Loading...
Hudson-Champlain 350th Celebration I I' CEL'E'B.RA:TION j [ f l I \. f { J i , ~ I /"J &tit' . . ~~ . ":" t-~>_._-----:-:~---:--~_.:",-" """"-"~Data"-On-"'. \tf . . .' , . tVXV lA]FJi'nmr <G ltllR$ .IF J&.];.E.$ -~ , i I f Sponsored By Wappingers Gard en Club August 15.. 1959 I' HI STORYQrFOI1NDING~or WNflJiGERS fALLS TIl.ewordWl\:RJiilnger se.emsto .ha~e,come tChe bdiraD ~nllme ~,,;pal'li, em ,Algonquin .' . .. mmaed'tbe B.aSlem shore .,of the ,.V,&i,Ullt'ill'the :middle of the '18 th oeri.;tUri..; . ' . '[!be .Cr.e,ekwetters ,have long 'heen' 'the -chief stimulus ~to ,tbe:growth of the ;village. 'The TOWn of Wappinger , originally a part o~ :~e town of :FishklU, was erected May 20, 1815 'and Ueswhony wIthin the 'Ro,mbo u t pa:tent~granted In 186'5. Territorially, it Is the 'smallest town in Dutch:e,ssCounty cover- .ing16",O.2.5aores, 'but.in point ofpopulattC>.l!_ us 'ao vity'ttls,one of 'the m.os t important. ."...~Wh~ j>rmgiPalv1llag.e .in .the;town-is:Wap- pingers Falls situated at, the head of n a v 1- ~.(2t12!!.;.9P:-W'CfPPmger Creek. The villag;e lies on both sides of the creek having been made to include the vIllage of Channingville by In- cOJ.;porattonon;S tember2.2., ;t8111:. ' ,;', , 'ThettitJSl:Pi, , tecilsettlenient wa.s at the mouth !of 'the';c~eek in 1659 wh'en several persons Wished ;to ,migrate from M ,a ss ac hu S ,e t t: s . Acces:s :cw.edand was dtffloultand permission to the dght of ,pass~ :throughthe Hudson was .denied:by Dutch auth'Orttles. The project was abanCioned. ,In iJ1;.8iilhe .DaUy Graphic of NeW York stated ,fhat"the present Mesler: mansion; the courtty bui1d1n~s -at Clump' s ~mers alid the flout mill were the only buU4in9Sin.lhe place. II Peter Me,sier" though not the first settler, was the first of much1mportanceand the first whose faniUy name has been associated 'with its history to the present time. He fled from France in 1685 to escape the tyrany and per- secution of LouIs XlV. He .f.()~.~~L1.l9:..e.!IL_ .__ -1- k_ . " l'isnkill and purchas.ed a large tract ,Of land said to :CoDtai1isome;7'fr~: acnes~ ' Slde:s 'of the .6r.eek. .1tcQni~r.4se4i land. df the ;pre's~~ffVi'.l1ag~"of lWa, The purchas:e.tncluded:the npusem, . as ~Mesier Homestead omlte1'etLin Mester ~k... The'home nOW hOu:Sestne ;:W~lrig,erS ,RQU:oen:' Departmcimt . and fhe'Warte:r J)~pattment. -Refol'el 11'1:s M6~h\tS :Brew"8f'",-amH1erand mi11'!right from'Hdllamd,:, bulltd:he"~OW' .Mill't! ~'~-"- on the east s.~de 'of~p;pinger:s 'Creek. . '. - _ :N.tGho1as .Br.ewer,: ~othet-Of-Adolphus-,-b-ullt: ..-. uRed Millll. -Ou.tput :0f lOObatrels of flour per ., .day :w.as~por.ted.,,;-,--,,~'---'-----" _ _. Aft-erMay), f~'77., these mills were pur~ chased by Peter 1Vresier. Aft-er J.;z:, ' .~;~. Jr.' anG:H6mjT' TerBos s~. ':s ...' 'ed:ashi;pYard at thenodt ~of 'McnhleyStree:t..h would ;ac.:.... " comcdate. vesse;}s,drawing 'up to _slxt~eri. feet'" .- of wat-er;- Math'ew Mesi,~t,;'.sonQf~~te:r;~ -:had a sloop .built ;th~TetO trarii~pott >floUr "to 'New '- York. Also"a numb~r laf~:u~boats were :built ther:e -for the 1Jni,ted, Stalle:siG'avemme,nttn i8'12. ... 18 3 2,~ The"DutcbessPr!rit,W-orks w,ere es- tabl~shed ~y Jam~s ,~j;}ghamdf Manchester~ England, for> pr~ngcialico. ptls -wastbe first-pnntworks mAmerlca. . . 1 83S ~ The DutQh.e.s;s' Print W ork;$ were boughtb}' the Dut-che S'S Company. '. rr'!h 0 ma ;s Gam.er'was the principle oWner.. They >e m. - ,>'p!QY~~, <:)\Tel' l~OOO persons ,with anavernge. I-------:~ -0> 21Hl! ~li 9Lq~L.glllL____ G .L_~~.-~~.~~=_".~.. ._...... ... ,- -,"",-_.<-""""""' , c.~~>.