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Fishkill Historical Society
PO Box 133, Fishkill, NY 12524
VanWyckHomestead@aol.com
www.FISHKILLHISTORICALSOCIETY.org
“History Lives Here”. . . at the Van Wyck Homestead Museum !
February 2012 Newsletter
The Van Wyck Dispatch
Note: If you are not a member of the Fishkill Historical Society, and would like
To join, please fill out the Membership Application form below and mail
It to the address below along with your membership donation.
Fishkill Historical Society – Membership / Renewal Application
Name ______________________________________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________________________
City / Town _______________________________________ State ______ Zip Code ________
Phone (_____)__________________ E-Mail _________________________________________
Please Circle Membership Category: Individual Basic – $15; Family Basic – $20; Senior Citizen – $10.
Enhanced Individual or Family Membership:
Contributing – $25; Sponsoring – $50; Sustaining – $100; Lifetime – $500.
Mail Check Payable to: Fishkill Historical Society
PO Box 133, Fishkill, NY 12524
(Please include corporate matching grants when available)
(Membership Donations are Tax Deductible)
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President’s Message – Letter From the Editor
In January 2012, an “Old Sycamore Tree” – (which perhaps is 250 years old) – growing in a parking lot area of the Village of Fishkill’s Firehouse was going to be cut down by the Village of Fishkill because it had been deemed “a hazard” by a Tree Service company. However, on Monday, January 23rd, 2012, a group of concerned individuals – some of them FHS Members – banded together in a protest rally at the site on this rainy Monday morning protesting that this “Historic Tree” should not be taken down.
Their active protests prompted The Mayor of Fishkill to make an “Executive Decision” Monday evening and he rescinded the order to have this “Old Sycamore Tree” cut down on Tuesday morning . . . thereby granting it a “Stay of Execution” !
Personally, and I MUST emphasize that this is my own personal opinion that I’m stating: I am dumbfounded how people get so upset about an old unimportant tree being cut down, . . . yet hundreds of Americans are killed in senseless avoidable car accidents every week, and thousands of babies are aborted every week . . . and no one seems to care !
People will probably “protest” my comment and personal opinion, . . . but I don’t care !
Steve Lynch – President
FHS Newsletter Editor
In Memoriam:
FHS Member Kathryn Haring died on January 26th, 2012 at her home in Staten Island at the age of 54 after a three year battle with Breast Cancer. During her Funeral Eulogy, she was described as a “Pollyanna type of person who saw life through rose-colored glasses”. Like Pollyanna, “Kathy saw the good in everyone, and she loved making anonymous random acts of kindness and faithfully kept the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ throughout the year” !
Kathy attended our Revolutionary War weekend in September 2010 with her Haring family members who are direct descendents of Isaac Van Wart – one of the three Militiamen who captured British Spy Major John Andre on September 23, 1780. She is survived by her two sisters, Dolores and Patty, and her husband Warren Haring and three daughters, Kristen, Katie, and Jill Haring. Kathy’s Trademark Phrase to her daughters was: “Thou Shalt Not Whine!” Sincerest condolences to Kathryn’s family and loving friends.
Fishkill Historical Society Celebrates 50 Years
2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Society. A Committee is working on special events during the year to commemorate the founding. Lynn Eberle heads up the committee comprised of some of the founding members. Currently the events being planned consist of a 50th Anniversary Kick-Off Reception on April 27th or 28th; a Fishkill Historic House Tour with the Van Wyck Homestead being the highlight on May 19th; and a Period Costume Ball on October 19th. So save those dates and more details will appear in future newsletters. Textiles and costumes will be an integral feature of all activities throughout the year, including mannequins and costumed docents. If you would like to join the committee please contact Lynn Eberle, FHS Trustee, at (845) 838-9630.
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I’m generally a creative person, but I cannot take credit for writing the following letter.
The following is a note from the Van Wyck Homestead to the members of the Fishkill Historical Society. I bet you didn’t know a museum could write a note!
