Briarcliff Manor Public Library

Last updated

Briarcliff Manor Public Library
Briarcliff Manor Public Library.png
Library and community center from Library Road
Briarcliff Manor Public Library
41°8′47.8″N73°49′27.8″W / 41.146611°N 73.824389°W / 41.146611; -73.824389
Location Briarcliff Manor, New York
TypeMunicipal Public Library
Established1914 [1] :61
Collection
Size40,000 [2]
Access and use
Circulation110,336 [2]
Population served7,867 [3]
Other information
Budget$661,609 [4]
DirectorDonna Pesce [2]
Employees11 (5.21 FTE) [4]
Website Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Location in Briarcliff Manor

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is the public library serving the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York, and is located on the edge of the Walter W. Law Memorial Park. The library is a founding member of the Westchester Library System. It is staffed by a director and eleven employees, including reference and youth librarians, and is governed by a ten-member board, with a liaison to the village board of trustees. The library offers computer classes, book discussion groups, young adult programs, a children's room and a local history collection. The library building also houses the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society, the Briarcliff Manor Recreation Department, and the William J. Vescio Community Center.

Contents

The library was founded in 1914 in the Briarcliff Community Center. Around 1921, the library was established as the Briarcliff Free Library, an association library within the New York State library system. From the building's destruction in 1929 and over the next thirty years, the library was without a permanent location, and was moved between sites, including public school buildings and the village recreation center. In 1959, the library purchased the former Briarcliff Manor station of the New York and Putnam Railroad, which had been ordered and funded by Briarcliff Manor founder Walter Law in 1906. In 1964, the association library became a public library and adopted its current name. In 1981, the trackbed which ran alongside the building became part of a 48-mile-long (77-kilometre) rail trail, consisting of the South County, North County, and Putnam County Trailways. The biking, running, and walking trail stretches from the Bronx north to Brewster. After library renovations in the 1980s and 1990s, a significant expansion was completed in 2009, adding the section in which the library is housed today. In 2016, the village's community center opened in the original portion of the building.

History

Amy Bookwalter AmyBookwalter.jpg
Amy Bookwalter

A public library was founded by Edward S. Arnold in 1914 within the Briarcliff Community Center (also referred to as "the Club"). The Community Center's building had been built as a Briarcliff Manor public school in 1898. [1] :61 In the library's early years, it did not have a librarian or regular library hours. The library was significantly affected by World War I, as all volunteer efforts were refocused to aid the country's war effort. By 1921, the library was described as "practically moribund" [5] :6 though progress resumed in 1921 largely due to the efforts of Amy Bookwalter, [6] who in that year became the first president of the library. Bookwalter was credited with reopening the library and officially establishing it as the Briarcliff Free Library on March 8, 1921. [6] She was largely unassisted in these efforts. [5] :6 On September 1, 1922, the club's library funds were transferred to the Library Committee of the Briarcliff Free Library. [6] The library was registered with the New York state library system on September 22 of that year [1] :61 and an eight-member board of trustees was appointed. A paid part-time librarian alongside volunteers operated the circulation desk and created the library's card catalog. [5] :6 (Until 1955, there was only one paid librarian among a staff of volunteers. [5] :10)

In 1925, the village government donated US$500 ($8,700 today) [19] to the library and established an annual appropriation for it. [5] :7 At that time, it had 1,900 volumes, which became 3,000 by 1926, 6,000 by 1939, [6] and 8,000 by 1952. [1] :62 By 1988, the library's collections had grown to 25,000; [7] :151 its current collections contain 40,000 volumes. [2]

Briarcliff Manor Public Library
Interactive map highlighting historical and current locations

In its early years, the library received book donations from the village Sunday school and the club. [6] In July 1928, the library moved from the Community Center building [nb 2] to the tower room of the former Briarcliff Farms office building, currently a branch of the International Union of Operating Engineers. [6] The Community Center building was sold in October 1929 for $16,000; these funds were required to be used for recreational purposes. Thus, the organization gave $11,000 to the village for the construction of the Law Memorial Park pool, and $5,000 to the library. Upon the building's sale and the club's dissolution, the library was reconstituted as an association library with a 15-member board of trustees. [5] :9