__~,,~.. ~ f I 1 t I I I f ~ I J I 1 1 84 4 - The .Frarikl1ndale Cotton Company becamethe'property'~o:rMeSsrs ~'Gamer&- - Co. The .site" and waterpower was "first utilized by Benjamtn ClapJ;"" who manufactured m ab og any venee,nng,oJilthe;1ower : floor . The 'second floor was aCC1;\pied:by 'Qook& LoW ,makers of combs . The upp,er story was utilized for drying c at t on gooos. - The cotton mill operated 10./000 spndes and produced about 250,000 yards of cloth per week. This plant was destroyed by fire in 1885. The comb factory was later located in several places. The last site was at the foot of Fulton Street where 'a, part of this factory stin stands.. It i~now us~cifor apartments but is still ,known as "The Comb Shop",.' Until recent times.,' jet ad 1ri the m-a-n'l;1- facturing of the combs have been dug up by c!1::i,~,d!~~" "-! ,~, ,c~l!lmun~~~~, ~~,___. ___ 1 84 6 - The ClintOn Company erected' a '--"buHding-on-the"s!t~'of the "Yellow Millll to , m'ariiifacture '60ttonc:loth. It was destroyed by fire in 1855 'and was never re'built. Th e name exlstedhowevsr in the sqpewision of a1l the 'tenementPF~~rty, numDedn9 several hundred., rentedma~y to the operators in the print works. In latefyears, these houses were sold. '",. 1 8 ~6 t)' -', S; W ~' JOhnsonbe<;:aine partner wi th Mr,. Gamer. Shortly"after', 'Mr,~Gamer died and the estate, was inhe#ted by his son, William. The .business" under the nam~; o.fGamer Company was continued 'bY Mr: JohI1so~ ~t:iIhls death in, December 1881. The three Gamer d'aughters, who had marrie~ titl(tS,. were not interested' in' con - tinuing the business. In 1909~ the''Print works and b1eachery wer~, sold to Derririg &' Milliken and becameknciwn as The Dutchess Bleachery. They discontinu~d printing materials but con- tinued as a bleachery and dye works. Aft e r I 1 I . , . -3- :" World War I, it was .run 'on "'6 pmblership -pian;' In .~. which the ,eDlPlqye.esshar,ed,equaliy::With -the campa _ ny. This was the firstventmeof ilts ,kind and was very succes,sful for anumber'of ''Fears,~ . ~iASwOrkwas affected :~f ~thedepne's:stQn, 'the .partnerShlp :plan was dissolved by a 100% 'vote aftheemploy,ee.s,., 1.95.5- The Bleacherv discontinued Glperations and the pr.operty was,sold. It was a 'great ~blOw to ,. the economy of the village.. 1 8 73 - The R.J", Stuart Foundry located north of Drake's drawbridge having moved .there fro 111 Hughsonville where!t wases,tab11shed by 'William ' Taylor before 185.Z, It had .been sold to 'H'u'n t& Disbrow at that time. 1.a 71 - Sweet Orr &: Com an a p ant for the making ,of Gveralls ,sack coats, and 'jackets. James Orr and his two nephews, Clayton E. and Ciint9R.w'YHSW"€-e-hc~oame-fter'€':from-eattfor_ nia. It was one of several factories.. .Local em- p- oy.e.esJlum ,e:d ~~nd~the -weekly output was 1,000 dozen pairs of overalls. In 1912 they were advertised as '~ the world famous manufactury of over911~ .., ,. . Twa.-thirdsof its:empioy.e:eswere . ' women. This parent plant closed in 195'8. MER'CHANTS'" As late as 1832 there was only one stG~ in Wappingers: In 1 Efao .~ Benja~dn Cla.p:pep~8tec;li~c)f)..Matket Street. In 1. 870 .., . JosephD .Iiar-court~~9'aged inltliU- ing and ice business, at Faulkner MnJ..near Huc;Jl1.... sonvHle!I;~~.,t\Vo.sons~ 1.. & J. T.~lch(.)l~Harcourt as sociatedW'ithhin1..an~ continued ,tI;teb~slnessof generaIInerchi:lll(U~e.. " " ' '" . . F ro m .l~47:, t.o A~7 6 , J oh nDvBol~wa~ a prominent merchant,deallngin dry goods .andgrocerias. -4- ."'''''''_''_.''''''''_~___~'_'~''_'_''~_ri_''>''__'_'~,.