Hello friends! Yes, I am the Van Wyck Homestead but you can just call be VWH. I have been standing here on Route 9 for 280 years. Yup, I remember when it was the Kings Highway and British soldiers passed by at the time of the French and Indian War. I have seen a great deal of history. Around 1776 I became somewhat famous. I don’t like to brag but I had visits by many important people. There was George, Alexander, John, the Marquis and Israel. I was on a first name basis with all of them. Things quieted down after the war and I was proud to be an American.
I remember when Isaac was living here. He helped me do a makeover. There were new windows, doors, front porch and updating of my kitchen. I loved the time he was a member of the New York State Assembly and would travel north in his yellow carriage. I wonder what ever happened to it?
Through the 1800’s and into the 1900’s things were quiet and the road out front was then known as the Albany Post Road. I had a front-row seat when the twentieth century brought automobiles and pavement. I loved the Model T’s. I never could get a drivers license. Could you imagine if I had learned to drive . . . ‘look out, here I come’.
There were some tense moments in the 1960’s when new roads were being built and it was determined that I was in the way. Well, excuse me! You could always shift the road but I am irreplaceable. Sorry, I sometimes get a little carried away.
It is now 2012 and I am here at the intersection of Interstate 84 and Route 9. I wonder what George and Alexander would say if they could see me now.
I wanted to thank those of you who remembered me at Christmas. I was good looking all decked out in my holiday attire with my shining tree. What a thrill it was to find the many wrapped gifts under it. I was like a child.... for me??? wow! neat! There were too many things to mention but I wanted to thank you very much for remembering this old, but young in spirit, building.
By the way, Valentine’s Day is coming and I love to receive gifts. I can always use, supplies and gift cards but I do have difficulty with candy. Of course the Board members are always willing to help me with the chocolates.
So I will close with a humble thank you for all you have done for me.
Historically yours,
VWH
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Building and Grounds Moves Into 2012
By Cliff Foley, Building & Grounds Chairperson
As we look ahead to this year, there are a number of areas the Building & Grounds Committee needs to address. The windows in the 1732 kitchen are a top priority. Damage caused by squirrels in the past has left them in bad condition. We recently had a stainless steel wire cap installed over the chimney to prevent further “visits”. But the windows must be attended to.
The large outside Van Wyck Museum sign is in need of some restoration. Time and the elements have taken their toll. We are also looking at what needs to be done to maintain the floors in the building as well as the plaster walls.
We will be having the working fireplace and brick oven in the old kitchen inspected to ensure they are in good condition. In 2011 we were able to paint most of the exterior of the building and will be looking at painting some of the windows in the newer, 1750’s, section of the house this year.
Fund raisers, like the Quilt Raffle, have allowed us to build up our restoration fund. Donations designated for this ongoing work can be sent to the Fishkill Historical Society at anytime.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 5, 2012, when we will hold our spring cleanup day at the museum. Work is done both inside and outside to prepare the museum for the summer season. Everyone is welcome.
Historic Revolutionary War Era Apparel – 6 Week Sewing Classes
Learn to sew Historical Apparel for Revolutionary War re-enactors or museum docents ! ! !
Choose one of four 6 week courses which begin in February. Registration is required !
Registration Fee is $175.00 per person.
Tuesdays: 9 - 11 AM or 12 - 2 PM. Feb. 7th thru March 13th.
Wednesdays: 9 - 11AM or 12 - 2 PM. Feb. 8th thru March 14th.
Where: Needle Arts Guild – Historic Hudson Valley – 48 Fulton Avenue, Beacon, NY.
Registration: NeedleArtsGuildHHV@gmail.com or call (845) 549-3323.
Instructor Mary Ann Kronk will teach these four 6 week classes. Revolutionary War era apparel is her passion. Mary Ann makes and sells reproduction apparel for local Hudson Valley re-enactors and museum docents. This one-time course will give you the opportunity to make your own Period Costume for the 1700s. The course is designed for the beginner using period impressions patterns.
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A Tree Still Grows in Fishkill !
