Haverstraw is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

incorporated in 1854 in the

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

of Haverstraw in

Rockland County, New York Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population is 338,329, making it the state' ...

, United States. It is located north of Congers, southeast of

West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...

, east of Garnerville, northeast of New City, and west of the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

at its widest point. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,323. The village of Haverstraw is within the North Rockland Central School District public primary and secondary school system of

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

, and the downtown hosts the Rockland Community College – Haverstraw Extension Center. , the mayor is Michael Kohut.

History

Settlement (1609–1750)

Before Dutch settlers traveled to the

Hudson River Valley The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to Yonkers in Westch ...

in the early part of the seventeenth century, the Rumachenanck people, a subset of the

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

tribe, called the area home. In 1609, during one of the many voyages the Dutch financed in search of the

Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, near the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada. The eastern route along the Arctic ...

Henry Hudson Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the Northeastern United States. In 1607 and 16 ...

sailed the

. The village is one of the first to appear on maps of North America, listed as ''Haverstroo'', which means "oat straw" as an anglicized version of a Dutch word. The area was first referred to as Haverstroo in 1616. From 1686 till 1719, the present town of Haverstraw was included in the laws, taxes and militia duties of Orangetown. But that valley was increasing so rapidly in population, the distance was so great and the trail so poor between it and Tappan, that the inhabitants petitioned for separate existence and on June 24, 1719, the following act was passed: "An Act to enable the Precincts of Haverstraw in the County of Orange, to chuse a Supervisor, a Collector, two Assessors, one Constable, and two Overseers of Highways."History of Rockland County by Reverend David Cole, 1884 The village was not incorporated as a municipality until March 11, 1854, as the Village of Warren, after

Joseph Warren Joseph Warren (June 11, 1741 – June 17, 1775), a Founding Father of the United States, was an American physician who was one of the most important figures in the Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot movement in Boston, Massachusetts, Bos ...

, a major general who died at the Battle of Breed's Hill (a.k.a. Bunker Hill) in 1775 during the Revolutionary War.de Noyelles, pp. 11–12 Haverstraw has a complicated record of names. One Act refers to the Village of Waynesburgh, and will take an extract from this Act, passed April 1, 1814, again: "from thence, in a direct course as nearly as may be, to such a point in the village of Waynesburgh, late Warren, as the Commissioners, etc." For what reason the name Waynesburgh was given to the hamlet, and the length of time it remained 1883–84, have escaped search, but it is likely that the interim name was in honor of revolutionary General

Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and a Founding Father of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military expl ...

. Warren, the hamlet had already been called, and to Warren it was changed again. But this name was never a popular one. People had long been accustomed to blend the name of the township and village in one, and call the latter, Haverstraw. At the establishment of the present Stony Point post office in 1847, it was named North Haverstraw. Commerce was carried on, not with Warren, but Haverstraw, and the name of the village post office was Haverstraw from its organization. Influenced by these and other less important reasons, the residents of the village appealed to the Legislature for relief, and, on April 14, 1874, that body passed the following act: "SECTION I. The name of the Village of Warren in the County of Rockland, incorporated under the provisions of the Statute of the State of New York, authorizing the incorporation of villages, is hereby changed to 'Haverstraw.' All proceedings now pending by or against the said Village of Warren shall be continued in the name of Haverstraw." This village did not begin its growth as early as either Ramapo or Nyack, but for many years, until the discovery of James Wood revolutionized brick making, remained a country hamlet. In 1855, Jacob Wan-dell wrote in a letter to his sister Catherine Van Houten, the following description of the present village, at the close of the last century: "My father removed from Tappan Sloat to Haverstraw in the year 1794. There was no village there then, only one house. Captain Shepherd bought the field where the village is built, of Joseph Allison, for £10 ($25), an acre. When he moved there, it was sown with rye. The river bank was the handsomest I ever saw. From Grassy Point down to where James Wood first set a brick- yard, (this was on the river bank directly opposite the burying ground of the De Noyelles family), was a beautiful row of large

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Description ...

s and

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

trees, growing all along the banks. It was a beautiful walk."