~,~<"...._ r I 1 THE BRIDGE On F ebruary2 8, 1819, afre shet ofextraordi- nary force.destroyed many mills on the banks of the creek and ,carried away every bridge from Salt Point to the Hudson. The Main Street bridge was immediately rebuilt. It was a covered wooden structure with windows on both sides. This was -5- r e p laced1:>ya stonebridQ'ei.nJ.8S~W'h1db~a,s widened in 1884 from 30 feet to 60. feet.. CHt.f'RCHES Originally., the;peoj:lle..ofthe Village of various denominations held theirsenrices in homes of those interested in establ1shinga church.. The >following churches Were fermally founded: 1833 1838 1845 1845 1-84 8 - Zion Protestant Episc.o,palChurch - FranklindaleBa,PustOhurch - St. Mary'sRemanCatholic Church - Methodist Episcepal Church Plesbyterian Church ~g~HQ01..s Tbe:~4-r~t~~-<?fTt'W(i~.staitedina bUilding at Main and ChurCh Streets in Channingvllle, which was ewnedby the Dutchess Company, inctbeut 1866.. It wa sknown~~;tf1e :U'ntonFne,e.Sdhool !1'lO;e.l'!i i':D.odaY.it ls .(icentralized district with its main :buUding,a fine structure, en Remsen Avenue. Other schoels ef ,the district are .theiJ'ames S.. Evans Elementfin.y SOhoo.1.enSeuth. Roact,and.tbe. Vassan Read ElementanySchoel. ROADS The Highway Law ef 1713 read: "If tbecornb- sionens fon the County of Onange and 1.)\1 tob e ss County see cause to have any roads laid out for a wag()nr()ad,theinhabitants of said COunties shall be hereby obliged to clear the same. II . STREETS In 1872, Mn. Edward Morris WEmtintothe real estate.: ~u~essandbuiltGOri~J.ialLw.h.er,e-b~___.. -opened 'c1' drug store.. 'Vanous proirietors have oen- ~6':" i i I , I i , ! I I . I 1 f , I 1 I , I ! tinued a drug business which is now operated as the Liggett Drug Store. He sold much of the property of the Mesier estate which resulted in the opening of a number of impor- tant streets and the erection of business places and homes. He helped incorporate the Bank of Wappin- geTs and was responsible for the laying out of the road to New Hamburg along the lower creek as a public road instead of a toll road as was chartered by the legislature. On an 1850 map of Wappingers, Mill Street was lined on both sides with the buildings of a Clinton Manufacturing Company which likely gave it its name. SpririgStreet is said to be named for a spring on the corner which is under the present library build- ing. Academy Street was opened in 1870. It does not cross South Avenue in a straigh t line "because, at the time, the entrance to Benjamin Clapp's estate occupied the southwest corner. This estate was marked by the gray granite posts which now stand as a gateway into the grounds of Zion Episcopal Church. In the 1900's, the Clapp home was occu- pied by superintendents of the Bleachery. South Avenue was first called Mesier Lane, then Broadway and finally South Avenue. As late as 1870, it was known as Broadway but the dates for other changes have not been found. In the 1890's and early 1900's, it was known as Lovers' Lane, though not officially, for it was a popular spot on evenings and Sundays for strolling couples. We have been told that the river road from Peeks- kill through Beacon to Wappingers was known as Broadway. This was a section of the road which was to be a direct line from New York City to Albany, all of which was to be known as Broadway. James S. Roy I as village president, supervised the curbing and grading of streets and the laying out I I f f I I I I I I I t j , . -7- L , :1-; of water mains. The purchase and laying out of Mesier Park was mainly effected through his efforts. UNITED STATES POST OFFICE First established in New Hamburg around 1813 and known as the WapPingers Creek Post 0 ff ice. In 1847, a post office was established in "a little community" (assumed to be Hug h son ville, though not specifically so stated). The inhabi- tants had previously obtained their