I recall that when I was young in the 1950s or 1960s, there was a best-selling book titled: “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, so I plagiarized the Title above as a lead in to this tree article:
On Monday evening, January 23rd, 2012, I received a phone call from Shirley "Trotsie" Mathews one of the founding members of the Fishkill Historical Society in 1962. She said that the Village of Fishkill was going to cut down a huge “Old Sycamore Tree” by the Village Firehouse that apparently was a sapling taking root during the Revolutionary War years – and that as President of the Fishkill Historical Society I should go see Mayor Miccio and file a protest on behalf of our FHS Members.
Based upon the size of this huge tree – I estimate the diameter to be about 6 feet wide – I’m going to state that (in my opinion) this tree is about 250 years old, in which case it would have been about 20 - 25 years old during the American Revolution. Therefore, whenever George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de LaFayette, John Jay, and other heroes of the Revolutionary War walked, or rode on horseback, along Main Street through the Village of Fishkill, they went past this tree that’s about 250 years old. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to cut the tree down, and count the rings in the tree's main trunk . . . and we do not want to do that !
I received another phone call first thing Tuesday morning, January 24th, advising me that in the 1980s, Village of Fishkill Mayor George Carter designated this 200 year-old tree to be a Village Landmark . . . or it was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites . . . or something to that effect. (I'm not sure if this is accuate information however). But the individual complained to me "How can they cut down such a beautiful old tree if it was designated a Landmark by Fishkill Mayor George Carter ?". (I suppose that if the tree was decayed and dying and beyond saving, Landmark or not, it would have to be taken down).
So about 9:30 AM Tuesday morning I drove into the Village of Fishkill, to reluctantly meet with Mayor James Miccio, and get information regarding why the tree was going to be cut down. One FHS Member, who had also called me Monday night, said that the Village was cutting the tree down to make “two additional parking spaces for the volunteer firemen next to the Village Firehouse”. Personally, I thought to myself: “that sounds preposterous . . . if they really need additional parking spaces, they can mark off 3 or 4 parking spaces along Church Street”.
As I drove into the Village, I saw a Tree Service crew cutting large branches off this huge tree. Thinking that they were in the process of cutting the tree down, I stopped immediately and took a couple of pictures - perhaps for this February Newsletter - or if it was being cut down, . . . as documentation of a Revolutionary War era tree that was cut down in January 2012. I identified myself as President of the Fishkill Historical Society and spoke with the person in charge and he said that they were NOT going to cut the tree down, that they were instructed to cut off the large “horizontal” branches and others that were dead - or rotting away - and were deemed "safety hazards".
I then went to the Van Wyck Village Hall in the Village of Fishkill to see Mayor Miccio, or whoever was available, and as I entered the Hall, I overheard a Village of Fishkill Board Trustee - Stephen LaDue - being interviewed by a Cablevision TV camerman.
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I heard him state that the Village's concerns are “Liability and Safety Issues” - if branches fall and damage parked cars or injure or kill someone. He stated that the Village was having the tree trimmed at this time, and the Mayor and Village Board will make a determination – based upon the Tree Service's evaluation and recommendation to the Village Board – on whether or not the tree needs to be cut down.
After the Trustee's interview, I introduced myself as President of the Fishkill Historical Society, and said that I was glad to hear Trustee LaDue state that the Village was in the process of trying to save the tree if it can be saved. I was also interviewed and essentially said that it would be a nice compromise if the dead branches on the tree could be cut off and the tree saved from having to be cut down. I said that I agreed with the Village Board's concerns about “Liability and Safety Issues” from falling dead branches in a wind storm.
I DID NOT state that I vividly recall in the 1970s, a young boy, about 10 years old, - riding his bike on Main Street – was killed when a large branch fell from a tree (or a tree fell) during a freak mini-tornado that whirled through the Village of Fishkill very briefly. He was killed right in front of Van Wyck Village Hall. So I can see why the Village would want to have the large dead branches removed from the “Old Sycamore Tree” for safety purposes.
I sent the above text out to FHS Members Tuesday afternoon via an E-Mail message, and within about two hours I received an E-Mail response from a member who lives in the State of Washington with an attachment about “Historic Trees in America”. I found it to be rather interesting – do a “Search” on the Internet: Historic Trees:List of Trees
In Pennsylvania, two “Old Sycamore Trees” are mentioned. One is at Brandywine battlefield (“LaFayette's Quarters”), and it’s about 320 years old; and the other is at Valley Forge National Historic Park – "near General LaFayette's Headquarters" estimated to be about 300 years old.