American Revolution (1775–1783)

Joshua Hett Smith House from The Picturesque Hudson 1915

Strategically located on the Hudson River, the village was home to a number of skirmishes between the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Army and the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. The peak of High Tor Mountain on the

Long Path The Long Path is a long-distance hiking trail beginning in New York City, at the West 175th Street subway station near the George Washington Bridge and ending at Altamont, New York, in the Albany area. While not yet a continuous trail, relyi ...

hosted

watchfires to communicate between troops installments up and down the

. Today, watchfires are an annual

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...

tradition in Haverstraw. Watchfires are lit at midnight on May 30 and burn for 24 hours. Haverstraw was the site of the most grievous treason of the early years of the United States. During the night of September 21–22, 1780, the English emissary, Major

John André Major John André (May 2, 1750 – October 2, 1780) was a British Army officer who served as the head of Britain's intelligence operations during the American War for Independence. In September 1780, he negotiated with Continental Army offic ...

, was rowed from the

sloop-of-war During the 18th and 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship of the Royal Navy with a single gun deck that carried up to 18 guns. The rating system of the Royal Navy covered all vessels with 20 or more guns; thus, the term encompassed all u ...

''Vulture'' to a beach below the Long Cove on the southern boundary of Haverstraw. The negotiations to sell the plans to

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

were not completed by dawn, and

Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold (#Brandt, Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American-born British military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of ...

and André traveled to the Belmont House, owned by Thomas Smith and occupied by his brother Joshua Hett Smith, on the grounds of what is now Helen Hayes Hospital in

. The house has since been known as the Treason House.

95th New York Volunteer Infantry

The 95th New York Volunteer Infantry fought in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

under the command of

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

, Major General James Samuel Wadsworth and Brigadier General Edmund Rice. Company F was recruited primarily from Haverstraw. The infantry joined in the action of the Railroad Cut on the first day of the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

. They fought many battles, including the

Battle of Mine Run The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union ...

, Grant's Overland Campaign, the

Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of Lieutenant general (United States), Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General (C ...

, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna,

Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Army, Union Lieuten ...

and the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

. They saw the war to the end, including engagements in the Battle of the Weldon Railroad, the Battle of Hatcher's Run, and the Appomattox Campaign.

Brick-making capital of the world

Commonly referred to as "Bricktown", Haverstraw was famous for its

brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...

-making, which was a major industry for the village. Brick-making was so popular due to the clay formed by the Hudson River's water and the rich soil that lined Haverstraw's waterfront, that it was nicknamed the "brickmaking capital of the world". Many of the old

brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic–Jurassic sandstone that was historically a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States and Canada to refer to a townhouse clad in this or any other aesthetically similar material. Ty ...

and brick structures that were constructed in New York City in the late 1890s-early 1900s were composed of bricks manufactured by Haverstraw. In the early 20th century, there were more than 40 brick-making factories lining the Hudson River within the village. Although brick-making involved all ethnic groups, 60 percent of the brickyard workers were

African-Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

Brick manufacturers circa 1910

This is a list of suppliers of bricks to New York City metropolitan areas in 1910 with the numbers of machines each manufacturer used, as listed in ''Within These Gates'' by Daniel deNoyelles:

Other history

The brick industry continued to thrive until

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, when brick began to lose its value significantly. Shortly after, the village's main industry of brickmaking declined and left the village. The economic vitality of the village greatly decreased. Because of the amount of vacancies and the relatively inexpensive housing available, the village opened up to

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

migration, and the village has become home to many Hispanic immigrant families since the 1950s. Many families of Hispanic descent take part in the village's annual festivals. The Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival take place in the village's downtown in early June, and the Dominican Day Parade and Festival occur in late August and in September. Haverstraw Village Landslide 1906

On the night of January 8, 1906, a

landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...

