annual “An Evening in Greeley’s Garden” event at the Horace Greeley House Museum on Saturday, September 19, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The evening will include live music performed by a Civil War Era string band, beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. The New Castle Historical Society’s Board of Trustees and volunteers, Westchester based artist Cindy Sacks, Kramer Portraits, and Hilltop Wines have each generously provided silent auction items for the event. General admission tickets for the “An Evening in Greeley’s Garden” begin at $65 and may be purchased by visiting www.newcastlehs.org or by calling 914-238-4666.
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“The New Castle Historical Society is extremely excited to offer this first time special event at the Greeley House,” said Cassie Ward, Executive Director of the New Castle Historical Society. “The Garden Party is an opportunity for local residents and their guests to experience our museum and grounds in a new and unique way. The Garden Party will provide guests with the chance to experience the museum’s outdoor space similar to the way Horace Greeley did in the mid-1800s when he established his country home and farm in what is now downtown Chappaqua.”

All proceeds from this event will benefit the New Castle Historical Society, a nonprofit educational organization that seeks to discover, preserve, and share knowledge about the history of the Town of New Castle and about the life of Horace Greeley. Established in 1966, the Historical Society maintains a historic collection of artifacts and documents related to the Town of New Castle, it provides programs and exhibits about the Town’s history, and it preserves Horace Greeley’s second home in Chappaqua. The Historical Society will turn 50 next year and will continue to offer expanded programming and activities to encourage a greater interaction with the history and culture of the local area.

In addition to the “An Evening in Greeley’s Garden,” the Historical Society will host an array of new programs this fall. Some of the new programs include:

– A printing press education program for children under 10 (9/27/15),
– A purse party fundraiser for locals that love their accessories (10/17/15),
– An oral history program at the Chappaqua Library where residents will be encouraged to share their stories from the 1960s (10/7/15),
– A 50th Anniversary Kick-Off Party and Last Man Standing Cash Raffle (11/14/15),
– And a “Gold in Your Attic” Pop-Up Store at the Greeley House, just in time for the holidays (12/5/15).

For more information regarding these programs, please visit www.newcastlehs.org, call 914-238-4666, or email Cassie Ward at director@newcastlehs.org.

The New Castle Historical Society is a non-profit organization that discovers,
collects, preserves and communicates the history of the Town of New Castle.

Greetings from the New Castle Historical Society!

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cassie wardFounded in 1966, the New Castle Historical Society (NCHS) is a non-profit educational organization that seeks to research, discover, collect, and preserve the history of the Town of New Castle. The NCHS is located in the Horace Greeley House Museum and is open to the public for tours and research.

The Town of New Castle’s diverse history is evident in our many parks, buildings, roadways, trails, businesses, and organizations. Residents and visitors alike will quickly find that New Castle is home to many captivating historical narratives. These narratives range from the days of the Wappinger Confederacy’s use of the land, to the early Quaker settlement of the area, to stories from the Colonial Times, the Revolutionary War, and the 19th and 20th centuries.

At the New Castle Historical Society, families and friends can walk in the footsteps of history by touring the Horace Greeley House Museum, by performing research in our collection and archive, or by taking a guided walking tour of Horace Greeley’s Farm and downtown Chappaqua.

We greatly look forward to sharing the history of the Town of New Castle with you and your guests!

Sincerely,

Cassie Ward, Executive Director,
New Castle Historical Society and Horace Greeley House

newcastlehs.org

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NCHS ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Gold in Your Attic

Booth featured at the annual Chappaqua Expo every Fall, boasting a community-donated item. Past items include a rare Russian samovar, an opaline glass light fixture from Paris, vintage embroidered Japanese kimonos, and Tiffany candlesticks. As is with the Chappaqua Expo in general, all proceeds benefit the New Castle Historical Society and Greeley House. Please see site info below to learn when and how to donate or consign an item for the booth.

Holiday Crafts & Tree Lighting

Holiday-011Held annually every December (exact date will vary year to year), this afternoon-long holiday event is not to be missed. The Greeley Museum hosts a unique Holiday Open House from 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.; attendees can see decorations the Greeley family would have used when it was their country home in the 1860s. Younger children may take part in our Crafts workshop, and create handmade holiday gifts, such as paper snowflakes, corn husk dolls, and paper chains. The afternoon ends with the Society’s Tree Lighting celebration and marks the beginning of the new holiday season, which, of course, would not be complete without a visit from Santa.

Victorian Valentine’s Tea

A New Castle favorite every year! Participants make Victorian crafts for Valentine’s Day, and practice penmanship and etiquette, before sitting down to a formal Victorian Tea in the dining room of Horace Greeley House. Light refreshments will also be served. Held annually every February (exact date will vary year to year) for students in grades 2-4.

Other Events

In addition to the special events listed above, NCHS also offers tours of the Horace Greeley House. These tours run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m., or by appointment. The Greeley Museum Gift Shop is also open year-round from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (M-F) and 1-4 p.m. (Sat).

For more information or to register for any events, visit newcastlehs.org

Town Planning in the Hamlet: Today and Yesterday

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For a historical perspective on town planning, “Inside Chappaqua” invited Town Supervisor Susan Carpenter to tour the New Castle Historical Society’s exhibit:  A Stroll Downtown:  Then and Now.  This vision of the town; replete with historical and contemporary photos, provided the setting for a lively conversation.

The tour begins at Victory Corners, the intersection of Bedford Road and King Street and proceeds down the steep hill.  Along the way, changes and similarities with the town of yesterday abound.  A scene depicting the paving of lower King Street refers to the rural nature of the hamlet; still evident in the few remaining dirt roads.

A receipt from William A. Schley’s Chappaqua Hardware and Co. demonstrates the viability of this type of enterprise.  Today, Chappaqua Paint and Hardware fills this niche.  “It’s very convenient to have a local hardware store,” Carpenter observed.

The proliferation of factories on North Greeley came as quite a surprise.  Bishop’s Shoe factory (succeeded by the Acme Ball Bearing Company), a lumber yard, pickle factory and cooperage occupied this section until the 1920s.  Today, this area is occupied by Rite Aid and the shuttered home of Bistrot Maxime.

The photo of Hyatt’s Auditorium brought the idea of a cultural center to mind. “People would love to find a place for live theatre and musical presentations,” Carpenter related.  In yesteryear, this building housed the exchange for the town’s 150 telephones.  Movies were shown on the second floor.  This three-storied structure reflects another option being considered by the town.  Since most building sites are currently occupied, the addition of second and third floors are being considered as a method of expansion.

At the conclusion of the tour, Carpenter looked ahead to the future.  “It’s time to think about the next step,” she mused.