The librarians sought a larger and more centrally-located space than the Briarcliff Farms building. On March 18, 1930, after invitation from the Briarcliff school district's Board of Education, the library was relocated again. It moved to a large room on the main floor of Briarcliff High School's extension to its Law Park school building. [6] In August 1949, the school required more classroom space, so the Board of Education asked the library to relocate. The village board then provided the library with two rooms on the second floor of its recreation building near the village downtown on Old Route 100 (then part of NY Route 100). [5] :8,9 From the beginning, the recreation center rooms were too small to hold the library's collection (only holding about 7,000 of its 8,500 books), [5] :9 had insufficient room for tables and chairs, and no space for exhibits or displays. As well, the area was busy with traffic, due to its location at the intersection of two highways. [20] It was also far from the village's public school buildings and had no sidewalks nearby, making it poorly-accessible and hazardous for children to visit. [5] :8 [21]

One referendum proposal was to build a $50,000 library on the site of a proposed addition to Todd Elementary School. Prior to the referendum, at a school district meeting, concern was raised over the proposed location, given that it would legally be only temporary and was not centrally located in the village. The proposed building would be 1,400 square feet (130 m2) as opposed to their present 750 square feet (70 m2). [22] On March 18, 1952, the New York State Board of Regents granted the library a provisional charter. [1] :88

Current location

On January 19, 1959, the library moved to its fifth location and first permanent home, [20] the former Briarcliff Manor station originally on the New York City & Northern Railroad (later the New York and Putnam Railroad). [23] The station had been built in 1906 by village founder Walter W. Law in the Tudor Revival style, [23] :35 as a replacement for a smaller station, which was moved to nearby Millwood. [7] :39,76 In its later operation as a station, the building was rarely used, and only four trains stopped there each day. Due to the railroad's tracks ending in the Bronx and requiring a transfer to continue on to Manhattan, many Briarcliff Manor residents would drive to Pleasantville or Scarborough, which had stations along lines ending in Manhattan, and more trains ran along those lines. [20] The passenger railroad, then known as the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad, discontinued service in 1958, [24] freeing up use of the building for the library.

With closer proximity to schools, more parking, and double the availability of shelf space, the village purchased the former station for $12,500 ($125,500 today) [19] [25] and leased the building and its acre of land to the library. [21] The library required $20,500 ($205,800 today) [19] for purchasing and renovating the building; it raised $14,000 ($140,500 today) [19] from village residents, with the remainder funded by the village board. On April 19, 1959, the refurbished building was dedicated and the village board named the street that led to the library Library Road. [5] :12 With its own space, the library increased its collection, hired more staff, and doubled its operating hours. [5] :12 Also in 1959, the library received its absolute charter, and transferred the charter in 1964 from a free library association to a fully tax-supported public library [5] :13 and thus changed its name from the Briarcliff Free Library to the Briarcliff Manor Public Library. [25]

Circulation desk in the former station Briarcliff library pre-2004 01.jpg
Circulation desk in the former station
Constructing the library extension, June 2008 Briarcliff library expansion 21.jpg
Constructing the library extension, June 2008

In 1963, Briarcliff resident and artist Myril Adler proposed a series of exhibits of graphic art; the first showing was in October of that year and recurred each month thereafter, each with Sunday opening receptions. Exhibitors included Adler, Michael Ponce de Leon, Seong Moy, Rodolfo Abularach, Fritz Eichenberg, Jacob Landau, George Earl Ortman, Minna Citron, and Alfredo Da Silva. Exhibited works included etchings and engravings, woodcuts, cellocuts, lithographs, collage intaglios, and serigraphs. As a result of these exhibits, the library began a collection of prints donated by the exhibiting artists. In the library's small space, Adler displayed prints between shelves and in the youth and children's reading rooms. [26]

The library, which was 3,200 square feet (300 m2), was too small for readers and events; other significant problems included no wireless capacity and poor shelving and lighting. [27] In 1980, a large interior renovation took place; former mayor Chester L. Fisher and his wife led a fundraising effort, [28] raising $50,072 ($177,800 today). [19] [29] Construction started in March 1980 and included interior painting, new shelves, cabinets, and carpeting for the main room, a mezzanine on the south side, a relocated checkout desk and remodeled children's room, and a vestibule in the main entrance designed to match the original building. [28] [29] [30] In 1981, the first section of the Putnam Division trackbed was repurposed as a trailway; the section ran from the library south to New York Route 117. The current 48-mile biking, running, and walking trail was completed in 2014, and consists of the South County, North County, and Putnam County Trailways. It stretches from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx north to Brewster. [31] [32] In 1985, the library and the Briarcliff Lodge were among 60 sites given historical markers by Westchester County Tricentennial Commission. [33] In 1995, village residents held a referendum for a new $1.8 million library of 10,600 square feet (980 m2) to be built behind the village municipal building; it failed by 13 votes, from the 871 cast. A 1996 proposal for a smaller building, costing $1.7 million, was rejected by 199 votes. [34] From 1997 to 1999, major renovations took place on the building's interior and exterior. [25]

