Piermont, New York
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Piermont 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 1847 in Rockland County,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, United States. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown, located north of the
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
of Palisades, east of Sparkill, and south of Grand View-on-Hudson, on the west bank 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 ...
. The population was 2,517 at the 2020 census.
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
set ''
The Purple Rose of Cairo ''The Purple Rose of Cairo'' is a 1985 American period fantasy romantic comedy film, written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Depression-era New Jersey, it stars Mia Farrow as a film lover who flees her abusive husband (Danny Aiello) after ...
'' (1984) in Piermont. The village's name, in earlier years known as Tappan Landing, was given by Dr.
Eleazar Lord Eleazar Lord (September 9, 1788 – June 3, 1871) was an American author, educator, deacon of the First Protestant Dutch Church and first president of the Erie Railroad. Lord was engaged in banking; founded the Manhattan insurance company, and se ...
, author, educator, deacon of the First Protestant Dutch Church and first president of the
Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Northeastern United States, originally connecting Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York. The railroad expanded west to Chicago following its 1865 ...
. It was derived by combining a local natural feature – Tallman Mountain – and the most prominent man-made feature of the village – the long Erie Railroad pier.


History

Sparkill Creek cuts through the north end of the
Hudson Palisades The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson River Palisades, are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in Northeastern New Jersey and Southeastern New York in the United States. The cliffs s ...
, providing easy access to the fertile valley of the unnavigable upper
Hackensack River The Hackensack River is a river, about 45 miles (72 km) long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban ar ...
. "Tappan Landing," "Tappan Slote", or "Taulman Landing," as the little port on 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 ...
was called, thus became the original port for southern Orange County. The valley in the Palisades created by the creek also provided an obvious route for the
Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Northeastern United States, originally connecting Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York. The railroad expanded west to Chicago following its 1865 ...
's first-built line (now known as the Piermont Branch), which originated at
Suffern, New York Suffern is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village that was incorporated in 1796 in the town of Ramapo, New York, Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. Located adjacent to the town of Mahwah, New Jersey, Suffern is located 31 miles ...
, to reach eastward to the Hudson (with water connection to
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 ...
). The railroad built a long pier into the river near the creek in 1839 as its principal terminal. The pier and the nearby mountains suggested a new name for the community, which was incorporated as a village in 1850. During
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 ...
the pier was the ferry terminal to which troops from Camp Shanks marched in order to be transported to New York Port of Embarkation piers for transfer to overseas transports bound for the
European Theater The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main Theater (warfare), theatres of combat during World War II, taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allies of World War II, Allied powers (including the United Kingdom, the ...
. A memorial plaque notes that history at the pier. Late in the 20th century, Piermont became a modest
tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...
for
day-tripper A day trip is a visit to a tourist destination or visitor attraction from a person's home, hotel, or hostel in the morning, returning to the same lodging in the evening. The day trip is a form of recreational travel and leisure to a location tha ...
s from New York City, particularly those bicycling on Bike Route 9.


Recent Developments


Proposed CBM Zoning Controversy

In 2024 the village government led by Bruce Tucker became embroiled in controversy around a proposed three-story residential building in downtown. Village residents vehemently objected to the modern boxy architecture as wholly inconsistent with the village's historic character and aesthetics. The legality of the village's Board of Trustees' amendment to its zoning code to facilitate the proposed development was openly challenged by the Rockland County Planning Department. Village residents also raised concerns about increased traffic, parking issues, and the site having previously served as a gas station with underground storage tanks. Village residents and neighbors flocked to social media to express their concerns, including the establishment of Preserve Piermont on
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and a blog entitle
Unhand Piermont!
which together focus not only on the unsuitability of the proposed project but allege wrongdoing by village officials. Dennis Hardy, former Mayor of Piermont from 1997 to 2001, noted "There was little public input. The village stubbed its nose at the county by ignoring the county planning office." Hardy also called the project was "totally out of character with downtown Main Street." Resignations related to this controversy included Piermont Planning Board Chair Daniel Spitzer (brother of former
Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...
Eliot Spitzer Eliot Laurence Spitzer (born June 10, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 54th governor of New York from 2007 until his resignation in 2008 after a prostitution scandal. A member of the Democratic Party, he was also ...
) and Piermont Trustee Nathan Mitchell. In response to a lawsuit filed by village residents, on October 11, 2024 Rockland County Supreme Court Justice Hal Greenwald declared the law which created the Piermont Central Business Multi-Use (CBM) Zoning District “null, void and jurisdictionally invalid.” The ruling was based on the failure, under Rockland County General Municipal Law, for the Village of Piermont to have referred the law creating the new zoning district to the County Planning Department for final approval.


