10th Anniversary ng our Celebrati

2008

The Chronicle
SPRING 2008
Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, the greatest of all American aviation aces, is one of more than a thousand Bronxville residents who have served in the Armed Forces and who are being honored in a special initiative to bring back the original Memorial Day spirit to our villages traditional celebration! More inside...

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

Bronxville, New York

A Publication of

INSIDE
Heres to the arts! Join us for a toast to an impressive collection. Thats the spirit! Re-igniting the true meaning of Memorial Day. Making our own mark on history. The Conservancy celebrates a decade of doing great things! The Power Lecture. An awesome evening as Robert Caro throws the book at Moses. Kiss me quick. YouTube captures the art of puckering up for a fast one. PLUS... Fall for art at the OSilas. Class acts. And more...

n Sunday, May 18, 2008, members and their guests are invited to a private reception at Village Hall to enjoy the results of a major art acquisition project undertaken by the Conservancy to bring home the beautiful works of Bronxvilles early artists. During the initial planning stages of the Village Hall renovation, it quickly became apparent that finishing touches such as furniture, decoration, and artwork were crucial to the appearance of the building and the success of the project. One particular concern was determining exactly what was going to hang on the walls because, unlike the library, Village Hall did not have an art collection, and the portraits of the mayors were badly in need of reframing. Fortunately, the Historical Conservancy, under the direction of art historian Jayne Warman, established a new project to purchase Bronxville artists paintings, which would later be hung in the Trustees Room when the Village Hall renovation was completed.
Continued on page 2

Remembering the Past with Presents

You are invited!

BY NANCY HAND

This romantic rendering of the Hotel Gramatan, painted by Hughson Hawley in 1905, is one of the many paintings the Conservancy has hung in Village Hall. Youll see it in the Mayors office.

Contributions from the Conservancy to the Village include: Works of Art by former Bronxville Artists Portraits of Bronxvilles Mayors throughout History
Judith Watts Photography

Vintage Postcards and Photographs Contemporary Views of The Village

from page 1

Join us at Village Hall Sunday, May 18 , 2008 4 to 6 P.M. for fine wine and hors doeuvres and comments on this outstanding collection by Art Historian Jayne Warman

As the renovation continued, the Conservancy generously committed more than $50,000 to ensure that the interior appearance of Village Hall would result in a building which would bring pride to all village residents. Vintage postcards and photographs of scenes from Bronxville were enlarged and then framed to be hung in the various offices around the building. Portraits of the former Bronxville mayors were preserved and then copied and reframed to line the two major hallways on the first floor. Contemporary photographs taken by Judy Wilson were enlarged and framed to become a permanent exhibition on the lower level of Village Hall. Finally, the collection of works by Bronxville artists grew to encompass more than 13 paintings which were hung in the Trustees Room, front hall, and Mayor's Office. Youre invited to come enjoy them all!

Saluting the true spirit of Memorial Day

This year, more memory is being added to the villages traditional Memorial Day celebration to recapture the founding spirit of the holiday. Villagers Cindi Callahan and Jane Staunton are working tirelessly with Mayor Mary Marvin to create an initiative that will honor local men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Bronxville Historical Conservancy is proud to join them by financially supporting the effort.

The Bronxville Veterans Memorial celebrates the founding spirit of Memorial Day by uniting the community in honoring the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who served our nation in the past and are serving this country today.

The history of the town, acts of courage by servicemen and women abroad, and the sacrifices of those at home have been an inspiration. We hope this special exhibit will spark the interests and memories of those who come to participate in what should be a lovely afternoon and memorable Memorial Day weekend, noted both Cindi and Jane.

The initiative has grown into several activities, including the reproduction of WWI and WWII photos from local archives, as well as contributions from private collections which will be displayed at an exhibit and reception on May 11th from 2-5 p.m. at the Bronxville Womens Club. This display will include a list of more than 1,000 names of all those who live or have lived in Bronxville who have served in the Armed Forces. The list is being generated by a very impressive outreach program and is still growing! The exhibit and reception will also include a performance by the West Point Tuba Quartet, a showing of the award-winning documentary Art in the Face of War by Bronxville resident David Baugnon, and a flag pole dedication.

In addition to the exhibit which honors the veterans of conflicts past, plans are also in the making for a Memorial Day Calling Card program to acknowledge the men and women serving today with fundraising canisters on display in village shops. All proceeds will go to wounded soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who are receiving medical treatment at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. "The response to the celebration has been overwhelming, said Jane Staunton. Villagers have eagerly come forward to share their photos and memorabilia of family and friends who played such an important role in the history of our country and the history of Bronxville. Our hope is that this effort will create a sustainable place of honor for these people who will be recognized for generations to come."