destroyed a large residential and commercial portion of the village. Firefighters responded immediately but faced enormous odds because of burst valves and water mains, natural gas explosions and hoses which periodically froze because of the extreme cold. The landslide, a pit about deep, claimed five Haverstraw blocks from Allison to Jefferson Street, 21 buildings, and the lives of 4 firefighters and 17 residents. Despite the events, the village rebounded. Eight years later, however, the Cleary-Newman murder took place, which cast a pall of corruption over the populace. In 2007, leaders of the village and town announced the 101st anniversary of the landslide and dedicated a memorial to the victims of the disaster. The memorial is located at Bowline Town Park on the shore of Bowline Pond and the Hudson River. In July 1920,

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

outfielder

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional Baseball in the United States, baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nickna ...

spent time in Haverstraw to film a movie – ''

Headin' Home ''Headin' Home'' is a 1920 American silent film, silent biopic sports film directed by Lawrence C. Windom. It attempts to create a mythology surrounding the life of baseball player Babe Ruth. The screenplay was written by Arthur "Bugs" Baer f ...

''. A local baseball field bears the Hall of Famer's name due to his visit. View from Bowline Pond Toward High Tor

George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...

, the "Father of Modern Broadway", had his debut playing the violin at the Waldron's Opera House on Broadway in the village. The Cohan family stayed in Haverstraw during summer while making their rounds on the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

circuit. The Cohans lived on Division Street, next to a major clay pit in the Village. Cohan was influenced early in his life by the songs of the southern black clay diggers that worked down below the Cohan house in the clay pit. It is often said that Cohan mainstreamed

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

through his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

tunes. September 2004 marked the village's 150th anniversary, celebrated by a festival along the village's waterfront. The village has entered a period of revitalization, which coincides with the creation of the Harbors at Haverstraw Community and a sculpture trail which will follow the Hudson River shoreline. The Harbors at Haverstraw is situated on the southern end of the Village and below the higher elevations of the charming riverside southernmost neighborhood known as Dutchtown. Some residents have taken to calling the Harbors area the "South End" instead of the previous name for the neighborhood the "mud hole" in honor of various clay pits once visible here. The State has funded $3 million to the revitalization project, which includes investments on the waterfront

esplanade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...

and a possible downtown streetscape project. As a cost-saving measure, at midnight on January 1, 2006, the Village of Haverstraw Police Department was merged with the Town of Haverstraw Police Department. The town of Clarkstown Police opened a new shooting range that the town of Haverstraw and other departments use at Tilcon Quarry area. In April 2012, the Village of Haverstraw passed the first ban on tobacco product display in the United States, though the New York Association of Convenience Stores and seven tobacco companies (

Lorillard Tobacco Company Lorillard Tobacco Company was an American tobacco company that marketed cigarettes under the brand names Newport (cigarette), Newport, Maverick (cigarette), Maverick, Old Gold (cigarette), Old Gold, Kent (cigarette), Kent, True (cigarette), True, ...

R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) is an American tobacco manufacturing company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by namesake R. J. Reynolds in 1875, it is the largest tobacco company in the United States. The company is a w ...

Philip Morris USA Philip Morris USA is an American tobacco company. They are a division of the American tobacco corporation Altria Group. It has been the leading cigarette manufacturer in the U.S. since the late 20th century. Its major brands include Marlboro, Vi ...

, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company,

American Snuff Company The American Snuff Company, formerly Conwood Sales Company LLC, is a US tobacco manufacturing company that makes a variety of smokeless tobacco products, including dipping tobacco or moist snuff, chewing tobacco in the forms of loose-leaf, plug, ...

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (formerly United States Tobacco Company) is an American company that manufactures smokeless tobacco products, notably dipping tobacco, as well as chewing tobacco, snus, and dry snuff. The company is a subsidiary o ...

, and John Middleton Co.) sued to stop the ban in the

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of the State of New York. Two of these are in New York Ci ...

in June of that year.

Camp Christmas Seals

Camp Christmas Seals - (interracial camp), where children were aided by the Methodist Camp Service. Mrs. Addie C. Cox, director, the "mother" of all the campers. Activities included boating, fishing and swimming at nearby Lake Tiorati, one of the seven main lakes in Harriman State Park, located in

Orange County, New York Orange County is a List of counties in New York, county located in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 401,310. The county seat is Goshen (village), New York, Goshen. This count ...