Since these two Sycamore Trees are over 300 years old, I'm inclined to think that the “Old Sycamore Tree” in the Village of Fishkill is about 250 years old ! So it would have been about 20 - 25 years old during the Revolutionary War years (1775 -1783). Oh, Hey - I just thought: LaFayette was here in Fishkill periodically during the American Revolution. Maybe we could claim that "LaFayette's Quarters" was located near this Sycamore Tree ! Or maybe say that George Washington tied his horse up to it's branches whenever he stopped to go into the Old Dutch Church ! (But as a “Historical Society”, I guess we should stick to “the Facts only” ! ! ! General Washington was never in the First Reformed Church, which was being used as a prison, during the Revolutionary War years . . . and LaFayette most certainly didn’t have a “Quarters” anywhere near this Sycamore Tree).
On Tuesday morning January 24th, while I was watching the Old Sycamore Tree's lower branches being cut off, someone said: "it's too close to the building". (As if that was a reason why it should be taken down). I also read in the Poughkeepsie Journal’s article entitled: “Giant Tree gets a ‘Stay’ “ that the owners of this old building (built in 1910 ?) “. . . modified a wall about 25 or 30 years ago to accommodate the tree. . . .”.
Well, DUH ! ! ! If this Sycamore Tree is 250 years old, . . . then it was about 150 years old when the building adjacent to it was built – I estimate around 1910 or so. Obviously when they built the back wall of this building it was constructed to within a foot or two of the tree. However, in the last 100 years or so this “Old Sycamore Tree” has grown and expanded another foot or two or three in diameter !
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After I sent out an E-Mail message to our FHS Members on my E-Mail list, regarding this Old Sycamore Tree’s “Stay of Execution”, I received the following E-Mail message:
Steve, I don't write often, but I wanted to thank you for e-mails like the one attached. I live in Fishkill but work in Manhattan, so I wouldn't have known this historic tree was imperiled if not for your notes. Thank you for your efforts to spare this tree, which certainly seems to have been around during the Revolutionary War. I also belong to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, so I support efforts such as yours to preserve historic landmarks. I agree that safety comes before any other concern – it would be tragic and needless if someone were killed by one of its falling branches – but like you, I want to see this tree saved if at all possible. People are too ready to cut down or bulldoze over sites of historic importance when they prove inconvenient for modern planners. I'm glad there are people like you who speak up for them!
I appreciate your efforts, and the enthusiastic, humorous way you keep us informed. (I remember A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, so the title of your last e-mail made me smile.)
Your e-mails are always interesting and informative, and usually packed with good photos.
Thanks and best regards, Marcia Mori
Another FHS Member was prompted to E-Mail me the following information:
Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 - July 30, 1918) was an American journalist, poet, literary critic, lecturer, and editor.Though a prolific poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his religious faith, Kilmer is remembered most for a short poem titled "Trees" (1913), which was published in his collection of poems: “Trees and Other Poems” in 1914.
At the time of his deployment to Europe during World War1 (1914 -1918), Joyce Kilmer was considered the leading American Catholic poet and lecturer of his generation. A sergeant in the 165th U.S. Infantry Regiment (better known as 'The Fighting 69th ' ), Kilmer was killed at the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 at the age of 31.
“Trees” by Joyce Kilmer:
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray.
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
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“Old Sycamore Tree” being trimmed on January 24, 2012.
There Are Two Sides to Every Story ! ! !
I attended Mayor James Miccio's Press Conference on Wednesday afternoon 1/25/2012 at 4:00 PM, . . . and, YES, the tree has received a temporary "Stay of Execution" . . . but I now see the Mayor's side of the story. A classic case of "there's two sides to every story" !
Village of Fishkill Mayor Miccio was VERY UPSET about personal attacks against him personally on Facebook and Twitter, and E-Mail regarding the Village Board's decision, at the last Village Board meeting, to have the Old Sycamore Tree cut down. People wrongly accused the mayor of "Misfeasance" and breaking the Law ! The Mayor stated something to the effect that he has no idea what “Misfeasance” is, but he’s definitely not guilty of it. The word the person should have used is “Malfeasance”, . . . but the Mayor isn’t guilty of that either.