In the early 2000s, plans began for expansion of the library building. A modular building was set up in 2004 as a temporary children's room. In November 2006, a $4 million bond resolution ($5.81 million today) [19] for the addition passed by 228 votes, from the 2,632 cast. [34] Construction of the two-story 6,600-square-foot (610-square-metre) addition began in summer 2007 and was completed on February 19, 2009. [35] [25] The Club at Briarcliff Manor pledged 2.25 million for the renovation and sponsored its opening celebration on March 8, 2009. [36] The original station building was renovated to become a village community center in 2016. [37] The plans were in development since as early as 2013 [37] and the finished project held a cost of $1.8 million. [38] On May 30, 2016, Mayor Lori Sullivan and former mayor William J. Vescio presided [39] over the center's opening and dedication to Vescio. [40] [nb 3]

Location and architecture

The half-timber and stucco train station, 1952. This facade was demolished in 2008. Briarcliff Manor station 1952 02.jpg
The half-timber and stucco train station, 1952. This facade was demolished in 2008.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is located on the eastern edge of the Walter W. Law Memorial Park on Library Road, [3] and has a large parking lot accessible from Library Road. [35] :70 The site is near the library's first and third locations and borders the pool that was constructed using funds from the sale of the Community Center. [5] :12 The current structure consists of the 1.5-story former train station on the south end and the two-story extension on the north side. [34]

Station building

Briarcliff Manor station, 1952 Briarcliff Manor station 1952.jpg
Briarcliff Manor station, 1952
The 1906 station's original decor Briarcliff Manor station interior.png
The 1906 station's original decor

The original building's exterior was designed in an English Tudor Revival style, [23] :35 [42] which The New York Times observed as "pseudo-medieval". [43] It features multiple gables, arcs of red-painted wood, and a gently-sloping portico. [44] When active as a train station, the timbering was painted a shade of green used for other New York Central stations. [45] When the library moved in, it spent $1,000 to repaint and clean the outside timbers and stucco. [42]

The original building's interior initially had dark wood panels [20] and was decorated with flowers, oriental rugs on the terrazzo floor, and tables and chairs in the Mission style. [23] :35 [45] In 1959, when the library moved in, local architect and village resident William Anders Sharman planned the building's $2,000 renovation; [5] :12 [20] he later became the first president of the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society. [46] The station's circular ticket office was replaced by the librarian's desk, bookshelves replaced station furniture, [42] and the baggage room became the children's section. [44] Former library president Theodore R. Malsin dedicated the children's room in memory of his son Donald. [5] :12 From 1959 until 2009, the building housed a main reading room and children's room; a vestibule and second-story balcony were added in 1980. [28] [29] [30]

The community center, opening in 2016 in the same space, was designed by architectural firm Peter F. Gaito & Associates. [47] It holds a meeting room and kitchen on the first floor and an oculus opening on the full-length second floor, which is intended for presentations, exhibits, reading, studying, and computer usage. [48] The community center also has a backup generator for use as an emergency broadcast and a warming and cooling center. [39] It can hold 80 people on its first floor and 110 on its second, and has movable furniture and a large television on each floor to accommodate a variety of programming. [49]

Extension

The building's extension has the same half-timber and stucco exterior as the original structure, [50] also complementing the Law Park pavilion to form one complex. The extension houses an elevator between the basement and two above-ground floors. The first floor has a circulation desk of cherry- and caramel-stained wood with a granite countertop. It was sold to the library by craftsman and village resident Leonard Rerek at a significant discount. The first floor also includes a teen center with computers and a breakout room, as well as a children's room with its own breakout room. The second floor holds the adult fiction, non-fiction, and reference collections, as well as four computers, library offices, and a partitionable program room seating up to 80 people. [36] The extension's interior was designed by architect, village resident, and library board member Catherine Bukard. [34] The exterior was designed by Lothrop Associates. [50]

Robert Wilson Crandall, namesake of the Crandall Room and president of the library board in the 1960s, helped endow the library's capital campaign. [34] The children's room was named in memory of Juliette Wasserman, and was endowed by the Juliette Wasserman Children's Foundation. [34]

Operations

Briarcliff Manor Public Library interior 20.png
Briarcliff Manor Public Library interior 19.png
Circulation desk and program room in the library extension