mail at Middle- bush where a post office was maintained about 1824 and was kept by Mr. Francher, father of Judge Francher of New York City. The Mesier familYJavor-ed-th-e nameWappingers Falls forthe-~-;~munity. The Post Master General under President Zachary Taylor changed the n a me to WapPingers Falls Po st Office from W a p pin 9 e r s Creek Post Office in 1849. The original site of the Post Office was in a store just west of the bridge, however, the location was frequently changed for with the appointment of a new post master the office would be moved. This practice continued until 1940 when a permanent site was chosen by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the corner of South Avenue and East Main Street. At his suggestion, a field stone building was erected which was a copy of the original Mesier Homestead. A large number of boxes Were installed for no deliveries Were made. In July 1954, it was made a first class post office with three delivery routes in the village and three rural routes that now c Over 101 miles a day. MURALS IN WAPPINGERS FALLS POST OFFICE These are the work of Henry Billings of New York. The theme is the falls and gorge of the creek. On the northwest wall, the first mill established -8- - , ". '.. ~. w.~..--et-.. ~-~ __ - '" ~......:.. in 1780 is depicted. It introduces two figures, the Marquis de Chastellux, an ~eaTly traveler who record- ed the beauty of the falls, and Peter Mesier, ow n e r of the "Yellow Mill" whose 18th century home inspir- ed the architecture of the present Post Office. On the southwest wall is shown the textile mill and stone bridge of 100 years later. Henry Billings is represented by paintings in the Museum of Living Art, the Whitney Museum of Ameri- can Art, Museum of Science and Industry, Murals in Rockefeller Center, Murals in Medford, Massachu- setts, Lake Placid, and New York City Post Offices. -Taken from Mr. Clinton Clapp's Articles ~ \ BANKS A ..BatiLlJ1 a I Ra.nk wa-B Lo..rme d and failed before 1869 at an unknown location. This furniture and equipment was purchased by the Wappingers Falls Savings Bank which was incorporated on April 23, 1869. For many years they were located in the Masonic Building on Mill Street. Vvhen they moved to their new modern building, a few doors away, the old equipment was left in what is now the Town Clerk's Office. The old safe bears the name of National Bank and is still in use. 1 87 1 - W a ppingers Falls Bank was organized but failed in 1885. The National Bank of Wappingers Falls was in- corporated on February I, 1909 with a cap ita 1 0 f $ 25,000. It is now affiliated with the First National Bank of Poughkeepsie. THE PRESS The Wappingers Falls Daily Times, established about 1867, continued some four or five months by C. G. and S. Coutant. Press work was done in Ma ttew an. The Wappingers Chronicle, established October 26, 1869 was owned and published under the name of Winchell & Dougherty. -9- -11'1".:':'1.:. .-.'!'..!.-. 11.,..::....' Ii rT~:iw , ; .,i, q. d t p: ..M: r In 1872, Dougherty purchased Winchell's interest and continued until September 25, 1880 I at which time he sold it to A. E. Benedict. The name was changed to The Weekly Chronicle. It was a Repub- lican paper. The Bulletin, which was started on December 17 I 1874 by George W. Winchell and S. Roe, Jr. pub- lished for about a year. It was a Democratic weekly. The Wappinger Era I a Democratic weekly, was established in 1876-1877 by George W. Winchell. It was discontinued in the Summer of 1878; revived after fifteen months by George W. Winchell and S. H. Homan. It was again discontinued in 1881. **-***** I NT-ERE S TI N.G.SL EANING