Sunday, May 11, 2008 2:00 5:00 pm The Bronxville Womens Club Music Provided by The West Point Tuba Quartet

Bronxville Veterans Memorial Celebration

On Friday, May 23rd, the photos will be moved to store front windows on Pondfield Road where they will stay through Memorial Day.

"This exhibit has encouraged villagers to take stock of and share their old photos that recapture the essence of friends and family members who served this country in wartime, as well as those villagers who supported their efforts on the home front. We are hopeful that this event will be a tangible connection to a historic time in our villages and nations history." Cindi Callahan

Display of WWI & WWII Photos and Memorabilia from Local Archives and Villagers Award-winning Film Art in the Face of War by Bronxville Resident David Baugnon

Flag Pole Dedication & Ceremony 3:00 pm

1998 Launched with a bang! The Bronxville Historical Conservancy begins in 1998 as a continuation of the Village Centennial Committee, a group of villagers who planned The Celebration of a Century! -a year-long series of events to commemorate Bronxvilles 100th anniversary. 1999 A lasting legacy. Frieda Riggs, who moved to Bronxville with her husband Arad in 1937, bequeaths the family home -- the oldest in Bronxville, known as the Abijah Morgan house -- to establish the financial foundation for the Conservancy. It is the site for the Conservancys first annual House Tour in November of 1999.

Ann r 10th ng ou Celebrati

The Bronxville Historical Conserva

6-11-99 Jayne Warman paints a pretty picture of Bronxvilles early art and its everincreasing value at a gathering of members at the Objects & Images Gallery.

As Time

1-8-99 The dynamic duo moves into action. Founding co-chairs Bob Riggs and Marilynn Hill, joined by a 12-member board, plan the first Brendan Gill Lecture featuring Paul Goldberger, architecture critic of The New Yorker, who speaks on The Power of Place. 5-24-03 With intriguing stories of lions, circus tigers and a bit of burlesque, the 2nd volume of The Bronxville Journal becomes must reading.

9-28-03 Members cruise north on the Hudson aboard the Seastreak to visit Olana, the home of artist Frederic Church.

3-28-03 The director of the Museum of the City of New York, Bob Macdonald, offers reflections on the community at the 5th Gill Lecture.

1-21-03 Replications of historic lanterns return to Avon Road, thanks to BHC funds.

Studios, sharin and places of m

11-9-03 Roland and Karen Morris host the fall House Tour in their Italianate villa, once home to former village president, Leonard Kebler.

3-5-04 Former village resident Walter Isaacson discusses the life of Benjamin Franklin at the 6th Brendan Gill Lecture.

insiders look at the paintings purchased by the Conservancy to grace the walls of Village Hall.

5-16-04 An Art to Art Talk gives members an

9-24-06 Members enjoy a twist of Old Lyme, CT with a cruise along the Long Island Sound from New Rochelle to Old Saybrook to visit the Florence Griswold Museum.

5-29-06 The Conservancy revs up Memorial Day with the addition of a Classic Car brigade for Bronxvilles traditional holiday parade with 20 magnificent motorcars. 11-12-06 A treasure from the 20s built by architect George Pohle in 1927 was a roaring success at the 2006 House Tour.

4-30-06 Dale Hanson Walker, great-granddaughter of Edward Morange, joins Roland Britch, Jr., in sharing the works and memory of early 20th-c. Bronxville artists, brothers Francis and Richard Gates. 4-13-07 Author of The Island at the Center of the World, Russell Shorto, talks about the dramatic history of Manhattan at the 9th annual Brendan Gill Lecture.

Sarah Lawrence College P Dr. Michele Myers on Defi Moments in History.

3-24-06 The 8th Gill Lec given by the late and Pulitzer Prize winni David H with q pos

December 2006 The Conservancy purchases an audio system for use in the Christmas Pageant program, a nearly 100-year village tradition.

Spring 2007 Village Hall renovation since it was built i

niversary

ancy Makes its Own Mark on History

3-31-00 George Plimpton delivers the 2nd Gill Lecture, sharing an intimate portrait of the former resident for whom the lecture series is named.

Goes By.

2008

11-19-00 Mary and Richard Thaler open their home, the historic Ernest Quantrell house, for the fall House Tour. 5-10-02 Dick Jenrette presents the 4th annual Brendan Gill Lecture and invites members to tour Edgewater, his historic home on the Hudson. It is the destination of the first of our very popular fall boat excursions.

10-27-02 Preservationist Stephen May presents Legacy at Risk: Artists Homes and ng insights into the work spaces many Bronxvilles early artists. 9-18-04 Members cruise the majestic Hudson in search of Montgomery Place on the fall boat tour.

