Barons of Broadway #27
Nyack earned a reputation for shipbuilding during its early days, and for over sixty years, the Voris family played a central role in this thriving industry. J.P. Voris, known as Peter to distinguish him from his father, J.B. Voris, learned the craft of boatbuilding during a period of explosive growth in Nyack’s maritime trade. Together, father and son built and launched Nyack’s largest schooner at their Upper Nyack boatyard.
After taking over the family boatyard in 1875, Peter Voris expanded his influence in Upper Nyack. He built a grand residence at 316 North Broadway, established a general store at 318 North Broadway, and constructed a row of cottages on School Street to house boatyard workers. His general store would later inspire one of Edward Hopper’s most famous paintings. By creating what amounted to a mini company town, Peter Voris earned the title of Nyack’s Boatyard Baron—until it all came crashing down in one devastating month.
A Brief History of Boatbuilding in Old Nyack
Largely due to the foresight of John Green, Nyack became an important port for local goods in the early 19th century. Green supported both the construction of the Nyack Turnpike, which brought goods to Nyack, and the creation of the Nyack Steamboat Company to transport goods and passengers to New York City. The growth of quarry stone exports from Nyack fueled a large demand for sailing vessels, and local boatbuilders met the need. In 1835, sixteen new vessels were built, coinciding with the peak of riverside quarrying. Boatyards sprang up at the foot of Clinton Avenue in South Nyack, on Main Street, Gedney Street, and at Lower Castle Heights in Upper Nyack. These boatyards produced many innovative designs.
Riverside Boatyards in Nyack
Henry Gesner built the first boat featuring a retractable blade or center-board in Rockland County—possibly in the entire country—in 1815 for Nyack’s Jeremiah Williamson. Appropriately, named the Advance, this schooner once made six trips to New York City in six days, an impressive feat at the time.
In 1834, John Van Houten built the first marine railway in Upper Nyack, only four years after the first railway was constructed on Staten Island. John Felter followed with his own railway just south of Van Houten’s boatyard in 1839. Marine railways or patent slips, an improvement over dry docks, provide a cradle for boats to be put in or pulled out of the water.
In “downtown” Nyack, the Smith family, owners of the Nyack Steamboat Company, opened a yard. William Perry established another yard just north of these docks on Gedney Street. In 1867, Edward Smith purchased a boatyard at the foot of Fourth Avenue on Gedney Street.
The Upper Nyack Boatyard at Van Houten’s Landing
After the ownership of Van Houten and Felter, the Upper Nyack boatyard passed to the Voris family and then to Samuel Ayres and W.B. Church, who named it the Hudson Yacht & Boat Company. In 1928, Julius Petersen, a noted custom boatbuilder, acquired the boatyard. Petersen, who had moved from downtown docks, built custom yachts and naval craft during World War II, employing about 300 workers during the latter conflict. His shipyard produced 50 boats aircraft rescue boats with the same design as PT boats only smaller. Petersen’s death in 1949 marked the end of boatbuilding in the Nyacks. In 2011, the North River Shipyard acquired the boatyard from a commercial yacht club.
James B. Voris – Nyack Boatyard Pioneer
James B. Voris, born in 1810 in Trenton, NJ, became known for building more sailing vessels than any other boatbuilder along the Hudson River. He moved to New York at age 21 to learn the boatbuilding trade, for which he had a natural talent. In 1835, he established his own business in Nyack, where he married Rachel Post of Rockland County. They had three children: a daughter (later Mrs. Dexter) and two sons, John W. and James P. Voris. James B. Voris was an active member of the Reformed Church for over 30 years and belonged to the Oneko Lodge I.O.O.F.
Voris built several yachts that set speed records, including the Zinga, owned by Commodore William H. Thomas of the New York Yacht Club. The Zinga won first prize in the club races of 1859 and 1860. Another yacht, the Minnie, won the great race around Long Island in 1857. Voris also built the Tarolinta for Henry A. Kent of the New York Yacht Club.
Voris acquires the Upper Nyack shipyard at Van Houten’s Landing
In 1865, Voris purchased the Upper Nyack shipyards previously owned by Van Houten. He primarily built schooners for Nyack traders, sourcing lumber from local woodlands. During his tenure, Nyack gained a reputation for boatbuilding, although the rise of steamboats diminished the demand for sailing vessels. Voris retired in 1877 and split his time between Nyack and Asbury Park, NJ. He passed away in 1892. Voris’ boatbuilding expertise continued through his son.