S VV"appingers lies in the middle of Hudson Valley, the longest valley in Eastern United States extend- ing from Alabama to the Province of Quebec. Marine deposits contain marine fossils and remains of ancient sea life. I j The Duke and Dutchess of Marlboro are said to have ridden through Wappingers with two footmen on their tally-ho. They stopped to picnic and change horses at Mesier Park but were told to move on by the local constabulary. A red sand stone horse trough of six or eight sides once stood at Main and Mill Streets. Used as a platform for speakers, both Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke from it. A soap factory once stood near Clump's Corners. Clump's Corners is the land at the junction of East Main Street and Route 9 I going west to Remsen Ave- nue. Though no record of a deed has been found, it was known to include many acres. -10- ~ ..,:.:;;.,.."""""........,_~.__.~._,''',...._-'~... ~...._.,_.-_"'."'><"-..'" _~ . .,.... ._'. __,>4_, < .._~>.'....J, __ __~.-....,._ _~ .' c.'.~.--;.cf."'''.'. . __ WheIl the . first trOUe.Y.Ja.Il H Wa.~aUl.ighted UP. The whole town turned out to .see it. New Hamburg once ccirriedthe world's pennant for ice boating . People came from all over the east to watch races. "NorthemLight" from Poughkeepsie finally won a pennanf. Black Tom, a slave owned by Peter Mesier, plant- ed the maples and' other trees around the G a u 11 e t home. This wa s . the home of Maria Me sier , daugh ter of Peter. I ! The Old:..Stone House on Old Troy Road was once , . I known as the House at Farmer's Landing. The walls t----are-24" thick, has threErlluge firepta-ces-;-"allirOi e I bricks in the peaks were brought from Holland as , ballast. It was fired uponclur~Ilg thEiL.Revolution i "-".___.-_..,.."..__...._,..___,_.-.~__,._.._....._._..........._.,....,_"...."__"n._....__._. ...-. ,..... .....,......._..._ L from the river. William K. Roy was instrumental in securing the telephone and electric trolley lines. I ! The main road from New York City toAIbany was known as The King's Highway. Channingville is derived from the Channing family who owned a farm on which it lies (1886). Formerly it was known as Ednams and Ednamsville. Eagan's Opera House was built there in 1876. It seated 50erpeople. John Crilley, a cooper, built the first brick building on either side of the creek. Firstmeetinc;1-of the newly formed Town of Wappingers was hiHd in Bro-werBrothers Wagon Shop on March 7 I 1876. Dr.. Peter D. Schenk was the first doctor to -11--------.-----.--...-.--........... .. .. '''--'''i ::1' :: -]" .~ .~ .~ )~ locate here in 1820. He continued his practice here .~ until his death. The Dahlia Society he~d annual flower shows in the O'Farrell Opera House. Power's Recreation Park was the scene for tandem bicycle races on a 15 mile track. The trolley cars from Poughkeepsie had difficulty in keeping to hour schedule in spite of the use of bigger and better cars . A boat owned by Captain George Terwilliger oper- ated between Wappingersand Newburgh far carrying __<__JreightJtmi.,pa s sen gAr!':: . It. ~-as--'I'-h-e-- Me sse n g e r . Mr. Connelly later ran The Petrel When 21 volunteers departed for Ca.mp Kenyon August 14... 1862, the operatives of the Dutchess ~-."