The library is chartered as a Municipal Public Library, serving residents of the village of Briarcliff Manor. The western portion of the village, in the Ossining Union Free School District, is also served by the Ossining Public Library. The Ossining library, as a School District Public Library, includes the entire school district as its service area. [51]

The Briarcliff library is open seven days per week, except in August when it is closed each Sunday. [52] The library hosts four computer workstations and eight laptops, and has its own WiFi network. [53] There are eleven staff members, including reference and youth librarians. The library employs an equivalent of 5.21 full-time employees, as most staff work part-time. The library is governed by a ten-member board, with a liaison to the village board. [2] Services include computer classes, book discussion groups, young adult programs, a children's room, and a local history collection. Library spending constitutes about four percent of the village budget. [35] Community members support the library through the Friends of the Briarcliff Manor Public Library organization. [1] :62 [54] The organization's volunteers have helped shelve, repair, and check out books, provided art shows, sponsored adult discussion groups, and participated in all of the library's fundraising campaigns. [5] :15

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is a member of the Westchester Library System, the 38-member library system for Westchester County. [35] :69 Around 1940, the library was integrated with the Union Catalog of the Westchester Library Association, [5] :10 and it became one of the founding 31 members of the Westchester Library System in 1958. [5] :13

Organizations

The library houses the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society and the Briarcliff Manor Recreation Department Library Sign in Briarcliff Manor.png
The library houses the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society and the Briarcliff Manor Recreation Department

Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society

The Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society (BMSHS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization committed to local preservation, research, and education. In March 1974, after the village mayor appointed twelve people for a 75th anniversary committee, the committee began by forming the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society, which received its provisional charter around that time. [55] The historical society published an updated village history (A Village Between Two Rivers: Briarcliff Manor) in 1977, marking the 75th anniversary of the village. The organization has since published several books, including a comprehensive history of the village. The publication, The Changing Landscape, a History of Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough, was written by Mary Cheever, wife of novelist John Cheever. [56] In 2016, the society and village government created and dedicated a memorial to Medal of Honor recipient John Koelsch at Law Memorial Park. [57] [58]

The historical society was initially located at the Law Park school building; it later moved to the second floor of a realty building on Pleasantville Road, and then moved back to the school building after the building was leased by Pace University, [7] :195 occupying that space for eight years. In September 1982, the society moved to the Weber-Tufts building at 1123 Pleasantville Road. [59] On March 21, 2010, the BMSHS was given a permanent location at the Eileen O'Connor Weber Historical Center in the library building, established as part of the library's expansion. [56] The current president, Karen Smith, heads a board of trustees, members of which have three-year terms with a required one-year recess between terms. [60]

Members of the historical society joined the nine-member Centennial Committee in 2002 to organize events for Briarcliff Manor's centennial. [61] The Centennial Committee and BMSHS helped organize several events for the village's 2002 centennial celebration, including the Briarcliff Centennial Variety Show held at the Briarcliff High School auditorium in a sold-out two-night run on April 26–27, 2002. [62] The two-act show consisted of interpretations of village life by village organizations and a revue of Briarcliff Manor history in skits and songs. [61] Other society-sponsored events have included tours of homes and churches, bus tours, Hudson River cruises on historic boats such as the M/V Commander (built in 1917 and listed on the national and state registers of historic places), dances, antique-car exhibits, day trips to historic points of interest, film and art exhibits and events with authors and elected officials. [56]

Briarcliff Manor Recreation Department

The library houses the village's recreation department, which has four employees and a six-member advisory committee, and provides recreation programming for the village. [63] This includes regular programs and special events at the pool, parks, and sports fields and courts. [1] :60,80 It issues about 1,400 pool permits annually and manages about 400 summer camp registrations each year. [64] The department has operated the recreation center on Macy Road since 1980, and also runs a youth center on Van Lu Van Road. [65] Its 2017–18 operating budget is $1,432,116. [4]

The department had its origins in a recreation committee formed in 1943. The first recreation center opened that year at the village's public works building. [1] :1,80 In 1952, among the programs held were movies, music, square dances, arts and crafts, and lessons in swimming, tennis, golf, and archery. [1] :80

See also

Notes

  1. From 1921 to 1955 there was only one paid librarian among a volunteer staff. [5] :10
  2. The Community Center building had been sold to the Westchester Parkway Commission and was to be demolished to create a ramp to the new Briarcliff-Peekskill Parkway, [5] :8 however the building burned down shortly after its sale, in 1929. [1] :61
  3. Vescio, a village resident since about 1973, had served on the village board for 29 years, including eleven as trustee and ten as mayor. Vescio oversaw construction of the library and community center, and of a new water supply system for the village. [41]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briarcliff Manor, New York</span> Village in New York (state), US

