The Eagles; The Train To Nyack; Why Rockland Dissed Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln never carried Rockland County when he ran for President in 1860 and 1864. The opening program of the 2014 Armchair Walking Tour “Politics, Peace and Treason: Nyack in the Civil War” will explore this contentious period in our history.  New City Library Local history librarian Brian Jennings will discuss Lincoln’s presidential campaign of 1860, raising volunteer regiments for the Union Army, the local home front during wartime and the controversial peace convention which Nyack hosted in 1861.

The program will be presented at the Nyack Library at 7p on Wed Oct 15 and at the Valley Cottage Library on Thurs Oct 16 at 2p.

The Return of the Eagles to Rockland County

The November and second program in the series will be presented by noted wildlife photographer Ray Wright.

Ray will present a slide show of his extensive collection of wildlife photographs, focusing particular attention to the eagles which, in recent years, have returned in growing numbers to Rockland County. He will discuss the many photographic techniques he employs to capture the images you will see.

The program will be presented at the Nyack Library at 7p on Nov 19 and at the Valley Cottage Library on Thurs Nov 20 at 2p.

When Nyack Meant Business

Bob Goldberg, trustee of the Historical Society of the Nyacks and producer of the Armchair Walking Tours will present the third program in the series

In 1870 the Erie Railroad reached Nyack thus connecting it to New York City. The arrival of the railroad transformed Nyack from a small riverfront village to the commercial capital of Rockland County and a new commuter suburb of New York City. The growth of downtown Nyack and its business center will be described with many old photographs of that era. You will meet many of Nyack’s early business entrepreneurs, the businesses they founded, and the buildings and stores that they built, many of which still line Broadway and Main Street. Return to the times before the malls when Nyack was the retail center of Rockland County.

The program will be presented at the Nyack Library at 7p on Wed Dec 10 and at the Valley Cottage Library on Thurs Dec 11 at 2p.

John Scott Armchair Walking Tours

The Historical Society of the Nyacks and the Friends sponsor the John Scott Armchair Walking Tours. This popular program, now in its 19th year, features slide presentations on local history, architecture and related cultural subjects. The Armchair Walking Tours are dedicated to the memory of John Scott, Rockland County’s great historian. The programs are produced by Bob Goldberg.

Seating is limited and attendees should pre-register by calling or going online.

• NyackLibrary.org Nyack Library, 59 S. Broadway in Nyack, 845.358.3370,
• VCLib.org: Valley Cottage Library, Route 303 in Valley Cottage, 845.268.7700

For more information, contact Bob Goldberg at 845.268.3838 or bobgoldberg@nyackhistory.org.

See also: 150 Years Ago in Rockland series by Brian Jennings.

• The Gettysburg Address
• “Hell No, We Won’t Go”
• Generals Lead, Lincoln Retreats
• Emancipation, Deportation in 1862
• A Nation At War With Itself