_~'+'._<~_"_"_____'-"'''c ,-~c__ ~"_'_~_._'_'''',.._'' _ _ .,. Print VV orks met to plan means of support for the families of those who might be drafted under .recent government orders. It was agreed to co<ntribute two percent .ofmonthly earni.ngs. 1883 - The Zion Church Sewirw School met every Saturday to teach the children of the village to sew. The bell at Zion Church wa.s secretly installed at night to be rung at the early morning Christmas ser- vice to the surptiseof all. In 1885, the village was lighted by gas. On the outskirts of Wappingers stood the famous model house of Orson Fowler which he planned, wrote about and finally built after a decade of work. Its outstanding feature was its form for it is an octagon riSing five stories from an oval knowll. "The twenty- ....12.... ~- .If - llFi......TII!!lill J !I'M' U m ~flil'lrl ~~ j ,. foot square gla.ss"'-:ro6fedC1.lpola, crowning .the stair well, wase.ightyfeetabovetheground, and its Win- dows fram~c:I..a~c:h,aIlging.:panorama tha.tincluded vast reaches of th~gleamir:tgtiver and the spires of six- teen towns. Below it nearly a hundred rooms bore witness to the builder's varied interests and his archi- tecturalt:heories.. "- Carl Cramer., "The Hudson" Known as.f9wler'.s Folly , it was completed in 1858 and ~:builders came from far and near to seellA Home 'for Alllland to copy its construction. Churches, schoolhouses, <;,horsebam, a smokehouse, and a "seance chambe{.feeling that eight-angled walls would be easier for spirit visitors to penetrate than four II _~ cqme l,nto:Qeing. _______ I ******* . 1 _______. THANK YOU f.---~he committee wishes to express its appreci- ation to all those who helped them to compile this , modest booklet of a history of Vvappingers FaUs. Who knows but what this might be of interest to some ; venturesome grOUP to continue the study to bring it .. up to today's living in the Village? i Our thanks to Mayor Joseph A. McCloskey, and the Park Commissioners for the use of Mesier Park for the Wappingers Garden Club's Card 'Party. The project was our contribution to New York's Year of History_ 1959 marks the 350th Hudson-Champlain Anniversary Celebration. I , Our thanks to those patrons of our project. The club appreciates your response to our efforts and wel- comes your interest in our organization. Vie extend a cordial invitation to attend our meetings and a possi- ble future membership. -13- . 'I fl:" p ~i II i; I I I I , iio ~.j .. Our thanks to the #427 Post of the American Legion who so generously,cooparated with us :teaUowthe use of their building in caseo! fCLinfor without this help our party could have 'been a 'II complete wash- out". Our thanks to our former President, Mrs,. Gertrude Willson, and our present President, Mrs. Adelaide Ries"for their support and conf1denceintbe com- mittee. ********** ) /' if Ii U, I SOURCES OF:MATER.IA:L AN.DINrORMATION Record of .the Centennia.1GelebratlonOfZion Church An address by W.. Wil.1isReese The WappingeI:s Chronicle, Friday, November 6# 1896 Philip H. Smith., II Gen eral History of Dutchess County from 1609 to 1875" James H..Smith, "History of Dutchess County"lB82 Frank Hasbrouck., IIHistory of Dutchess County II 1909 American Guide Series, IlDutchess County" Dutchess Textfle Assoc~ation Book Helen Wflkinson ReynoldsllPoughkeepsie, origin and meaning of the word II COllections of the Dutchess HistoricaTGounqrXiis- torical Society - Vol II 1I0ld Gravestones of t Dutchess Qounty-l N ew Yorkll~ ...... . .. . l-~;_e\'~:p~~~i~~:~e::oject. "New York - A Guide to t William VV'. Reese I "18th Century Records of the J Portion of Dutchess County, New York, that was I included in Rombout Prec.inctand the Original Town of Pi shkill11 J ***** ~ 1 I t , I . I I PEOPLE CONSULTED Sophie and Christopher Hummel Fannie D. Moore Edward Scofield Mr. and Mrs. Martense Cornell Irene Cavagnaro Frances E. Drace Kenneth Van Voorhis Henry Townsend R. Malcolm Hunter , Postmaster COMMITTEE CarolynP. VV'ixson Edith Valente Louise Crawford B-eanlce -M;;--McuJ..J..t::, Cha1rmcm -15- I .----~--- .. J Wi ~i'