Recent Posts
Disbrow Burial Ground
Kent, NY This small burial ground sits at the intersection of Church Hill Road and Peckslip Road. I’m not sure why, but this is one of my favorite cemeteries in the area.
Hawk Rock
Kent, NY SYNOPSIS: This is a great hike in every season. In the cold weather its quiet and crisp, and the mountain laurel patches and the hemlock grove at the far end of the loop...
Gregory Cemetery
Carmel, NY Peaceful and secluded Gregory Cemetery sits on a peninsula that sticks out into the Croton Falls Reservoir. Containing only a few stones, the cemetery includes the headstone of Revolutionary War Veteran Daniel Gregory....
Why I Think Our Local History Books are Wrong
The “Triangle House” sits on an island of land in the middle of the three way intersection of Brewster Hill Rd and Tonetta Lake Rd in the town of Southeast, NY. Outside the house is...
Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport CT
Just off the coast of the city of Bridgeport is a place called Pleasure Beach. As far back as 1892, it held an amusement park, but the last few decades it has been difficult to...
Durand Preserve Behind the North Salem Library
A few weeks ago…okay, actually a few days before Christmas…I was looking for a short, easy hike to take the kids on while our house was being readied for company and food was being...
Squantz Pond State Park Hike
I have a Putnam-centric view in running this website. What that means is not all the destinations showcased on this website are IN Putnam, but they are all conveniently located for someone that lives in...
Early U.N. Leader summered in Southeast
Dag Hammarskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations, was from Sweden, but for a while he spent his weekends at his home on Foggintown Rd in Brewster. It’s a white house, on a...
Old Field Preserve in Waccabuc, NY
Right after Thanksgiving we visited the Old Field Preserve in Waccabuc, NY. I had read that there was a guided hike scheduled for that day, but we ended up just doing our own thing. (Why...
Ice Pond Conservation Area
SYNOPSIS: The trail follows an old dirt road down to the ruins of the Knickerbocker ice harvesting compound that sits along the edge of Ice Pond. The trail is easy to follow, and after exploring...
Fanny Crosby Birthplace Historical Marker
Fanny Crosby was was born on Foggintown Road in Southeast on March 24, 1820. If you are driving west on Foggintown (from Rt 22 towards Farm-to-Market), just up the hill from the Bog Brook Multiple...
Sgt. Michael Sheerin Memorial Bench
The bench, dedicated to Sgt. Michael Sheerin, sits outside the entrance to JFK Elementary School.
Joanne Imbro Memorial Garden Bench
Cool idea by the kids at JFK Elementary School in Southeast, utilizing the Joanne Imbro Memorial Garden bench at the entrance to the school. Nearby is the bench dedicated to Sgt. Michael Sheerin.
Old Toll House on Route 301 in Nelsonville
This tiny 722 square foot building was originally a toll house on the Cold Spring and Patterson Turnpike. It was built in 1890 and was operated by one Caleb Hustis.
Who was this guy?
The section of the Route 301 between NY 9D and US 9 is designated as the Sergeant Albert Ireland Memorial Highway. In 2015, one of four Putnam County Sheriff Patrol Boats was names after him....
Christopher Columbus Statue at Carmel Town Hall
I was recently at the Carmel Town Hall at one of those medication take-back days. While there, I stopped at the memorials on the property, including this statue of Christopher Columbus.
Vietnam Memorial at Carmel Town Hall
I was recently at the Carmel Town Hall to drop off some old medications during one of those medication take-back days. While I was there, I stopped at the memorials in the property, including this...
September 11th Memorial at Carmel Town Hall
I was recently at the Carmel Town Hall to drop off some old medications during one of those medication take-back days. While I was there, I stopped at the memorials in the property, including this...
Garden of Ideas – Ridgefield, CT
I recently taught a class through the Brewster Community Learning Center about Putnam’s history and hikes. One of the things I like about giving talks and lectures is that I always seem to pick up...
Mead Memorial Chapel – Waccabuc, NY
Just across the street from the Long Pond Preserve in Waccabuc, NY, Mead Memorial Chapel was built between 1905 and 1907 in the late Gothic Revival style. It was build as a memorial to George...