Piermont Pier Imminent Collapse

In November 2024 the concrete end of the historical Piermont Pier was closed off as it was deemed to be structurally deficient and at risk of imminent collapse. Mayor Bruce Tucker noted "We are going to need some major money here...if anyone has any money, we'd love to talk to them."


Piermont Station

The Piermont Branch was not the only Erie rail line that served the village. Piermont Railroad Station, located on Ash Street, is a Victorian
Stick style The Stick style was a late-19th-century American architectural style, transitional between the Carpenter Gothic style of the mid-19th century, and the Queen Anne style that it had evolved into by the 1890s. It is named after its use of linear " ...
structure built in 1873 which served as Piermont's stop for the former
Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Northeastern United States, originally connecting Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York. The railroad expanded west to Chicago following its 1865 ...
Northern Branch north–south line, which went from
Nyack, New York Nyack () is a Village (New York), village primarily located in the Town (New York), town of Orangetown, New York, Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, United States. Incorporated in 1872, a small western section of the village lies in Clarkst ...
, to
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
. Service on the Northern Branch stopped running through Piermont in 1966. The branch was abandoned in the 1970s as a result of railroad consolidation. The exterior of the building was renovated to its original architecture and French gray, light-green and oxide-red color scheme in 2006 by th
Piermont Historical Society
They replaced the roof and installed a new cupola. The train station was placed 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 ...
in 2006.


Piermont Fire Department

Piermont Fire Department, Rockland County department 13, is an all-
volunteer fire department A volunteer fire department (VFD) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respo ...
, providing fire, EMS, and water rescue services, and is located on Main Street. Piermont is one of the few districts in Rockland County having a Dive Rescue team, providing water rescue services from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Palisades.


Piermont hand-cranked drawbridge

The Piermont hand-cranked
drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...
, also known as the Sparkill Creek Drawbridge, was originally built in 1880 by the King Iron Bridge Company, a company from
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
,
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, that constructed more than 10,000 bridges over six decades. The hand-cranked drawbridge is used as a
pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, by wheelchair or with other mobility aids. Streets and roads often have a designated footpath for pedestrian traffic, called the '' sidewalk'' in North American English, the ''pavement'' in British En ...
walkway providing a link to Tallman Mountain State Park. This bridge is the only hand-cranked drawbridge in Rockland County and perhaps in the United States. Back in the day, fishermen on sloops heading up and down the creek got out of their vessel, cranked up the drawbridge, sailed across, got out of their vessel and cranked down the drawbridge for vehicular traffic. The whole bridge was dismantled piece by piece, sent off-site for restoration and restored to its original state after a complete
forensic analysis Forensic science combines principles of law and science to investigate criminal activity. Through crime scene investigations and laboratory analysis, forensic scientists are able to link suspects to evidence. An example is determining the time and ...
. Allan King Sloan, the great-great-grandson of the company's founder, provided some of the information that is on the historical marker nearby and attended the dedication ceremony on August 7, 2009.


Geography

Piermont is located at (41.040623, -73.918788). 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 41.74%, is water. Piermont is on the west bank of the Hudson River, south of the Tappan Zee Bridge.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 2,607 people, 1,189 households, and 672 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 1,320 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 78.75%
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 ...
, 4.72%
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 ...
, 0.19% Native American, 7.79% Asian, 5.49% from other races, and 3.07% from two or more races.
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 ...
or Latino of any race were 11.62% of the population. There were 1,189 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.87. In the village, the population was spread out, with 19.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males. The median income for a household in the village was $61,591, and the median income for a family was $89,846. Males had a median income of $50,659 versus $43,176 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the village was $43,731. About 3.0% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.