James P. (Peter) Voris – A Second Generation Boatbuilder
Peter Voris, born in 1837 in Nyack, followed in his father’s footsteps, mastering boatbuilding and carpentry as a young man. In 1874, he purchased the Upper Nyack boatyard from his father. Around this time, he built Nyack’s largest schooner, a 300-ton, three-masted vessel. In 1883, he constructed the steamboat William A. Heisley for the Long Branch & Seabright Steamboat Company. This vessel featured a 155-foot keel, a width of 25 feet, and a large stern paddle wheel.
In 1884, Voris acquired land from the Gesner family along North Broadway, where he built worker cottages, a store, and his residence. He sold part of this property for a new Upper Nyack School, where he served as a trustee when it opened in 1884.
Cottage Row
On School Street, Voris built nine two-story row houses sharing a common roof line to house his growing workforce. These cottages, along with the Voris-owned general store, created a company town atmosphere. Workers often paid rent and purchased goods directly from Voris, reinforcing his role as both employer and landlord.
The Famous Seven A.M. Store
Voris built a two-story commercial store at 318 North Broadway in the mid-1880s. The building sported a classic carpenter gothic design with scrollwork near its eaves. The building has served various purposes, including a post office, bookshop, and gallery, and is now a private residence.
1948 painting, Seven A.M. In Hopper’s painting, the building’s clearly identifiable large windows and simple Gothic design epitomize Hopper’s themes of light, shadow, and mystery. While Jo Hopper’s notes do not specify the location, the resemblance to the store is striking.
A New House at 316 North Broadway
In 1887, Voris’ original home near the docks was destroyed by fire, marking a major turning point in his life. Shortly after, he commissioned John Pitt construct a new Italianate-style residence to replace a former building at 316 North Broadway. The house, featuring a central tower, projecting eaves supported by double brackets, bay windows, and a veranda with columns, has been meticulously preserved by its current owners.
A Fast, Downward Spiral
In May of 1889, Voris’ fortunes quickly declined. In that single month, he sold his boatyard to Richard Rodermond and then faced public notice of marital discord. His wife, Martha Baker, Voris sued for separation and alimony, citing physical and mental abuse, while Voris accused her of neglect and excessive drinking. The court denied Martha’s petition, but the discord continued.
In 1891, Voris sued for divorce on the grounds of adultery. Bartenders for a saloon he owned in Harlem testified as witnesses, along with a private detective and dressmakers. This trial ended in a hung jury.
Martha Baker Voris soon moved from Nyack, and Peter Voris relocated to Long Branch, NJ. He died in 1905 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. His sister sold the house at 316 North Broadway in 1908.
Voris’ Architectural & Industrial Legacy
Despite his troubled personal life, Peter Voris left an indelible mark on Nyack’s architecture and industry. The buildings he constructed, including his residence, the Seven A.M. store, and Cottage Row, endure as reminders of his contributions to the community and his role in the region’s boatbuilding history.
For further information on VanHouten’s landing”
Daniel Wolf’s excellent article Day 7: Departing Nyack offers extensive historic details about the Upper Nyack boatyard and Voris time in Upper Nyack.
For a narrated video of Van Houten’s history visit A Walk with Win Perry.
Mike Hays lived in the Nyacks for 38-years. He worked for McGraw-Hill Education in New York City for many years. Hays serves as President of the Historical Society of the Nyacks, Vice-President of the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, and Upper Nyack Historian. . Married to Bernie Richey, he enjoys cycling and winters in Florida. You can follow him on Instagram as UpperNyackMike.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Sun River Health and Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty. Sun River Health is a network of 43 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) providing primary, dental, pediatric, OB-GYN, and behavioral health care to over 245,000 patients annually. Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty is the lower Hudson Valley’s Leader in Luxury. Located in the charming Hudson River village of Nyack, approximately 22 miles from New York City. Our agents are passionate about listing and selling extraordinary properties in the Lower Hudson Valley, including Rockland and Orange Counties, New York.