Long Pond Preserve – Waccabuc, NY
SYNOPSIS: Long Pond Preserve is a short walk that takes you along the edge of a field, then through the woods along the shore of the western tip of Lake Waccabuc in Northern Westchester. APPROXIMATE...
Nelsonville Sesquicentennial book
I recently read The Sesquicentennial Anniversary of Nelsonville, a small book put together in 2005 by the Nelsonville 150 Committee. I am teaching a 10 week class through the Brewster Community Learning Center on Putnam’s...
Rainaldi’s Respite
Kent, NY This 9 acre property is owned by the Putnam County Land Trust. It was donated to them by Kim Amburgey and Philip Rainaldi. The property is just off Pudding Street in the town...
Of Greenville, Gettysburg & Hilton Head
So I recently visited three places that had me thinking about Putnam County. I visited Greenville SC, Hilton Head SC and Gettysburg PA. Each of these towns made me think about how to make Brewster...
Searching for Jedediah Wood’s Gravestone
Searching for Jedediah: The Search for Revolutionary-Era Brewster Ancestor Jedediah Wood Exploring the outdoors and exploring local history are two of my favorite obsessions. I find them both interesting, and it lets me get my...
Fred Dill Wildlife Sanctuary
Carmel, NY SYNOPSIS: Years ago this was the site of the Putnam County Fairgrounds and Racetrack. Today, it is a nature sanctuary with well-marked trails, educational info and a picnic pavilion. And though it may...
A planetarium five minutes from Putnam
WCSU Planetarium & Observatory Danbury, CT SYNOPSIS: This is definitely one of those places that so may people say “I never knew that was there.” Just about five minutes outside of Putnam, Western Connecticut State...
Breakfast at George’s Place
Carmel, NY I’ve lived in Putnam for about 15 years. For some reason, I never made it over to George’s Place for breakfast. Honestly, it always seemed so crowded and busy. While that is a...
HEARTHSTONE CASTLE IN TARRYWILE PARK
Danbury, CT Castles are one of those things that capture our imagination and curiosity. I have yet to find someone that isn’t at least a little fascinated by them – the permanence of the construction...
Old Revolutionary/Old Baptist Cemetery in Patterson
Patterson, NY For may years, this cemetery was ‘”lost”. Overgrown and neglected, and with most of the gravestones nothing more that fieldstones, the burial ground sat hidden. But, as of the first half of 2012,...
NYC DEP to Host Wetlands Walk in Carmel on May 23rd, 2015
Department of Environmental Protection Celebrates American Wetlands Month by Hosting Educational Walk in the Watershed Walk to include a tour of 46-acre wetland in Putnam County with DEP wetlands scientist The New York City...
Kent Historical Society Event on May 18, 2015
Putnam County Historian Sarah Johnson will be speaking at the Kent Historical Society’s Annual Meeting on May 18th.
Diverting Reservoir Trail
Southeast, NY SYNOPSIS: Technically in the town of Southeast, this trail is a stone’s throw from Brewster village. The trail is located on water supply property owned by New York City, and this project represents...
Farrington Woods on the NY/CT Border
SYNOPSIS: Just over the CT border, Farrington Woods is a 192 acre open space that has great (off-road) biking trails, a pond for fishing, canoeing or kayaking (no swimming, though), some old ruins, and plenty...
Park & Museum Tour planned for Kent Historical Society Meeting on April 25th, 2015
Click the below photo for more info…
Get some ideas from ‘Hiking the Road to Ruins’ by David A. Steinberg…
I just finished reading Hiking the Road to Ruins by David A. Steinberg. He is a fellow author who enjoys getting out and about – but he especially loves old ruins and mines. His book...
Read This to Your Kids, Then Take a Roadtrip to NYC…
One of the great things about Putnam, in addition to it’s natural beauty, is its close proximity to so many neat places. For example, Connecticut beaches like Sherwood Island and Jennings Beach are only an...