Geography

Haverstraw is on the west bank of the

Haverstraw Bay Haverstraw Bay, located in New York (state), New York, is the widest portion of the Hudson River. The width of Haverstraw Bay is approximately , the length approximately from river kilometer 58 (river mile 36) at Croton Point to river kilometer 6 ...

is the widest portion of the Hudson River. The bay is bordered by the village of Haverstraw and the village of

Croton-on-Hudson Croton-on-Hudson ( ) is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,327 at the 2020 United States census over 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt as part of New York City's northern ...

Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...

to the east. Haverstraw is located at (41.196494, −73.96684). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and , or 60.75%, is water.

Neighborhoods

* Bank Corner - downtown center * Hahn's Corner - intersection of Westside Avenue and Broadway * South End - "the mud hole," the harbors community and surrounding residential areas * Dutchtown - Riverside Avenue at northern terminus of the Hook Mountain Nyack Beach Trail * Uptown - stately, residential district on Hudson Avenue and Hillside Avenue * Little Italy - Warren Avenue and McKenzie Avenue * Old Quarter - residential district on Front Street, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Street, bounded by Van Houten Street, Canal Street and Broad Street * Bull Line Blaff - Jefferson Street and Clinton Street * North Broadway - where Broadway meets Samsondale Avenue * Silk Mill - between Gurnee Avenue and Spring Street

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,117 people, 2,816 households, and 2,168 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 2,925 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 46.02%

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 12.07%

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.37% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.13%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 34.70% from other races, and 5.62% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 59.29% of the population. There were 2,816 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 23.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.42 and the average family size was 3.82. In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $42,683, and the median income for a family was $44,881. Males had a median income of $31,503 versus $27,207 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,442. About 13.9% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,910, and demographics were as follows: * Hispanic 67.1% * White alone: 19.3% * Black or African American alone: 9.7% * American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.2% * Asian alone: 2.2% * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0% * Some Other Race alone: 0.1% * Two or More Races: 1.4%

Transportation

The River Subdivision runs through the village of Haverstraw as a freight-only line, which has an important passing siding located at milepost 35. The River Subdivision is the primary freight rail line between the New York City – Northeastern

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

metropolitan area and Albany. Today, the line is operated by

CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...

, the fourth railroad to do so. On an average day 20–25 trains pass through Haverstraw. Passenger service along the former

West Shore Railroad The West Shore Railroad was a U.S. railway company active in the states of New York and New Jersey between 1885 and 1952. It was incorporated in 1885 to reorganize the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, which had originally been inten ...

line stopped on September 11, 1959, although the former Haverstraw station building is still standing and currently serves as a law office.

NY Waterway NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley. The company utilizes public-private partnership with agencies such as the Por ...

runs a commuter ferry from Haverstraw Village to Ossining, from where there are commuter trains to

Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal station, terminal located at 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York Ci ...

. A monthly uniticket for the

Haverstraw–Ossining Ferry The Haverstraw–Ossining Ferry is a passenger ferry over the Haverstraw Bay and Hudson River, which connects Haverstraw with Ossining in the U.S. state of New York. The ferry operates during rush hours on weekdays only, primarily transporting ...

and the train is available from Metro-North.Local transit is operated by Transport of Rockland. The #91, #95, and #97 routes serve Haverstraw. Short Line, part of

Coach USA Coach USA, LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service across the ...

, provides daily service along

U.S. Route 9W U.S. Route 9W (US 9W) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins in Fort Lee, New Jersey, as Fletcher Avenue crosses the US 1/9, US 46, and Interstate 95 (I- ...

heading to and from the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...

and

West Point Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

or Newburgh.

and

US 202 U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware in the south to Maine in the north and traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ne ...

run directly through the village.

is a major cycling route between

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Bear Mountain State Park Bear Mountain State Park is a state park located on the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York, Rockland and Orange County, New York, Orange counties, New York (state), New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, pic ...

and

. The route regularly hosts the

Gran Fondo A Gran Fondo is a type of long-distance road cycling ride originating in Italy in 1970, and roughly translates into English as "Big Ride". Italian Gran Fondos are officially defined and certified by the Italian Cycling Federation as a bicycle ev ...

cycling endurance race.

