spring 2012
TRANSCRIPT
INSIDE
SPRING 2012
Grrrrrrrrr! Tigers are living in the Library!
Bronxville, New York
A Publication of
The Chronicle
Kenneth T. Jackson“The Empire City: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of New York”
The More The MerrierFive new members
join the board
Welcome Aboard!Date is set for
annual boat cruise
In The Beginning...Recognizing those who
created the Conservancy
Time FliesOne of Bronxville’s own
To Co-chair Eastchester’s350th anniversary
Saving FacePreserving history usingan historical method
Over There Comes Over Here
World War I propaganda and paraphernalia
A Memorable Memorial Day
A great parade and much, much more
Join/Rejoin The Conservancy
Membership definitely has its advantages
By Liz Folberth
Professor Kenneth T. Jackson’s soft Southern drawl reveals hisMemphis origins. In fact, when he arrived in New York City in 1969,he was an urban historian who had never lived in a tall building.
During the four decades since then, Jackson has become the preeminent authority onNew York City and one of the world’s top urban historians. “I love the city,” says Jackson,“its density, its mysteries, its diversity and its variety. Every street is a new experience.”
Columbia undergraduates have made his course, “The History of the City of New York,”one of the most popular at the University. This year, his 37th teaching the course, over 250bikers participated in the famous all-night bike tour that he leads through the city, pausingat landmarks to deliver history lessons through a megaphone.
At Columbia University, Jackson is Director of the Herbert H. Lehman Center for the Studyof American History and the Jacques Barzun Professor of History and the Social Sciences, aprofessorship which honors one of the nation’s most distinguished men of letters. His bestknown publication is Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States, which by2010 had been reprinted five times in hardcover and 29 times in paperback. In his book,Jackson described Bronxville as a model suburb, “endlessly copied but never matched.”
Bronxville history buffs don’t need to don bike helmets and follow him through NYC frommidnight to dawn to reap the benefits of Professor Jackson’s erudition and fascinatingstories. They are invited to attend the Bronxville Historical Conservancy’s 14th annualBrendan Gill Lecture on Friday, April 13, to hear this distinguished historian and authorspeak about “The Empire City: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of New York.” In the 1970s,New York City lost 700,000 residents, dozens of corporate headquarters and scores offactories. In his lecture, Jackson asks: How and why did the Hudson River metropolistransform its economy and avoid the fate of Detroit, St. Louis and Cleveland—and canNew York be a model for other cities? This free lecture will take place at 8 p.m. atConcordia College’s Sommer Center with a reception following. Please RSVP to AmieHollmann, 914-337-9300, x211 or email to [email protected].
“People often say it’s odd that a Southern boy should be such a New Yorknik,” saysJackson. “But when you come to New York, you can feel you own it. You can be a citizenof New York in a week. The one constant is change. This city is about achievement andeffort. It’s always open to new players.”
14th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture: Friday April 13th at 8 p.m.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 30 for ourannual boatcruise which willtake us to HistoricHuguenot Street.This is a NationalHistoric Landmarkin New Paltz, NY,featuring sevenunique stonehouses dating tothe early 1700s, a
burial ground and a reconstructed 1717 stone church,all in their original village setting. Ten landscaped acresare surrounded by a riverside nature preserve.
This community was settled by a small group of Walloonsfrom what is today northern France and southernBelgium who were linked by family, language, religion,and friendship. Here they could pursue their Protestantfaith free from religious and political persecution. Theynamed the new town after die Pfalz, the region alongthe Rhine River where they had found temporary refugebefore journeying to the new world.
Today the houses are furnished with period andheirloom artifacts, many of which descended throughthe families. Through the preservation of this remarkablesite, interpreted by our own private guides, we have theopportunity to enjoy and investigate the origins anddevelopment of this distinctly American culture.
Please plan to join us for a wonderful day on the HudsonRiver and a thought-provoking historical glimpse into ourpast. Invitations will be mailed later this summer.
New Board Members
3
Bill Barton works for Goldman, Sachs & Co. in private wealthmanagement. A resident of Bronxville since 1982, Bartonhas served as a Village Trustee for the past six years, retiringin March 2012. He is a former president of the CommunityFund of Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe, formerpresident of the Bronxville School Foundation, and formerpresident of the Lawrence Park Hilltop Association. He alsoserves as a member of the board of directors of WittenbergUniversity.
Judy Foley was born and raised in Zimbabwe and has livedin Bronxville since 1981. She has served on several BronxvilleSchool Councils, on the board of the Community Fund ofBronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe, on the WestchesterCouncil for Save the Children, and Graham Windham. Sheis on an Advisory Committee for Concordia College.
Erin Saluti has lived in Bronxville since 2003. A former publicrelations executive, she currently devotes her time to herfamily and to community service. She is an active volunteerat the Bronxville School, a past president of the LawrencePark Hilltop Association, a former board member of theThornton-Donovan School, and a sustainer of the JuniorLeague of Bronxville.