A book from 1978 with Brewster influence…
The Dingle Ridge Fox. A few months ago I was doing some research for the Town of Southeast’s Historic Sites Committee on the area known as “Dingle Ridge”. Dingle Ridge Road leads from Route 6...
Gristmill Stone in the design of Mahopac National Bank
A few years ago I came across a brochure titled Putnam Rocks: Restoring Our Cultural Kinship, put together by the Putnam County Historical Preservation Advisory Committee. I don’t recall where I found it. But I...
June Cemetery in North Salem for July 4th
A visit to June Cemetery in North Salem. Rather appropriate for the 4th of July since there were quite a few Revolutionary War Veterans buried there, including John Wallace who made it to 103...
Flag Day Findings
It just so happened that I found this Flag Day memorial on Flag Day. This past June 14th (Flag Day) I brought two of my kids (the third wasn’t old enough) to Putnam Fish &...
Christopher Caiazzo Garden at Brewster High School
At the northeast corner of Brewster High School, around the back of the school, is a rock formation and small garden that was established in memory of Christopher Caiazzo. Christopher was a 16 year old...
Glacial Erratic on Brewster High School Property?
There is a very cool rock formation – what looks like a ‘glacial erratic’ in the woods next to Brewster High School. The rock sits on a small ridge that drops into a swamp, and...
Legoland Discovery Center in Westchester
®Yonkers, NY Ok, so I just need to remind everyone before I get a nasty-gram from someone about how I am covering places that are not in Putnam. The name of the website is Adventures...
Rocco’s Family Restaurant & Pizza
Patterson, NY I’ve driven by a bunch of times. Always liked the building. So, one day last week my son and I were at Patterson Library for a children’s program and we decided to get...
Fundaes Frozen Yogurt Cafe
Despite the recent cold spell(s), we decided it was time for frozen yogurt. We had heard a place in Carmel had opened up in the past year, so off we headed. Fundaes in Carmel offers...
Brewster from Bridge to Bridge
This is a great piece on the history of the village of Brewster. Complete with addresses, drawings and descriptions, take this with you as you take a stroll through the village. Click the link below:...
The Tilly Foster General Store
Just stopped by at the Tilly Foster General Store on Old Route 6 in Southeast. Nice place! The store recently opened and features coffee, candies and other knick-knacks in an ‘old-style’ general store theme. It’s...
Major General Darius Couch of Southeast – Have We Forgotten?
The following article is by guest columnist Robert Bredow of Carmel, NY. As a self-described civil war buff, I thought I knew almost everything about the civil war. However when doing a recent google...
Last Chance for the Southeast Museum’s Lincoln & Stone Chamber Exhibits
Nothing like waiting ’til the last minute…just this week I brought the kids over to the Southeast Museum’s exhibits on Abraham Lincoln and Putnam’s Stone Cambers. No, the two have no connection…that I know...
Sermons in Stone
I just finished reading Sermons in Stone by Susan Allport. I was led to it by a Putnam County brochure I found a while ago that talked about Putnam’s stones. In the brochure was a...
North Salem history from a surprising source…
I just finished reading “When Our Town Was Young: Stories of North Salem’s Yesterday”. It was written by three years of seventh graders in the 1940’s. Very impressive! The booklet was sent to North Salem...
New page about one of CT’s beaches…
Check out the new Adventures Around Putnam page for Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison CT. It’s under the “Outside Putnam” heading.
How Jewelry is Made…
I recently had my wife’s watch repaired at Jewelry Designs in Danbury. I am not a ‘jewelry person’ so I hadn’t been there the 12 years or so I have lived in Putnam. But what...
Aerial Photos of Brewster from the 30s…
You never know where a journey will take you, or what you’ll find along the way. I am doing some research on the area of Southeast that borders North Salem and Connecticut. My search led...
Lake Kenosia Park in Danbury…
We stopped by Lake Kenosia Park last Saturday. We hadn’t been there in a while, and we were in Danbury for some frozen yogurt at Peachwave, so a few minutes at the park seemed like...