Tourism

Historical markers

* "Treason Site," Route 9W, where

met Major

, a British

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis List of intelligence gathering disciplines, approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist Commanding officer, commanders in decision making pr ...

officer, on September 21, 1780, to negotiate the sale of the plans for

- now located at Emeline (Nantasket) Park and Main Street. * " Cohan's Debut," Waldron's Opera House site - Broadway and Lincoln Street * "Hudson River," Widest Point of River - Front/First Street and Elks Drive * 1906 "Great Haverstraw Landslide" - Division and Rockland Street * "Brick Industry" - 183 West Street * "DeHarte Patent" - 79 North Route 9W * Haverstraw Historic Site - 25 Fairmount Avenue *

Robert Fulton Robert Fulton (November 14, 1765 – February 24, 1815) was an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the world's first commercially successful steamboat, the (also known as ''Clermont''). In 1807, that steamboat ...

Clermont Steamship Berth - Emeline (Nantasket) Park at Main Street * Bowline Pond Clay Pit - Broadway at Jefferson Street * Site of Peck's Dock and small-gauge rail terminal - Utility Pier at Bowline Point Park * Twin Second Empire Mansions - South end of Clove Avenue * Site of

home run over St. Peter's Church during filming of 'Headin' Home' Silent Film - Partition Street at Haverstraw Middle School * Site of the "Franklin Community," an early Communist experimental community influenced by

Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist, political philosopher and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement, co-operative movement. He strove to ...

- Spring Street and Rela Avenue * Site of

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

address in bid for U.S. presidency at the United States Hotel - Now U.S. Post Office at Main Street and First Street * Central Presbyterian Church boasts extinct

American Chestnut The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the Fagaceae, beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in the genus ''Chestnut, Castanea'', the American chestnut produces Bur ...

ceilings and stained glass windows designed by

Louis Comfort Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...

- New Main Street and Hudson Avenue

Landmarks and places of interest

* Arts Alliance of Haverstraw, 91 Broadway, is a multicultural center for the arts. * Central Presbyterian Church, 64 New Main Street at intersection with Hudson Avenue, was founded in 1846 and moved to its present church in 1909, which was built with donated Haverstraw brick and now-scarce

wood. The 13 stained-glass windows in the main sanctuary were designed by

. * House depicted in

Edward Hopper Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was an American realism painter and printmaker. He is one of America's most renowned artists and known for his skill in depicting modern American life and landscapes. Born in Nyack, New York, to a ...

's painting ''The House By The Railroad'', located along Route 9W just north of New Main Street. The house also inspired the Bates' house set used in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's 1960 movie '' Psycho''. * Haverstraw African American Memorial Park 41 Clinton St. Haverstraw, NY 10927. The park features a kiosk with displays about local history and the African diaspora. including the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Bethel Church, founded by slaves and free blacks in 1846. The church was Rockland's first house of worship for blacks. * Haverstraw Brick Museum, 12 Main Street, has exhibits of the over 100-year history of brick-making in the Haverstraw area, once known as "the brick-making capital of the world". * Haverstraw King's Daughters Village Library, 85 Main Street, is the oldest public library in Rockland County, chartered in 1895. The library opened in Jenkins Hall in 1896 and moved to the National Bank Building the following year. The King's Daughters Society, organized in 1891, was known as the "Haverstraw Ladies Home Mission Circle". Mrs. Everett Fowler, whose husband was president to The Peoples Bank, a state bank, presented a plan to found a public library as a department of the society. In July 1899 the library trustees accepted Denton Fowler's proposition to match the $10,000 for the purchase of the library's present site, which included the provision that the building be named the "Fowler Library Building". The building was constructed with Haverstraw brick from the Fowlers' brickyard. The imprint DF&S can be read on the bricks laid for the basement's floor. During the holiday seasons the library provided baskets for the poor, and throughout the year the library conducted sewing classes for the girls of the village. The library was active in providing relief for the victims of the landslide in 1906. (

