Historic Hudson River Towns

Space Rocks: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites
2023-03-12 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Rockefeller State Park Preserve, 125 Phelps Way, Pleasantville, 10570, United States
Did you know that 100 tons of dust and sand-sized particles from space bombard Earth daily? Thankfully, most of it doesn’t make it through our atmosphere. However, the larger meteorites that do survive offer a unique glimpse into the formation and evolution of our solar system.
Join environmental educator, Kim Fendrich, for a presentation on asteroids, comets, and meteorites, and learn about the stories they tell us.
The presentation will take place in the art gallery at the he Rockefeller State Park Visitor’s Center.
Max: 20 people

Croton Point Nature & History Hike
2023-04-01 09:00 - 11:00 | Croton Point Park, Croton Point Avenue, parks.westchestergov.com
Croton Point Park Naturalist John Phillips and Village of Croton Historian Marc Cheshire will lead a hike on Saturday, April 1, at 9 a.m. to explore Croton Point’s history, natural history, archaeology and geology. The hike will last roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. This event is free. Meet at the gate to the RV park, where parking is available. Ages 6 and up; wear sturdy shoes. The same hike will take place on April 15.

The American Revolution in Westchester: From the Hudson to the Sound
2023-04-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Shattemuc Yacht Club, 46 Westerly Rd, Ossining, NY, 10562
Learn about the places and events that unfolded along the Hudson River during the nearly eight year fight for American independence — from the Battle of Saratoga, to the many lesser known intimate examples of the river’s influence during the course of the war.
Constance Kehoe, president of the non-profit Revolutionary Westchester 250 (RW250) will highlight some of the crucial events, places and people that made a difference. RW250 is working to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026 by building awareness of the events, places, ideas, and people — both the unsung and the famous — of the Revolutionary War in Westchester. There will be a Q&A after the program.

RSVP is required for admission to the Lecture Series
Limited guest capacity
FREE to attend

Turn-of-the-Century Croton
2023-04-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 10520
Using rare photographs and postcards from the Croton Historical Society and other sources, Village Historian Marc Cheshire will take us on a tour of Croton at the dawn of the 20th century. See familiar streets and buildings as they looked more than 100 years ago and discover long-lost treasures like Croton’s first train station, the barn at Van Cortlandt Manor, Gardiner estate on Hessian Hill, and much more.
Thursday, April 13, 7 p.m. at the Croton Free Library, Ottinger Room.

Building the New Croton Dam
2023-05-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 10520
By any measure, the New Croton Dam is an engineering marvel. For 14 years (from 1892 to 1906) as many as 1,000 workers used more than 500 pieces of heavy machinery, 745,000 barrels of cement, 100,000 tons of coal and an incalculable quantity of locally quarried stone to build the dam. It is said to be the third largest hand-hewn structure in the world after the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Great Wall of China. Village Historian Marc Cheshire will describe the construction process and the lasting impact the project had on the village.

Day of Defiant Hope
2023-06-10 10:00 - 16:00 | Christ Church San Marcos, 43 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, United States
Social activists and human rights advocates gather to help build stronger communities and a more just world at the 2nd Annual Day of Defiant Hope. Exhibitors, presentations, music, dialogue, action plans. All are welcome to this free event.

The Destruction of Riverside Avenue
2023-09-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 10520
In September 1960 demolition began on Croton-on-Hudson’s waterfront business district to construct Route 9. Riverside Avenue, from the intersection with Maple up to Farrington Road, was rerouted and most of the old buildings demolished. By the time the project was completed, parts of residential streets from Benedict Boulevard in Harmon up to Wolf Road were also eliminated, along with the beautiful Beaux Arts-style bridge across the mouth of the Croton River. Village Historian Marc Cheshire will recount the upheaval and loss from this seminal event in Croton’s history.
This event is sponsored by Croton Friends of History and will take place in the Ottinger Room of the Croton Free Library.
Croton Friends of History is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Croton-on-Hudson and the Hudson Valley. For upcoming events see our website and follow us on Facebook.

The Mystery of Money Island
2023-10-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 10520
Some people say Croton Point’s Money Island was the place where the infamous pirate, Captain Kidd, buried his fabled treasure. Some people say it was a huge funeral mound for Native Americans slain in a terrible battle. Some people are reluctant to even whisper the name because the place was haunted—a favorite retreat for witches from all the country ’round. So what was Money Island? Village Historian Marc Cheshire will tell the tale of Money Island and its sad fate.
This event is sponsored by Croton Friends of History and will take place in the Ottinger Room of the Croton Free Library. To learn more about Croton Friends of History​​​ see our website​ and follow us on Facebook​.

The Old Croton Aqueduct in Art
2023-10-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, 10520
When Cornelia Cotton opened an art gallery in Croton in 1979, one of the earliest gallery shows was called “Croton Water”– the first time that prints, maps, and ephemera of the Old Croton Aqueduct were shown as an art exhibit. Cornelia was active on efforts to preserve the Aqueduct early on, and after the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct (FOCA) was founded she served on its board for many years. Her presentation will feature a wide variety of images of sites along the Aqueduct, which is today the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park—a linear park which runs from Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx County/City of Yonkers border to the New Croton Dam in Cortlandt.
This event is sponsored by Croton Friends of History and will take place in the Ottinger Room of the Croton Free Library. To learn more about Croton Friends of History​​​ see our website​ and follow us on Facebook​.

Rethinking the Environmental Movement: An Earth Day Discussion
2026-04-22 19:00 - 21:00
Samantha Sweetwater, Reverend Billy Talen and Daniel Pinchbeck will reflect on the evolution of the environmental movement to illuminate the scale of the challenges before us and help us imagine a more grounded, relational, and life-affirming path forward. From early conservation efforts and street protest to today’s broader reckoning with climate disruption, inequality, and spiritual disconnection, the panel will explore how the movement is changing and what forms of activism, leadership, and community this moment now requires.