The Bob Palmer Project…
A few weekends ago, a large swath of the Brewster/Southeast community spent the day placing flags on veteran’s graves, in preparation for Memorial Day. The picture here was taken by Rob Gallacher at Milltown Cemetery....
…not one lawyer can live among us…
I was at the county historian’s office today to do some research. I found something that I thought was great. A map of the town of Southeast, NY from 1795 – yes, it is old,...
Safety, Street Fairs, Pizza, Cannons, Driftwood & Ice Cream…
This time of year it seems everyone is coming out of hibernation. Every weekend is chock full of things to do, so much so that no matter how much you run around, it feels...
Borrowing ideas from a cemetery in Maryland…
I visited family in Maryland over Easter weekend. During the visit, we stopped at an old cemetery near my sister-in-law’s house. What I found was one of the best ‘restorations’ of an old cemetery I...
A nice view from here…
I recently went looking for the Enoch Crosby Homestead. Iheard it was for sale, and I wanted to see it ‘live’. As you probably know, Enoch Crosby was a Revolutionary War spy (for our side)...
Branch Road Fishing Access Point – East Branch Reservoir
I work in Danbury and live in Brewster. I like to ‘take the road less traveled’ so I use Route 6 for a portion of my trip – it is quiet, less crowded, and more picturesque...
Adventures Around Putnam interview on local cable…
Adventures Around Putnam Volume 1 was recently featured on local cable’s “Let’s Talk Writing” with Vincent T. Dacquino. Click HERE to view the video via Youtube. Mr. Dacquino is an author and lecturer. Among other topics,...
Bad for the Body, Good for the Soul…
There is a time to eat healthy. And there’s a time to throw caution into the wind, and enjoy something that tastes really good, even if its not that good for you. As I like...
Weird New York: The Book…
The book Weird New York: Your Travel Guide to New York’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Chris Gethard is full of references to Putnam County and the surrounding area. Page 31 has info...
The Way of the Sword…
A new fencing center, called “The Way of the Sword” has opened in North Salem. Check it out at their open house on March 24th from 3 to 5pm. Here’s how the owner describes his...
Union Hall General Store in North Salem…
On a recent Saturday, I took my kids down to Union Hall General Store in North Salem. I bribed them with the promise of candies at the recently opened store, knowing full well that our trip would...
We Are Missing the Boat on Promoting Putnam’s Stone Chambers…
The stone chambers scattered throughout Putnam County are unique to our area, especially considering the sheer number of them in such close proximity. Some feel they are root cellars built and used by farmers to store...
“They All Rest Together: Burial Sites of the Early Settlers of Southern Dutchess and Putnam Counties
This book, published in 1972 by Reverend Floyd Fisher, is in the reference library at the Putnam County Historian’s office. It contains info on many of the historic cemeteries in our area.
The connection between the Civil War’s USS Monitor and Pawling, NY
I just finished reading a children’s book – yes, a kids’ book. But hey, I picked it up for a few pennies at a book sale, and it happened to be on a topic I wanted...
A great Fall day – Day Two!
The second day of our awesome Fall weekend started with a hayride at Kessman’s Farm in Patterson. The tractor takes you out to the pumpkin patch – and there were plenty of pumpkins! As the...
A great, full Fall day in Putnam
Just spend a day out and about, and see what you can find! That’s what we did today. (Well, okay, some things I had scheduled.) We started out at the Daniel Nimham Monument while...
Halloween Fun at Smalley’s Inn
My kids love Halloween. So do I. So since it is now October, we headed over to Smalley’s Inn at 57 Gleneida Ave in downtown Carmel. Smalley’s has been around, in one form or another, since...
“How’d ya like them apples!”
It’s fall, which means picking a beautiful day and making the rounds on the apple picking orchards, farm stands and pumpkin purveyors. We got a jump start on it this year – the second day of...
New page on Dover’s Stone Church
The Stone Church in Dover, NY is an awesome place. It is a short hike, with a big WOW factor at the end. Visit the new information page on our website here.
A secret at Brush Hollow Cemetery
A page for Brush Hollow Cemetery has just been added to the Adventures Around Putnam website. One of Southeast’s small, no-longer-used cemeteries, it has an unusual feature. Click here for the page.