Briarcliff Manor is a suburban village in Westchester County, New York, 30 miles (50 km) north of New York City. It is on 5.9 square miles (15 km2) of land on the east bank of the Hudson River, geographically shared by the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining. Briarcliff Manor includes the communities of Scarborough and Chilmark, and is served by the Scarborough station of the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line. A section of the village, including buildings and homes covering 376 acres (152 ha), is part of the Scarborough Historic District and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The village motto is "A village between two rivers", reflecting Briarcliff Manor's location between the Hudson and Pocantico Rivers. Although the Pocantico is the primary boundary between Mount Pleasant and Ossining, since its incorporation the village has spread into Mount Pleasant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Pleasant, New York</span> Town in New York, United States

Mount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 44,436. The hamlets of Valhalla, Hawthorne, Pocantico Hills, and Thornwood, and the villages of Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow, and a small portion of Briarcliff Manor lie within the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossining (village), New York</span> Village in the United States

Ossining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population at the 2020 United States census was 27,551, an increase from 25,060 at the 2010 census. As a village, it is located in the town of Ossining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossining, New York</span> Town in New York, United States

Ossining is a town located along the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York. The population was 40,061 at the time of the 2020 census. It contains two villages, the Village of Ossining and part of Briarcliff Manor, the rest of which is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant. Ossining is the location of Sing Sing maximum-security prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough station (Metro-North)</span> Metro-North Railroad station in New York

Scarborough station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, located in the Scarborough area of Briarcliff Manor, New York. Trains leave for New York City every hour on weekdays, and about every 25 minutes during rush hour. It is 28.7 miles (46.2 km) from Grand Central Terminal, and the trip there takes about 50 minutes. Trains of electric multiple units serve the station. The Scarborough station is within walking distance of most houses in the neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briarcliff College</span> Former college in Briarcliff Manor, New York

Briarcliff College was a women's college in Briarcliff Manor, New York. The school was founded as Mrs. Dow's School for Girls in 1903 at the Briarcliff Lodge. After Walter W. Law donated land and a building for the college, it operated at its location at 235 Elm Road in Briarcliff until 1977; closing due to low enrollment and financial problems. Pace University subsequently operated it as part of its Pleasantville campus from 1977 to 2015. In an effort to consolidate its campuses, Pace University sold the campus in 2017 to the Research Center on Natural Conservation, a host of conferences relating to global warming and conservation. The campus was again sold in 2021, to a Viznitz Yeshiva congregation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmino Ravosa</span> American composer and lyricist, singer, pianist

Carmino Ravosa was an American composer and lyricist, singer, pianist, as well as a producer, director, and musical historian. Ravosa, who wrote music for children for decades, was one of the most popular songwriters for schools in America. He was an author and editor for Silver Burdett & Ginn's music textbook series "World of Music" and "The Music Connection", and the composer of the theme musicals in the two series. Ravosa also was the songwriter for the CBS children's shows Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room, the PBS program Shining Time Station, and the PBS publication Sesame Street Magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossining High School</span> Comprehensive public high school in the United States

Ossining High School (OHS) is a comprehensive public high school located in Ossining, New York, United States, along the Hudson River in northern Westchester County, New York. Serving grades 9 through 12, it is the sole high school within the Ossining Union Free School District. The school serves the entirety of the village of Ossining, portions of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, Town of Ossining, and Town of New Castle, as well as a very small southern portion of the Town of Yorktown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough Day School</span> Private school in Briarcliff Manor, New York, United States

The Scarborough Day School was a private school in Scarborough-on-Hudson, in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Frank and Narcissa Cox Vanderlip established the school in 1913 at their estate, Beechwood. The school, a nonsectarian nonprofit college preparatory day school, taught students at pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade levels and had small class sizes, with total enrollment rarely exceeding 150 students. Since 1980, the buildings and property have been owned by The Clear View School Day Treatment Center, which runs a day treatment program for 118 students. The current school still uses the Scarborough School's theater, which was opened in 1917. The school campus is a contributing property to the Scarborough Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

The Scarborough Historic District is a national historic district located in the suburban community of Scarborough-on-Hudson, in Briarcliff Manor, New York. The 376-acre (152 ha) district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and contains seven historically and architecturally significant properties dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Most of the properties are domestic, or used for education or religion. The most common architectural styles within the district are Mid-19th Century Revival and Late Victorian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter W. Law</span> English businessman and the founder of Briarcliff Manor, New York