Jane Staunton, who grew up in Eastchester and attendedlocal schools, has been a resident of Bronxville since 2000when she moved here after living and working in London.Jane has been an active volunteer for the CommunityFund, co-founder of the Bronxville Veterans Memorial,serves on the fund-raising committee for the Ferncliff Schooland is a past vice president of philanthropy for theBronxville Womens Club. She has extensive experience inthe financial services industry, having begun her career onWall Street over 35 years ago, and is currently a SeniorDirector at BNY Mellon Wealth Management.
Bill Zambelli, who has resided in Bronxville for 20 years,joined Concordia College in 2006 and is currently serving asthe Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Concordia, heserved as the CFO for the American Symphony OrchestraLeague, a not-for-profit service organization for orchestrasin the U.S. He has extensive experience in banking andpublic accounting, having worked for JP Morgan, RepublicNational Bank and Coopers & Lybrand. He is a CPA in theState of New York, a member of the boards for theCommunity Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe,and the Lutheran Schools Association.
New Board Members (l to r)—Bill Zambelli, Jane Staunton, Judy Foley andBill Barton. Missing is Erin Saluti
Alyce Micolino Almy
Jorie and Jim Andrews
Paul Benziger
Vera and Gene Blendermann
Dorothy Niven Brennan
Marianna and Anthony Brittis
Elaine and Virgil Conway
Deborah and Kevin Cook
Henry L. Coon
Emily and John Corry
Patricia and Robert Dohrenwend
The Dornheim Family
Ruth P. Doyle
Christina J. Eldridge
Vicki and Si Ford
Susan and Leonard Formato
Randy and Corky Frost
Jan Gray
Nancy and Bill Hand
Patricia and Donald Harris
Meg and Mark Hausberg
Marilynn and John Hill
Mary Huber
Barbara Inman
Kathryn and Bruce Johnson
Gertrude and Joseph L. Kelly
Lisa Kunstadter and Nicholas Stephens
Cherry Lawrence
Marcia and Larry Lee
Anna and Guy Longobardo
Catherine and Robert Macdonald
Ginny and Ed Martin
Carolyn Martin
Janet Matthews
Jane and Alden Millard
Arthur Miller
Marianne and Steve Mills
Rory Millson
Eloise and Robert Morgan
Julia Murphy
Patricia Owen Schaffer
Rosemary and George Palmer
Claire and Joseph Peddy
Madryn and John Priesing
Sally and Drew Quale
Gay Edwards Reetz
Wendy and Robert Riggs
Faith and Richard Schmidt
Ellen and Bob Seabring
Linda and Bob Shearer
Ruth and Rick Shearer
Lois Shelli
Olinda and John Simon
Adrienne and Tom Smith
Christina and Bill Staudt
Sheila and Fritz Stein
Barbara Stires
Henry G. Stroobants
Mrs. Robert H. Tapp
Nancy and Carlo Vittorini
Vandy and Jimmy Walker
Gail Aldrich Ward
Jayne Warman
Bonnie and David Weir
Richard B. Weir
Carol and George Young
“The Founding 100”14 years later
One of the legacies of the 1998 centennial celebration of Bronxville’s incorporationas a village was the founding of the Bronxville Historical Conservancy. Steeped inlocal history after a year of educational and celebratory events, more than 100
villagers readily responded to a request for interested citizens to become the foundingmembers of this new organization. The 1998 Bronxville Centennial Celebration, a not-for-profit corporation, was reorganized as the Bronxville Historical Conservancy. The individualsand families who will be remembered for becoming the initial members of the BHC werenamed “The Founding 100.”
Fourteen years later, the Conservancy has become an established part of Bronxville’s civiclife. Inspired by its mission to further the understanding and appreciation of the history andcurrent life of the village, its more than 400 current family members have supported avariety of projects, publications, lectures, and special events that have helped to foster alarger awareness of the village’s architectural, artistic and cultural heritage. The loyalty ofits initial members has been particularly important in this work. In this almost decade and ahalf, some have moved away and others have died, but an impressive 66 of the Founding100 are still active supporting members of the Conservancy. A special thanks goes tothose individuals and families.
SAVE THE DATE!September 30Annual Boat Cruise To Visit Historic Huguenot StreetIn New Paltz, NY
2
Photo credit: Historic Huguenot Street
By Marilynn Hill
Photo credit: Jayne Warman
4 54 5
Many people are familiar with the murals ofprehistoric species at New York’s AmericanMuseum of Natural
History and the animalsculptures at the Bronx Zoo,but few are aware that theartist who created thesemasterful works lived for atime in Bronxville. CharlesR. Knight (1874-1953) wasencouraged to move tothe village in 1906 andremained here until 1918.During that time hecreated some of his mostspectacular images ofanimal wildlife, fromdinosaurs and mammothsto modern birds andbeasts. Knight’s work hashad a direct influence onpopular culture throughsuch films as Fantasia, King Kong and Jurassic Park.