Mayor Miccio emphatically stated that when he took the "Oath of Office" as Mayor of the Village of Fishkill, he promised to "Uphold the United States Constitution and the Laws of the Village of Fishkill" . . . and he has never done anything that should be construed as "Malfeasance".
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He stated that "Misinformation" was all over the Facebook and E-Mail correspondence ! NO - the Village does NOT want to have the tree removed to obtain two extra parking spaces for Volunteer Firemen ! (Editor’s Note: Did you ever play "telephone" and verbally tell a message from one person to another, and another, etc. . . . after only 5 or 6 people, the original message is totally inaccurate !).
Mayor Miccio said that he firmly believes in a Democracy, but what he witnessed this past week, was "Mob Anarchy" !
Mayor Miccio stated that he and the Village of Fishkill Board have basically two things to follow:
- Fiscal Responsibility to the residents of the Village of Fishkill, and
- Health and Safety of the residents and visitors in the Village.
Questions arose over the past few months about the "Safety" of the “Old Sycamore Tree” -branches have fallen damaging cars in the parking lot, and damaging one or two other things - fortunately no one has been injured. The Mayor cited the case in which a falling tree - or large tree branch (I don't recall) - fell and killed a young boy in the 1970s, and Mayor Miccio said something to the effect: "I don't want someone's injury or death to occur while I'm Mayor of Fishkill because I failed to take appropriate action".
A Tree Service company that has been doing Trimming work for the Village was asked to evaluate the Sycamore Tree, and their report was that it had too many weak / dead branches and it needed to be cut down. So . . . reluctantly . . . the Village of Fishkill Board voted at their January 2012 meeting to appropriate funds to have the tree cut down. . . . .
Then, suddenly, (Friday, January 20th I believe), the Mayor and the Board received a "second opinion" from another Tree Service company who apparently thought that the Village of Fishkill Board had asked for their evaluation. The Village Board did NOT request this "second opinion".
Mayor Miccio stated that due to the Press coverage and the protestors on Monday, he made an "Executive Decision" Monday night to rescind the order to have the Tree cut down on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012, and instead - to have the large dead branches removed for "safety reasons". The Village Board will need to re-evaluate the condition of the Old Sycamore Tree at their next Board meeting in February.
He stated that the Village has a Budget of only $5,000 per year for trimming and / or planting new trees in the Village. Last year, in addition to necessary tree-trimming, 12 new trees were planted in the Village. Apparently, the work to cut off the dead branches on this one Sycamore Tree will use up a sizeable amount of the 2012 tree-trimming budget.
The Mayor was obviously very upset about the personal attacks against him personally on Facebook, and after making his speech, he did NOT hold a question and answer period, – he simply thanked everyone for their attention and walked back to his office.
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I can see the Mayor's and the Village Board's concerns about "safety" . . . especially in a wind storm, a large branch could break off and fall and kill someone ! . . . so the largest branches have been cut off this “Old Sycamore Tree”.
Hopefully this tree, which I understand is the oldest tree in the Village of Fishkill, will be given a “clean bill of health” after having been trimmed, and will remain in place and live to be 300 years old – or longer – like the two “Old Sycamore Trees” in Pennsylvania.
The two twin trunks of this huge “Old Sycamore Tree” merge
into one solid tree trunk for the bottom 10 feet. (See page 8).
This photo was taken on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012.
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In 1895, a large Walnut Tree, located near the Van Wyck Homestead, alongside the
Albany Post Road, fell down during a windstorm. It had been rumored to have been used as “The Old Whipping Tree” during the Revolutionary War years (110 -115 years earlier) to discipline soldiers who were stationed at the Fishkill Supply Depot (1776 - 1783).
Next month’s FHS Newsletter will have a photo and a neat story about this old historic tree.
Steve Lynch
Newsletter Editor / Fishkill Historical Society President
(845) 896-8755 AskLynch@Yahoo.com
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