HILLSDALE NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2015


 

If you're reading this, you already know that the Hillsdale Newsletter provides one of the most comprehensive listings of Roe Jan-area events and happenings. That said, it's a little quiet this time of year so we've listed a few events below along with some of the latest news, gossip, and scandal.

 

A very Happy New Year to all. 

 

ON DISPLAY AT TOWN HALL

 

The Roeliff Jansen Historical Society has loaned an impressive display to Hillsdale for a couple of months. It features the Civil War "great coat," jacket and tall leather boots worn by John Bingham Collin who resided on Hunt Road. Lucy Collin's 1865 portrait of her husband hangs above the case. Collin was 21 years old when he became the first man from Hillsdale to join the ranks of the 91st New York Volunteer Infantry in December 1861.

 

Of the 123 Hillsdale men who served the Union during the Civil War, 18 never made it home. By all accounts, Brevet Major Collin lived a long and happy life as a publisher and farmer. He is buried in the cemetery overlooking his farm in 1894.

 

The case was built for the RJHS by Robert Reed Carpentry of Germantown. The plexiglass was donated and installed by Sheldon Glass. The display will move on to other Roe Jan-area towns later this year. Be sure to stop by Town Hall to have a look.

DIMMICK STORE LEDGER FINDS ITS WAY HOME

 

Thanks to the Bucklin family of Lexington, North Carolina, a piece of Hillsdale history came home last month, just in time for Christmas. Jerry and Eileen Bucklin received it as a gift several years ago from a friend who discovered it in a North Carolina antique shop. Though they admire antiques and enjoyed looking through the ledger, the family decided it belonged back in Hillsdale.


The ledger contains the meticulous records of the comings and goings of Dimmick's General Store from 1878 to 1886. It opens with the following declaration, written by L. Grout on June 8, 1878:

"Be it known that I have this day sold to Mrs. A. E. H. Dimmick all my right titles and interest in the stock of merchandise, fixtures, and  book  accounts in the store known as Dimmick's Store in the Town of Hillsdale, NY, for which I have this day received payment in full."

 

In case you don't know, Dimmicks's is now the Hillsdale General Store. The ledger will join the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society's collection. 

 

 

A BLAST FROM THE MORE RECENT PAST
 

Readers of the Hillsdale Newsletter live near and far. We were very happy to receive this email and photograph from Floyd Lampinen last month. Both are posted here with his permission:

 

"You're probably wondering why someone in the desert of Overton, Nevada would want to subscribe to the Hillsdale newsletter? In 1962, at age 18, I landed a job as a farm hand at the Sir William Farm in Hillsdale. It was a first-rate purebred cattle and hog farm, owned by Leon Rubin. I spent a lot of time at Mount Washington and the diner at the intersection of State routes 22 & 23 with my fellow farm hands. In the winter of '62 & '63, I skied at Catamount. I can recall seeing the actor and Olympic gold medal winner Buster Crabbe on the slopes. He was a real nice person. I guess at age 70, I think a lot of my youth."

 

Left to right: Owner Leon Rubin, Angus Herdsman Jimmy Riddle, Farm Hand Ken Parsons, Farm Hand (Unknown), Farm Hand Floyd Lampinen, Yorkshire Herdsman James Gual, Farm Hand Bill (Last Name Unknown), Farm Hand Phillip Lafave, Farm Manager Rudy Oswald



A NOTE OF THANKS
 

The Christmas Basket Committee at the Parish of Our Lady of Hope, Copake Falls, distributed 178 baskets to families in our area, including 431 senior adults and adults, and 354 children. The committee has asked us to post this note of thanks:


"Our gratitude goes out to many in our community, including members of the Parish of Our Lady of Hope; Roe-Jan area churches; Bette Gallup and the Roe-Jan Food Pantry; NASCAR Dave MacMillan, radio host and founder of the Sunday in the Country Food Drive for his generous donation of turkeys; the Hillsdale Supermarket; the Hillsdale Fire Co.; Copake Fire Co. #1; Vernetta and Elwin Moore who delivered many baskets; all in the community who donated baskets and canned goods and gave monetary contributions; those who transported food; adults and youth who helped with packing and distribution; members of the Taconic Hills Honor Society; volunteers from the Head Start program, and all who helped with deliveries; and to the many organizations who assisted or donated to this project. Our thanks and appreciation to everyone in the community-your generosity has helped to make this a joyful holiday season for many families."

EMERALD ASH BORER ALERT

 

Hillsdale's Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) sent an informational memo to the Hillsdale Town Board in September. We think it's valuable to share and you can download it here. A snippet:

 

"Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis is an invasive wood-boring pest of North American ash (Fraxinus spp.)  including white ash (F. americana), black ash (F.nigra), red ash (F. pennslyvanica), green ash (F. pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima) and several horticultural varieties of ash.  First found in 2002 in southeastern Michigan, it may have been introduced in the 1990's on wood packing material from Asia.  EAB has spread to 23 states including New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  EAB was confirmed in New York in June 2009 and has since been found in twelve counties including Ulster, Greene, Dutchess and Rensselaer Counties and in Dalton, MA.  The infestations in Ulster and Greene counties are the largest in the state with the smaller ones in Stephentown, Tivoli and Dalton adding potential invasion routes to Hillsdale from all directions."

2015 ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
 

Ruth Dodds, Hillsdale Town Clerk, has asked us to post that the Town of Hillsdale will be holding its annual organizational meeting at the Hillsdale Town Hall on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, at 6 pm. All are invited to attend.

THE FIRST HABITAT EXPLORATION OF THE YEAR
 

The first Habitat Exploration is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 1-3 pm at the May Hill Nature Preserve in Harlemville where a fine example of a Red Maple Swamp will be explored (now accessible by a boardwalk). The walk is free, but space is limited, so please register in advance. Click here for more information. 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOUR 2015 TAX BILL
 

To access your tax bill, log into this website that has been set up to help you pay your taxes, thank you very much. Access your tax bill by entering name, tax bill number or property address. New owners, subdivisions, or property merges are not shown until the following year. Credit card payments (Master Card and Visa only) are accepted. Contact Joe Hanselman, our Tax Collector if you have any questions. 


The goal of this newsletter, issued by Hillsdale's Town Board, is to share a bit of local news and the long list of the many cool things that are happening in the Roe Jan community.  If you want to promote your upcoming event, email the details. Pictures and jpgs welcome. No pdfs, please. 

Peter Cipkowski and Vivian deGeorges, Editors
Email us at [email protected]

        

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