12-14-01 The first issue of 4-7-02 An The Bronxville Journal afternoon of Prose lands hot off the press! and Poetry Editor Marilynn Hill and features readings Associate Editor Carolyn of Bronxvilles Martin worked for nearly 2 early prose years to plan, design and edit writers, poets and the scholarly and originallyplaywrights including works of E.C. Stedman, the poet of Wall Street. 2-25-05 Civil War historian James McPherson delivers the 7th annual Brendan Gill Lecture, sharing work from his Pulitzer Prize winning book, Battle Cry of Freedom. 11-30-05 Stockbroker Tudor architect Lewis Bowmans Cotswold cottage is the site of the 2005 House Tour. It is one of the 53 homes he designed for village residents.

March 2001 Conservancy funds the restoration of original Bronxville Library architectural model.

5-11-01 Robert Kennedy Jr., son of former Bronxville resident, presents 3rd Brendan Gill Lecture to a standingroom-only crowd!

11-4-01 Members enjoy the exquisite restoration and historic grandeur of the Oakledge Mansion at the 3rd annual House Tour.

11-7-04 The Presidents home at Sarah Lawrence College, along with Westlands, the former home of William Van Duzer Lawrence and wife, Sarah, were welcoming sites for our fall House Tour. January 2006 The Bronxville Journal Volume III arrives featuring articles on the Lawrence familys last years in the village, Bronxville life during World War II, and Lawrence Park artist, Otto Bacher ... and wins the Historical Services Award Towards Excellence. 9-30-07 All enjoy a fabulous up-river journey to visit the Mills Mansion, a 65-room Beaux-Arts home set on an expansive 192-acre estate overlooking the Hudson River.

Spring 2005 The Conservancy funds the re-framing of Balderbrae by Anna Winegar for the Local History Room -the 5th Winegar painting from the History Room collection restored and/or framed through the generosity of the Conservancy.

cture is d great ing author Halberstam questions sed by

President ining

re-opens after its first in 1942, graced with treasured artwork from Bronxvilles earliest artists, thanks to the efforts and generosity of the Conservancy.

10-21-07 Guests at the fall House Tour are greeted by new BHC co-chairs, Nancy Vittorini and Donald Gray at an impressive Mediterranean designed by Lewis Bowman in 1926.

9-18-05 One of the best boat trips ever -- first up the Hudson to tour West Point Military Academy and then down to the tip of Manhattan to salute the Statue of Liberty at sunset. 2-8-08 At the 10th annual Brendan Gill Lecture, Robert Caro describes the legacy of New York City power broker Robert Moses. ...and onward we go!

An awesome evening.
10th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture was Pulitzer-Perfect!
BY ROBERT SCOTT
Friday, February 8, Sarah Lawrence College: The Bronxville Historical Conservancys 10th annual Brendan Gill Lecture hosted Robert Caro, Pulitzer Prize winner for his biographies of Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson. The venue, Reisinger Auditorium, was filled to capacity. Caros topic was the all-powerful Robert Moses, who saw the greater NYC area as a blank canvas and, in 44 years, dramatically transformed and reshaped the city by bringing forces together to create the Throgsneck, Whitestone, Henry Hudson, Triboro, and Verrazano Narrows bridges; Jones Beach; and 627 miles of parkways and expressways. Caros balanced remarks eloquently captured Moses true genius and vision and, at the same time, poignantly depicted the plights of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who were uprooted and displaced in the wake of Moses bulldozers. Following Caros remarks, a champagne reception was held to celebrate the 10th anniversaries of The Bronxville Historical Conservancy and its Brendan Gill Lecture series. A city planner who attended the lecture said that Caros portrayal was very well researched and presented. Another said, Caro brought the city alive, much as Moses did.

Robert Caro, our 10th Annual Brendan Gill Lecturer and author of The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, a Pulitzer Prize-winning 1974 biography of Robert Moses, "New York City's Master Builder."

...the crux of Caros remarks was an account of how Moses built the Cross-Bronx Expressway. As Caro tells it, instead of choosing a route that would require minimal disruption to residents, Moses opted to run the highway through the East Tremont section of the borough. The mark of Robert Moses has to do with the way he treated the people of New York City. Caro said. He described how construction of one mile of the highway meant uprooting thousands of people and destroying a pretty nice, though poor, community. To provide a true picture of the planner and his inuence for the book, Caro noted, It was necessary to show the effect of Robert Moses power on the people against whom it was used. Another theme of the lecture was the vast amount of power Moses wielded despite never holding an elected ofce. --Meredith Matthews, The Town Report 2-15-08