NRHP The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

) * The Homestead, Hudson Avenue, is a

historic house A historic house generally meets several criteria before being listed by an official body as "historic." Generally the building is at least a certain age, depending on the rules for the individual list. A second factor is that the building be i ...

that is one of the oldest buildings in the village, dating to the early 19th century. In 1983 it was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

(NRHP). * M/V ''Commander'', Haverstraw Marina, is a rare design link between the heavily built-for-steam boats of the late 19th century and the more lightly built vessels of the 20th century. It was listed in 1984 on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is also listed in the International Register of Historic Ships, Great American Ships and the ''

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' (''DANFS'') is the official reference work for the basic facts about ships used by the United States Navy. When the writing project was developed the parameters for this series were designed to ...

''. It may be chartered for private parties and excursions. (NRHP) *

United States Post Office (Haverstraw, New York) The U.S. Post Office in Haverstraw, New York, is located on Main Street in the center of the village. It serves the ZIP Code 10927, which covers the village. It was built in the mid-1930s as a New Deal project. Like many other post offices from ...

, 86 Main Street, is listed on the NRHP. * St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 115 Broadway, is the oldest

Catholic church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in Rockland County and is where the first

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

was offered on November 14, 1847. * The Congregation of the Sons of Jacob, 37 Clove Avenue, begun in 1877, is the oldest

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation in Rockland County.

Festivals and events

The following festivals and parades are celebrated in the village of Haverstraw. * Family Day Festival – celebrated in May *

Farmers' Market A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...

– held every Sunday from May to November 9:00 am until 2:00 pm * Italian Day Festival – In May Italian Americans celebrate their heritage. * Annual Brickyard 5000 Regatta – hosted annually in October at the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry Landing.

Sports

In 2009, Haverstraw was the Girls Little League Baseball Seniors Division state champion, beating the 2008 champion from

New Hyde Park New Hyde Park is a village in the Towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is the anchor community of the Greater New Hyde Park area. The population was 10,257 at the time of the ...

by a score of 1–0, leading them to the Eastern regionals in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

. In 2010, the team were the Girls Little League Baseball Seniors Division state and Eastern regional champions. They defeated national teams from

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

and

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

, before losing 3–1 to

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, Southwest regional champions, in the World Series Championship in

Roxana, Delaware Roxana is an unincorporated community and former municipality, from 1909 to 1921, in southeastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. It is roughly centered on the intersection of Delaware Route 20 and Delaware Route 17. It is part of the ...

, on August 14, 2010. In 2014, Haverstraw was the Boys Junior league Baseball New York State Champions. They went on to play in the Easter Regionals in New Jersey. In 2019 Havestraw won New York State Little League State championship and came one win away from the Little League World Series losing in the Mid-Atlantic region to Connecticut and the girls softball finished third in New York State. In 2021 the girls Little League Softball team won the New York state championship going to the Little League World Series in Greenville, NC losing in the second round to Texas and Missouri. In 2019 Havestraw Little League Softball finished third in New York. In 1958 the Havestraw Little League won New York state championship losing in the East Regionals to the eventual regional champion Connecticut.

Notable people

* Gerard Benderoth (February 1, 1969 - March 8, 2017), Haverstraw

patrolman A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as law enforcement officers, military personnel, or security personnel, that are assigned to monitor or secure a specific geographic area. Etymology The word "patrol" is derived from the French ...

and

World's Strongest Man The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of Decemb ...

competitor in 2009. Benderoth, a native of Haverstraw known as "The White Rhino", is a

North Rockland High School North Rockland High School (NRHS) is public, co-educational high school located in Thiells, New York, serving 9th to 12th grade students from the northern section of Rockland County, in southern New York. The building was formerly used as an educ ...

graduate and former New York City patrolman. He turned professional in 2004 and was ranked at one time in the top 10 in the United States. *

(July 3, 1878 – November 5, 1942), entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and producer. Known as "the man who owned Broadway" in the decade before World War I, he is considered the father of American

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

. A full-length dramatic musical entitled ''George M'' that depicted his life and which celebrated his music was produced on Broadway in 1968, as did the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning film ''

Yankee Doodle Dandy ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' is a 1942 American biographical musical drama film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, Geo ...