A bunch of new pages and information posted recently.
There are a number of new pages that were added to www.adventuresaroundputnam.com recently, including Red Mills Historic Park, the Donald B. Smith Conservation Area, the Enoch Crosby Historical Marker in Southeast, Rundle’s Mill in Putnam Valley,...
New Playground at C.V. Starr
Now that Garden Street Elementary School is closed, and the third grade students are attending C.V. Starr instead of JFK, a new playground has been added in the field behind C.V. Starr. My kids got...
Pedicab Tours of Brewster Village
I tell my kids that one of the rules of life is “Life is about experiences and relationships, not possessions.” I don’t know if they listen, but I know I beleive it. How does all...
Animal Kingdom: Not just pet supplies, but a fun and educational experience for the kids!
Southeast, NY I buy some things online. Ok, many things. Just like alot of people nowadays. That has hurt traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers and has made local small business a difficult business to be in. So...
Gallimods Hobby Shop & Racetrack, 3 Historic Markers and a Sept 11th Memorial Gate
Today we went to Gallimods Hobby Shop & Racetrack for a birthday party, then stopped at the Putnam County Historical Marker at the intersection of Routes 6 & 118, the Railroad Station Historical Marker at...
An early June visit to Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, CT
We recently took a ride to Norwalk, and I was pleasantly surprised with how nice Calf Pasture Beach was. So if you want a day trip to a salt water swimming hole, click here for more...
For Memorial Day…A List of The Veterans Memorials of Putnam County
Memorial Day is when we as a nation recognize the supreme sacrifice others have made on our behalf. As citizens of this great nation, we owe it those who gave up so much. I...
High-Ropes at T.O.E.C.
This past Sunday we went to the Taconic Outdoor Education Center’s Outdoor Recreation Day. TOEC is an awesome piece of property that is usually reserved from organized groups. But there are some times the general...
Book on Putnam’s Revolutionary War Veterans
The Enoch Crosby Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has put together an excellent book about Putnam’s Revolutionary War Veterans. Over 300 pictures of the gravestones of the 403 American Revolution Patriots buried...
Slideshow & Lecture TONIGHT Wed, May 16th at the Patterson Library at 7pm
Want to see some pictures of some of the great places in and around Putnam County? Want to hear about some of the great places to hike? Then join the author of Adventures Around Putnam...
It’s getting warmer, put this place on your list…
Little Stony Point State Park is a surprise. Awesome views, frieght trains in the distance, fishing, sunbathing, party boats, and hiking. Oh, and a cave. Check out some more pics and a description here. ...
PCLT’s Laurel Ledges: Turtle Pond Preserve – One of the Best Hikes in Eastern Putnam.
The info on the Putnam County Land Trust’s Laurel Ledges: Turtle Pond Preserve is now on the webiste. The page includes a synopsis, difficulty rating, directions, hike description, history and an additional info section. Explore...
A neat book about the history of Kent, NY
Just finished reading “Town of Kent: An Illustrated History” by George Carroll Whipple II and Reginald White. Well done book, with lots of old documents and photos of people and places from Kent’s history. A...
235 years (and 3 days) since Sybil’s Ride.
Since this past Wednesday was the 235th anniversary of Sybil Ludington’s Ride, when she rode approximately 44 miles thru the dark Putnam countryside to gather Patriots to fight the British (who were burning the city...
During an Earth Day clean-up project with the Cub Scouts, came across this Memorial to a local teacher.
On the patch of green that sits between Henry H. Wells school and Route 312, there is a blooming cherry tree and stone memorial monument to Barbara Gillette. According to a 6/10/10 article by Eric...
A day trip to Black Creek Preserve
OK, this one is a short drive to the north and over the Hudson, but as a Putnamite, it is ok to occasionally venture beyond our borders. The Black Creek Preserve in Esopus was a...
A visit to the County Courthouse Building and Historical Marker.
This marker is in downtown Carmel, just a few feet from the Enoch Crosby marker mentioned in my last post. The marker says, “County Court House was built in 1814 and the jail was added...