Walter William Law was a businessman and the founder of the 8,000-person village of Briarcliff Manor, New York. He was a vice president of furniture and carpet retailer W. & J. Sloane, and later founded the Briarcliff Lodge, the Briarcliff Table Water Company, Briarcliff Farms, and the Briarcliff Greenhouses. He founded or assisted in establishing several schools, churches, and parks in the village, and rebuilt its train station in 1906. In the early 1900s, Walter Law was the largest individual landholder in Westchester County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briarcliff Manor Fire Department</span> Village volunteer fire department

The Briarcliff Manor Fire Department (BMFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York and its hamlet Scarborough. The volunteer fire department also serves unincorporated areas of Ossining and Mount Pleasant. The fire department has three fire companies, two stations, and four fire engines. Its engines include three pumpers and a tower-ladder; the department also maintains other vehicles, including a heavy rescue vehicle. The Briarcliff Manor Fire Department Ambulance Corps provides emergency medical transport with two ambulances. The fire department is headquartered at the Briarcliff Manor Village Hall, with its other station in Scarborough, on Scarborough Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briarcliff Lodge</span> Luxury resort in the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York

The Briarcliff Lodge was a luxury resort in the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York. It was a notable example of Tudor Revival architecture, and was one of the largest wooden structures in the United States. It was also the first hotel in Westchester County. Walter William Law had it built on his estate, and the Law family owned it until 1937. When the lodge opened in 1902, it was one of the largest resort hotels in the world. The lodge hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities, and was the scene of numerous memorable occasions for visitors and local residents who attended weddings, receptions, and dances in the ballroom and dining room. For a long time, the lodge was situated among other businesses of Walter Law, including the Briarcliff Farms and Briarcliff Table Water Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District</span> School district in Briarcliff Manor, New York

The Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District is the public school district of Briarcliff Manor, New York. The district is an independent public entity, and is governed by the district Board of Education, whose members are elected in non-partisan elections for staggered, three-year terms. The board selects a superintendent, who is the district's chief administrative official. The district's offices are located in Todd Elementary School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Briarcliff Manor</span> Past events in the New York village

The history of Briarcliff Manor, a village in the county of Westchester, New York, can be traced back to the founding of a settlement between the Hudson and Pocantico Rivers in the 19th century. The area now known as Briarcliff Manor had seen human occupation since at least the Archaic period, but significant growth in the settlements that are now incorporated into the village did not occur until the Industrial Revolution. The village, which was incorporated with one square mile in 1902, has expanded primarily through annexation: of Scarborough in 1906 and from the town of Mount Pleasant in 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archville, New York</span> Hamlet in New York, United States

Archville is a hamlet in Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The hamlet consists of residences, businesses, and a fire station on Union Street, Arch Hill, and Requa Street, all abutting U.S. Route 9. Directly across Route 9 lies Rockwood Hall, part of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. The volunteer Archville Fire Department serves the hamlet and surrounding area, from the Hudson River to Pocantico Lake and from the edge of Briarcliff Manor to the edge of Sleepy Hollow.

The history of Briarcliff Manor, a village in Westchester County, New York, can be traced back to the founding of a settlement between the Hudson and Pocantico Rivers in the 19th century. The area now known as Briarcliff Manor had seen human occupation since at least the Archaic period, but significant growth in the settlements that are now incorporated into the village did not occur until the Industrial Revolution. The village, which was incorporated with one square mile in 1902, has expanded primarily through annexation: of Scarborough in 1906 and from the town of Mount Pleasant in 1927 to its current area of 6.7 square miles (17 km2). The village has also grown in population; from 331 when established to 7,867 in the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trump National Golf Club Westchester</span> Private golf club in Briarcliff Manor, New York

Trump National Golf Club Westchester is a private golf club in Briarcliff Manor, New York. The 140-acre (57 ha) course has eighteen holes, with a 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) clubhouse. Founded in 1922 as Briarcliff Country Club, it later operated as Briar Hills Country Club and Briar Hall Golf and Country Club. Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, purchased the property in 1996 and renamed the club after its county, Westchester, in a similar manner to his other golf properties. He had the clubhouse and course rebuilt for its 2002 reopening; the course was designed by Jim Fazio. Donald Trump served as president over Trump National Golf Club LLC from August 2000 until January 19, 2017, the day before his inauguration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossining Public Library</span>