'' in 1942. The Cohan family used to live on the easterly end of Division Street. * Michael A. Donaldson (January 16, 1884 – April 12, 1970),

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

sergeant and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

, for his actions in France during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. *

Derrick Lassic Derrick Owens Lassic (born January 26, 1970) is an American former professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Alabama. Early life Lassic atten ...

(born January 26, 1970, in the village),

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

and former husband of

Arthel Neville Arthel Helena Neville (born October 20, 1962) is an American journalist, television personality, and weekend anchor for Fox News, based in Manhattan alongside co-anchor Eric Shawn. Neville is the daughter of Doris Neville and Art Neville, a Gram ...

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist and editor. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically accl ...

, first African American to be selected for the

Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...

, owns a home in the village. Her novel '' Beloved'' won the 1988

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

for fiction. She has earned the designation of one of the 100 Greatest African Americans of the United States.

Notable people buried in Mount Repose Cemetery

* Peter Denoyelles (1766–1829),

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from New York to the

13th United States Congress The 13th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1813 ...

* Ginny Gibson (1924–1998), professional name for Virginia Criger, a singer who flourished in the 1950s * Reuben L. Haskell (October 5, 1878 – October 2, 1971), U.S. Representative from New York from March 4, 1915, until December 31, 1919 *

Lotte Lenya Lotte Lenya (born Karoline Wilhelmine Charlotte Blamauer; 18 October 1898 – 27 November 1981) was an Austrian-American singer, diseuse, and actress, long based in the United States. In the German-speaking and classical music world, she is be ...

(October 18, 1898 – November 27, 1981), Austrian-born,

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winning and

-nominated singer and actress *

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (; ; March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for hi ...

(March 2, 1900 – April 3, 1950), German-born, leading composer for the stage and writer of numbers of concert works. Most notable work is the song "

Mack the Knife "Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" () is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama ''The Threepenny Opera'' (). The song tells of a knife-wielding criminal of the London underworld n ...

". Married to Lotte Lenya twice – (1926 and 1937). *

Leonidas Hubbard Leonidas Hubbard Jr. (1872 – October 1903) was an American journalist and adventurer. Personal life Hubbard was born in Michigan and studied at the University of Michigan (1893–97), choosing journalism as a career. In 1901 he married Mina ...

, Jr. Explorer, sportsman, writer, who perished in 1903 during an expedition in Labrador. * Robert A. Widenmann (January 24, 1852 – April 13, 1930), National Democratic candidate for

from New York 17th District, 1896. Director of the Haverstraw Light and Fuel Co. Deputy

United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...

and associate of

Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders: four for which he was solely res ...

during the

Lincoln County War The Lincoln County War was an Old West conflict between rival factions which began in 1878 in Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, the predecessor of the state of New Mexico, and continued until 1881. The feud became famous because of the p ...

http://www.mountaintimes.net/Newspaper/41-May2001.pdf

References

Town of Haverstraw official website - History section
* Gumucio, Ron X.; January 1, 2006
Haverstraw village police force disbands
. ''

The Journal News ''The Journal News'' is a newspaper in New York State serving the New York counties of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam, a region known as the Lower Hudson Valley. It is owned by Gannett. History ''The Journal News'' was created through a ...

'' * Incalcaterra, Laura; January 7, 2006
Remembering the Haverstraw landslides
. ''

'' * Weil, Jennifer; January 27, 2006
Haverstraw's New Main Street full of history and life
. ''

'' * Terkell, Emily; February 20, 2007
Brick Museum celebrates black history
. ''

'' * Williams, Margaret (2004) ''Haverstraw''. Avocet Press Inc.

External links

Village of Haverstraw official website

Haverstraw King's Daughters Public Library

Historical Markers and War Memorials in Haverstraw, New York
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haverstraw (Village), New York Villages in New York (state) New York (state) populated places on the Hudson River Villages in Rockland County, New York Populated places established in 1666 1666 establishments in the Province of New York