WHEN OUR TOWN WAS YOUNG This beautiful old building has looked down upon chang ing North S lem days - for over a hundred and fifty years. Its land was purchased from the Indians by the Dutchman, Steplmus Van Cortlandt. Built - for his Manor House by Stephen DeLancey, during the American Revo lution It was taken over by our patriots - for Tory trials and imprisonment. Revolutionary troops camped on its grounds. Later, it became the North Salem Academy, one of the foremost educational institutions in the young United States. It is now our To wn Hall in Salem Center. When Our Town OF NORTH SALEAfS YESTERDAY COLLECTED AXD WRITTEX BY BOYS AXD GIRLS OF TODAY Edited by FRANCES EICHNER and HELEN FERRIS TIBBETS PHOTOGRAPHS OF NORTH SALEM HISTORIC LANDMARKS By FRED C. WARNER Sponsored by THE BOARD OF EDUCATION Central Rural School System, District Number One TOWN OF NORTH SALEM, NEW YORK Contents How THIS BOOK HAPPENED ... xi THE FOUNDING OF NORTH SALEM . 3 AMONG OUR NORTH SALEM PIONEERS, 1 6 THE INDIANS OUR FIRST SETTLERS FOUND 3 1 EARLY LIFE IN NORTH SALEM . . 42 NORTH SALEM IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 58 OUR FIRST NORTH SALEM CHURCHES 73 NORTH SALEMS POST ROADS AND RAILROADS 83 EARLY FARMS AND INDUSTRIES IN NORTH SALEM 97 THE DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH SALEMS SCHOOLS 1 10 OUR NORTH SALEM CIRCUS ... 122 Two QUAINT CHARACTERS IN NORTH SALEM 134 NORTH SALEM MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 141 IN RECOGNITION . 151 THE OLD QUIT-CLAIM DEED OF 1731 154 THREE HISTORICAL TOURS OF NORTH SALEM 159 A GUIDE POST TO NORTH SALEMS HISTORICAL LANDMARKS 166 fvii Illustrations NORTH SALEM TOWN HALL iv, 1 1 1 NORTH SALEM INDIAN ARROWHEADS ix, xvlii, 15, 37 SEVENTH GRADE, 1942-43, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL xi SEVENTH GRADE, 1943-44, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL xv SEVENTH GRADE, 1944-45, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL . xvii TITICUS RESERVOIR . xxii OLD NE V YORK POST ROAD MILESTONE i, 84 TITICUS RIVER AND OLD GRIST MILL RUINS 5 TYPICAL LOG CABIN . ... 6 OLD LOG SLED . 1 1 OLD VOODEX PLOW . 13 THE GREAT BOULDER . 17 JANE GRANTS SILVER SET . . 21 DAVID GRANTS ANCIENT SWORD . 23 TYPICAL ARTICLES L T SED BY NORTH SALEMS PIONEERS 24 CEMETERY TOMBSTONE OF JOHN WALLACE . 29 EXHIBIT OF THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, SHOWING TYPICAL KITCHAWAXK CRAFT 32 OLD INDIAN BURIAL GROUND . 38 EASTERN WOODLAND INDIAN LONG HOUSE . 41 OLD VEGETABLE CELLAR . 43 IRONWARE OF REVOLUTIONARY DAYS 46 PURDY HOAIESTEAD . 49 SPINNING WHEEL HEIRLOOM . 51 OLD CHEESE PRESS AND SWEEP CHURN 54 ix ILLUSTRATIONS JOHN YERKKS OLD TAVERX 56 THADDEUS CRANE HOMESTEAD 59 OLD DEANS BRIDGE . 60 MAJOR ANDRE TABLET 64 ENOCH CROSBY MONUMENT 68 HANGMANS OAK 71 HISTORIC BIBLE OF ST. JAMES PARISH 75 QUAKER MEETING HOUSE 81 OLD CROTON FALLS RAILROAD STATION 92 OLD PURDYS VILLAGE 95 RUINS OF ABANDONED NORTH SALEM-D ANBURY TROL LEY LINE 96 OLD INDUSTRIAL CENTER ON TITICUS RIVER 99 OLD TITICUS RIVER MILL 100 OLD CROTON FALLS FACTORY 103 OLD NEW YORK CONDENSED MILK Co. FACTORY 105 SITE OF OLD PLUMBING WORKS AND FIRST JUENGST SHOP 107 OLD NORTH SALEM ACADEMY, Now OUR TOWN HALL 1 1 1 OLD GUINEA SCHOOL 1 1 2 OUR CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 1 1 3 ANCESTORS OF OUR NORTH SALEM SCHOOLS 1 1 7 OLD DINGLE RIDGE SCHOOL 1 1 9 JUNE RESIDENCE . 123 CLOSE HOMESTEAD 127 STATUE OF OLD BET 131 ELEPHANT HOTEL . 132 SARAH BISHOP CAVE 1 3 5 LEATHER MAN . . 138 MILLS HOMESTEAD . 143 MERRYWEATHER, THE GRANT ESTATE . . 147 TYPICAL STAGECOACH . . . 153 The Seventh Grade, 1942-4., Central High School authors of our firstHistorical Booklet wth their teacher., Miss Frances and principal, Air. Fred C. Warner Happened THIS IS REALLY a neighborhood book. We who have been members of the Seventh Grades of the Central High School of the Town of North Salem, New York, during the past three years, could not have collected these stories of our Towns past without the help of our older friends who have so generously shared their family records and recollections. xi HOW THIS BOOK HAPPENED Our work on this book began when our principal, Mr. Fred C...