The Ossining Public Library (OPL) is a public library in serving the village of Ossining, New York. The library serves Ossining's school district, including the town of Ossining and neighboring areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First American International Road Race</span> Stock car race in New York in 1908

The First American International Road Race, informally known as the Briarcliff Trophy Race, was a stock car race in Westchester County, New York, in April 1908. The race was sponsored by and centered around the village of Briarcliff Manor. The race was the first automobile race in Westchester and the first international stock car race in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Our Village: Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 1902 to 1952 . Historical Committee of the Semi–Centennial. 1952. LCCN   83238400. OCLC   24569093.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Briarcliff Manor Public Library Annual Report: Fiscal Year June 1, 2017- May 31, 2018" (PDF). Briarcliff Manor Public Library. March 13, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Briarcliff Manor Public Library". Libraries.org. Library Technology Guides. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Village of Briarcliff Manor Adopted Budget 2017/2018" (PDF). Village of Briarcliff Manor. March 31, 2017. pp. 3, 105. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Reibel, Jane Doniger (May 10, 1965). Briarcliff Manor's Community Library: A Fifty Year History. American Libraries via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pattison, Robert (1939). A History of Briarcliff Manor . William Rayburn. p. 17. OCLC   39333547.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cheever, Mary (1990). The Changing Landscape: A History of Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough. West Kennebunk, Maine: Phoenix Publishing. ISBN   0-914659-49-9. LCCN   90045613. OCLC   22274920. OL   1884671M.
  8. "Fiancee". Brooklyn Eagle . November 7, 1943. p. 17. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  9. Bruttell, Nathan (June 26, 2012). "Ossining Librarians Leave Lasting Legacy". Ossining Daily Voice. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  10. Biro, Ruth G. (2014). "Review Article: The Vanished Ghosts in Two Hungarian Family Memoirs. Farkas, Charles. 2013. Vanished by the Danube and Barlay, Nick. 2013. Scattered Ghosts."". Hungarian Cultural Studies. American Hungarian Educators Association, University of Pittsburgh. 7: 13. doi: 10.5195/ahea.2014.142 .
  11. "Past Event: Book Launch and Cocktail Reception - Charles Farkas - Vanished by the Danube". Embassy of Hungary, Washington D.C. October 30, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  12. "New Briarcliff Library Director Knows Her P's and Q's". The Gazette. April 17–23, 1997.
  13. Nackman, Barbara (December 20, 2010). "Briarcliff Librarian Bids Adieu". Northern Westchester Lohud. The Journal News. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  14. "Fish Library has Joined the Mid-Hudson System" (PDF). Brewster Standard. Vol. 107, no. 38. April 2, 1981. p. 6. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  15. Studley, Sarah (September 22, 2011). "Library Director Settles into New Role". Pleasantville Patch. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  16. 1 2 Zegarelli, Philip E. (December 2, 2016). "Village Manager's Report - 2 December 2016". Village of Briarcliff Manor. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  17. "About the Library: Library Staff". Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  18. Nackman, Barbara (June 24, 2011). "Party Today at Briarcliff Library". Northern Westchester Lohud. The Journal News. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tiny Rail Station Losing Loneliness". The New York Times . November 17, 1957. p. 123 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  21. 1 2 After 44 years - A spacious, economical, convenient new home for the Briarcliff Free Library. Briarcliff Manor, New York: Briarcliff Free Library, Inc. 1958 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  22. "Todd School Library Site Urged". The Reporter Dispatch. April 14, 1955 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Yasinsac, Robert (2004). Images of America: Briarcliff Lodge. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7385-3620-0. LCCN   2004104493. OCLC   57480785. OL   3314243M.
  24. Folsom, Merrill (May 30, 1958). "The Wheels of 'Old Put' Click Out a Sad Accompaniment to Riders' 'Auld Lang Syne'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "About the Library – Library History". Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  26. "Graphic Art: From A Rail Station". The Reporter Dispatch. November 24, 1964 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  27. Brenner, Elsa (June 5, 2005). "Communities; Library Gets a Choice: Grow or Shut Down". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  28. 1 2 3 "Manor Residents Celebrate Public Library Renovation (with photographs)". Ossining Citizen Register. Gannett Westchester Newspapers. May 20, 1981.
  29. 1 2 3 Roseblum, Elise (April 25, 1980). "Library Stays Open through Renovations". Ossining Citizen Register. Gannett Westchester Newspapers.
  30. 1 2 "Manor Closing Youth Library". Ossining Citizen Register. Gannett Westchester Newspapers. February 3, 1980.