Special thanks to Photographer Katie Primerano

Class Acts.
A conversation has begun between the Bronxville Historical Conservancy and the Bronxville School to explore the potential for collaboration. Each year between 15 and 30 high school seniors participate in the WISE (Woodlands Individualized Senior Experience) internship program. Created in response to senior year apathy and a general lack of involvement, the program began in 1973 in the Greenburgh school district and is now used in some 80 districts across the country. The breadth of the students project proposals presents an exciting opportunity for forging strong community connections and enhancing their education. While still attending classes, students spend a number of hours each week in their chosen pursuits. This years students are involved in a wide variety of projects -- from mural restoration and mentoring younger students to working at the Review Press. The Conservancy will look at ongoing and, possibly, new projects to see where a young intern might fit in. Also discussed was the possibility of students participating in a Bronxville oral history project. There was great interest on the part of the school in having Conservancy members, many of whom have expertise in various areas of history, come to the school as guest speakers. A lecture series for students on the growth of Bronxville is also of great interest. In addition, planners are considering an exciting future project to provide local students with the opportunity of unearthing bits of Bronxville history. Phillips Academy offers a model for this project where students enrolled in their summer sessions participate in an archeological dig at a nearby homestead, thus promoting research into the lifestyles of the early inhabitants.

BY JUDITH UNIS

Conservancy members will celebrate our 10th anniversary this fall at a special art exhibit and private champagne reception at Concordia College's OSilas Gallery on September 14. The focus of the show will be Bronxville's artistic legacy, both past and future, and will feature about 60 works, most of which are from private collections and have never been on public view in the village. Local artists from the early and mid-19th century will include William R. Hamilton, portraitist to the Alexander Masterton family, and Francis W. Edmonds, genre painter and a respected peer of the most well-known of the Hudson River painters. The majority of the show's works will represent artists who were part of an art colony associated with Lawrence Park from the end of the 19th century until ca. 1930. Among these will be Mary Fairchild Low, her husband, Will Low, Bruce Crane, and Otto Bacher. There will also be works by several local contemporary artists, underscoring the rich artistic heritage of the village that continues to this day. The show, curated by Jayne Warman and supported by the Conservancy, is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of these special artworks and is reminiscent of the outstanding Bronxville artists' colony exhibition that was held in 1989 at the Hudson River Museum. The Conservancy's reception will also include a special guest lecturer.

The beauty of Fall.

BY MARILYNN HILL

An honor for Anna.

Anna Lawrence Bisland, founder of the Bronxville Womens Club, would be proud. In 1927 she asked her father, William Van Duzer Lawrence, to donate the land upon which a club for women could be built. There is a great need, he said, for an educational center for cultural development, and it will make me very happy to give you that property. Bronxville architect Penrose Stout took on the project, designing a modied colonial on the corner of Midland and Tanglewylde Avenues accessible to all and in the center of community life. Todays women of the club recently received news from the New York State Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation that the building, dedicated in 1928, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Work continues in restoring the grand old dame. If youd like to contribute to its preservation fund, please contact Joyce Balint at the Womens Club, 961-2997.

Pucker Up!

Happy 60th to the Junior League of Bronxville! Its history actually dates back further to 1924 when a group of Junior League members who had moved to Bronxville from other communities began meeting at each others homes to sew layettes for their first community project. Their HAPPY BIRTHDAY, however, was in 1948 when the local League incorporated and moved into action, with projects such as the Childrens Theater Group, Camera Club, Tuckahoe Senior Center, and the library program at Lawrence Hospital. Conor McNamara DESERVES A HEARTY SALUTE for the project he has chosen to earn his Eagle Scout Award. The Tuckahoe teen has approached his village board to gain its blessing and support for legislation that would help protect the marble for which Tuckahoe was named Marble Capital of the World. The quarry, which opened in 1818, supplied building blocks for such great historical structures as the Government Printing Office and General Post Office in Washington D.C., and the main public library, Grace Episcopal Church, the Custom House, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Bronxville resident Alexander Masterton purchased the quarries in the 1830s.

...OldNews...

Thats the title of a 1933 Universal Newspaper Newsreel you can find and watch on YouTube -- replete with plenty of kisses and cops and the very recognizable landmark of our Bronxville train station.

Loving Husbands Face Jail for Kissing Wives Under New Ordinance.

The Chronicle
The Bronxville Historical Conservancy
Spring 2008 Editor and Designer: Nancy Vittorini Submissions welcome!
Published by

OCTOBER 5th FALL BOAT TOUR to HYDE PARK

September 14, 2008 A 10th Anniversary celebration at THE OSILAS GALLERY

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The Bronxville Historical Conservancy

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the village of Bronxville, New York. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the villages architectural, artistic and cultural heritage and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those legacies. P. O. Box 989 Bronxville, NY 10708