Notable people

* Alfred Bristol, a 100-year-old
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 ...
veteran of Piermont who served his country in a segregated Army unit, was a recipient of the Rockland County Buffalo Soldier Award. The award, presented since 1993, is named after the Black 10th Cavalry Regiment that was stationed near the railroad construction camps of the
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
Frontier in 1867. Regiment members were nicknamed “ Buffalo Soldiers” by the
Plains Indians Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nations peoples who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of North ...
, based on their exceptional and fearsome fighting reputation. They were never defeated during 23 years of service in the
Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...
, from 1867 to 1890. Bristol enlisted in the segregated
New York Army National Guard The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximate ...
in 1931. He belonged to the “ Harlem Hellfighters,” the nickname for the 369th Infantry Regiment, which was later reorganized into the 369th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion and was sent to the
Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...
during World War II. It participated in the 10th Army Division's invasion and occupation of
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
, a Japanese stronghold, in 1945. Upon completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, a rarity for Blacks at the time. Bristol and his wife, Carolyn, who married in 1941, moved to Shanks Village in Orangeburg after World War II where Bristol organized meetings, dances, parades and the 25-cent ''“Shanks Carpool”'' to and from
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 ...
. Bristol played a role in the creation of Tappan Public Library and from 1963 to 1995 served as a trustee and president of the library's board. In 1967, he organized the Art for the Mountain auction to help save Clausland Mountain from development, with the 550-acre site later becoming a county park. * Grady Anderson of Nanuet, a Vietnam-era Army veteran and the 1996 award recipient, stated ''“The purpose was to honor African-American unsung heroes in Rockland County who served in the military and, like their predecessors, experienced the wrath of racism, and were successful in their fields and for giving back to the community,”'' Anderson said. *Thomas Pomplin - Pomplin, an African-American resident of Orangetown and a dedicated member of the Piermont Fire Department, died on August 5, 1854, while responding to a fire in Nyack. * Army veteran David Smith of Montebello, who saw combat in Vietnam and was the 1994 award recipient, thanked Bristol ''“for allowing me and others to climb up your back, for the path that you laid for us. So I say that with appreciation, affection and love, and I'll salute you again, sir.”'' * William Gaddis, American novelist, lived in Piermont while writing his second novel, '' J R'' (1975). The house he lived in served as the setting for his third novel, '' Carpenter's Gothic'' (1985). * Mimi Bryan was elected Piermont's first woman mayor in 1974. * John W. Ferdon (December 13, 1826 – August 5, 1884) Served in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, 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 Artic ...
,
New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...
(Rockland Co.) and
New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
(7th D.). * Pierpoint Isham, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court * Al Markim, actor and producer, starred as Astro in the ''Tom Corbett, Space Cadet'' television series. * Paul E. Olsen, professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
and member of the
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
* Dennis D. Sweeney (1853–1912), of Piermont, Employed as Yard Conductor in the Erie Yards, Jersey City since about 1885, Veteran in yard service; was a Yard Master of the Rail Road in 1900s, Member of Lodge 56 and Master Switchman then later Grand Master of Lodge 115 in Jersey City, New Jersey of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association, was regarded as an industrious and sober man, had money saved in the bank, frequently attended lodge meetings, wrote numerous articles and newsletters in the Switchmen's Journal, was a delegate to the Dallas Convention as Chairman of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association, died from a bullet wound in 1912 while walking in the streets of New York at the corner of Doyers and Bowery at 3:00 p.m. the shots of which were intended for another person supposedly from a Chinese battle (“Pell Street” Battle”) also known as “Tong Fight” going on in the vicinity.


Tourism


Historical markers

* Bogertown - 102 Paradise Avenue * Sneden House - 38 Paradise Avenue * Dederer Stone House or Stonehurst


Landmarks and places of interest

* Dederer Stone House or Stonehurst Eleanor Stroud Park - A pond and small surrounding park next to Sparkill Creek and under the U.S. Route 9W viaduct. The park is named after a woman who lived near the pond on Ferdon Avenue.Lower Hudson.com
Eleanor Stroud Park
For decades she looked after the children who ice skated at the pond and served hot chocolate, coffee, hot dogs and cookies from a nearby shed. The pond is free to the public and open until 9 PM every day the green signal flag is posted. * William Ferdon House (NRHP) * First Reformed Church (NRHP) * Haddock's Hall - 300 Ferdon Avenue (
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 ...
) * House at 352 Piermont Avenue (NRHP)
"Last Stop USA" memorial statue
that honors the soldiers that died in World War II. Piermont Pier was the area of disembarkation for soldiers heading to Europe. * Onderdonk House - 758 Piermont Avenue (NRHP) * Piermont Library * Piermont Railroad Station - Ash Street (NRHP) * The Piermont Historical Society * Rockland Road Bridge- between Piermont & Ferdon Avenue. (NRHP) * Rockland Road Bridge Historic District (NRHP) * Sneden House - 38 Paradise Avenue * Sparkill Creek Drawbridge- Bridge Street (NRHP) * Swamp Church - Carteret Avenue (St Charles A. M. E. Zion Church) In 1865 the black community around the Slote attended the Swamp Church at Skunk Hollow pastored by "Reverend Billy" Thompson.


Notes

*


External links


Official Website of the Village of Piermont

Historical Markers and War Memorials in Piermont, New York

Dennis P. McHugh Piermont Public Library

Piermont Historical Society

''A Very Brief History of Piermont,'' by Piermont Public Library
{{authority control * Villages in New York (state) Piers in New York (state) Villages in Rockland County, New York New York (state) populated places on the Hudson River