  31. "Astorino Joined by three Former County Execs at Completed Trailway". Westchester County. April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  32. Valenti, Ken (August 28, 2014). "Bike trails' last gap between Bronx and Putnam to be filled". The Journal News . Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  33. "Westchester Sites to Receive Historical Markers". Ossining Citizen Register. Gannett Westchester Newspapers. March 28, 1985.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Briarcliff Dedicates Community Center/Library Addition". The Gazette. Vol. 26, no. 11. Gary J. Cahill. March 12–18, 2009. pp. 1, 4 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  35. 1 2 3 4 "Comprehensive Plan – Village of Briarcliff Manor" (PDF). Village of Briarcliff Manor. November 2007. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  36. 1 2 Charney, Stacey (2009). "Briarcliff Manor Library Addition/Community Center 'a Collaboration' of Effort". The Gazette. Gary J. Cahill. pp. 6, 10 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  37. 1 2 Moorhead-Lins, Parry (July 27, 2013). "The New Briarcliff Manor Community Center". River Journal. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  38. Bennett, Kate (October 16, 2015). "Coming to a Village Near You ... Briarcliff's Projects Looking Good". River Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  39. 1 2 "Briarcliff Dedicates New Community Center". The Gazette. Vol. 33, no. 22. Gary J. Cahill. June 2–8, 2016. p. 3.
  40. "Community Center Dedication Tops Village Manager's Report". Briarcliff Daily Voice. May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  41. Moorhead-Lins, Parry (February 20, 2015). "Briarcliff Bids Farewell to Mayor William Vescio". River Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  42. 1 2 3 Folsom, Merrill (January 19, 1959). "Library Moves in at Old Rail Depot". The New York Times. p. 29 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  43. Flanagan, Sue Morris (September 21, 1986). "When a Railroad Station's the Final Stop". The New York Times.
  44. 1 2 Greiner, Ann (September 1981). "Updated Depots: Someone's in the station–it's diners". V. F. Briarcliff Manor via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  45. 1 2 "Old Station House is Manor Library". Ossining Citizen Register. Gannett Westchester Newspapers. August 14, 1970.
  46. "2015 Spring Newsletter" (PDF). Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society. 2015. p. 1. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  47. "William J. Vescio Community Center". Peter F. Gaito & Associates. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  48. Fox, Sandra Diamond (December 1, 2015). "Briarcliff Community Center At Law Memorial Park Nears Completion". Briarcliff Daily Voice. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  49. Bonvento, Robert (August 5, 2016). "In Briarcliff Manor…A Complete Community Center". River Journal. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  50. 1 2 Brenner, Elsa (September 5, 2008). "Library's Size Will More Than Triple". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  51. "Westchester Library System" (PDF). New York State Library. June 30, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  52. Kaplan, Amy B.G. "Library Hours". Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  53. Mahoney, Geraldine. "Library Expansion Information". Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  54. "Our Mission". Friends of Briarcliff Manor Public Library, Inc. November 3, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  55. Renner, Tom (December 18, 2013). "Briarcliff Women Bring Historical Society Up To Date". Briarcliff Daily Voice. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  56. 1 2 3 "Our History: a look back through four decades". Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  57. "Briarcliff Honors 'Local Hero'". The Gazette. Vol. 33, no. 46. Gary J. Cahill. November 17–23, 2016. pp. 1, 6.
  58. Reif, Carol (November 7, 2016). "Briarcliff Honors Fallen Korean War Hero". Briarcliff Daily Voice. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  59. "Manor History Society to Exhibit New Home". Gannett Westchester Newspapers. September 9, 1982 via Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society.
  60. "Briarcliff-Scarborough Historical Society". The Gazette. Gary J. Cahill. March 26, 2015. p. 7. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  61. 1 2 Briarcliff Manor: The First 100 Years – The Centennial Variety Show. Village of Briarcliff Manor. 2002.
  62. Briarcliff Manor Centennial Committee (2002). The Briarcliff Manor Family Album: Celebrating a Century. Cornwall, New York: Village of Briarcliff Manor.
  63. Stefko, Joseph; Town and Village of Ossining, New York (April 2012). "Municipal Services & Financial Overview: Town and Village of Ossining, NY" (PDF). Center for Governmental Research . Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  64. Cormier, Ray (June 10, 2015). "Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., Family-Centric Community". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  65. "Recreation Facilities & Parks". Village of Briarcliff Manor. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station
Former services
Millwood
toward Brewster
Putnam Division Graham
toward 155th Street