Knight was legally blind from childhood, a conditionthat did not impair his abilities as an artist, but didmake his work all the more extraordinary. Hebegan drawing animals at an early age,particularly at the Bronx Zoo, and as a young manstudied art in New York and Paris. He receivedcommissions not only from the American Museumof Natural History, but also from many privatecollectors and public institutions, including one fromthe United States Mint for a design of a bison for the1901 ten-dollar bank note. He also designed aportrait of Chief Gramatan that appeared on theletterhead of Bronxville’s Gramatan Bank. And as atestament to his residency in the village, Knightsculpted a pair of lion’s head reliefs on either side ofthe front door of his home at 67 Park Avenue – theystill guard the entrance today.
On March 25, the Bronxville Historical Conservancyhosted an afternoon at the Library devoted to thelegacy of this important artist. In addition to alecture by Richard Milner, the author of a newlypublished and much acclaimed biography,Charles R. Knight: The Artist Who Saw ThroughTime, based on unpublished writings and extensivenew research on the artist, special guest, RhodaKnight Kalt, shared some personal memories of hergrandfather “Toppy.” The afternoon also featured
an exhibition of drawings, paintings and books byKnight as well as a sculpture of a pygmy elephant
given to the Library in1947.
Kalt related that hergrandfather, in spite of hisvision impairment, was aprolific artist and sculptor.He preferred the realismhe achieved by paintinganimals that were alive atzoos instead of those inphotos or drawings. Healso painted many scenesof early cavemen. Kaltsaid that Knight’sinspiration came from "hisanguish about howdifficult it must have beenfor cavemen to survive."
Milner captivated the audience with stories aboutKnight’s very interesting life, including his time livingin Bronxville. Among other things, attendeeslearned that Knight had completed pencil sketchesof 800 species of animals, a truly remarkableaccomplishment. His devotion to reality and todetail can clearly be seen in the two monumental-size paintings of tigers that have been on loan tothe Library since November and will remain on viewin the Yeager Community Room until June.
Charles R. Knight: The Artist Who Saw Through Time
Charles R. Knight’s granddaughter, Rhoda Knight Kalt, and author Richard Milner
Bob Riggs Selected as Co-chairOf 350th Anniversary Celebration of the
Town of EastchesterIt is an honor for Bronxville to have one of the two Co-chairs of the 350th Anniversary Celebration of theTown of Eastchester chosen from our village. BobRiggs, and his Co-chair Linda Doherty from Tuckahoe,will head the anniversary steering committeerepresenting Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Bronxville.Bob is a near lifetime resident of the village, grew up inBronxville's oldest house, attended the Bronxvilleschool K-12, was Co-chair of the Bronxville Centennialin 1998 and is Lifetime Co-chair of the BronxvilleHistorical Conservancy.
The celebration will embrace historical figures such asAnne Hutchinson, historical documents such as theEastchester Covenant of 1665, and the town’sheritage—the Revolutionary War, slavery and the CivilWar, the World Wars, settlers and residents, and thediffering educational philosophies that made thetown and its villages unique. It will be a learning
experience and fun for all who live in Eastchester,Tuckahoe and Bronxville.
When Alexander Masterton’s sun dial once againfaces the elements this spring, the BronxvilleHistorical Conservancy will have takensteps to ensure that the existingcarvings on the dial plate will not belost for future generations.
Masterton’s dial stood for over150 years in the southerngardens of his home on WhitePlains Road and time andweather have not been kindto what has been credited as his work. The high qualityTuckahoe marble from theMasterton quarry has eroded somuch that the dial markings arenow faint and difficult to see with thenaked eye.
The Conservancy, interested in preserving theimage of what remains, turned to the ancient art
of stone rubbing. Nancy Dillon, President of Presbrey-Leland Memorials in Valhalla (NY), made
a professional rubbing of the dial plate and donated it to the Conservancy,
who in turn will place the historicalreference work in the Local History
Room at the library.
An amazing pattern of lines,flourishes and Roman numeralsemerged as the rubbingproceeded and afterwards, twolines clearly came into focus —“Alexander Masterton” and
beneath it, “Eastchester.” Thereare other partially formed letters
that hopefully will reveal clues towhen the dial was inscribed.
Whether or not weather will eventually erasethe images, the face of time has now been frozen
for future generations.
Weathering TimeBy Dale Walker
Bob Riggs
Photo credit: Bill Dowling
Photo credit: Bill Dowling
Photo credit: Bill Dowling
By Jayne Warman
6 7
In the past, some residents have felt Bronxville’sMemorial Day festivities resembled a Fourth of Julycelebration rather than a day of remembrance. Fouryears ago, in order to emphasize the “memorial”aspect of the day, two village residents, JaneStaunton and Cindi Callahan, asked the BronxvilleHistorical Conservancy for a small grant to help theminitiate a Veterans commemoration at the BronxvilleWomens Club two weeks prior to Memorial Day. Theyassembled a remarkable collection of newspaperarticles, letters, photographs and biographies oflocal residents dating back to World War I. Thismaterial was supplemented by framed photos ofveterans with their service records, a collectiondonated by Eastchester historian Michael Fix. Thisoriginal Bronxville Veterans Memorial display,
however, attracted fewer than 75 people when itwas presented on a Sunday in the middle of May.
With the Conservancy’s encouragement, thecreators agreed to make the exhibit available onMemorial Day. In 2011, the Commemoration wasdisplayed in the school gym for five days surroundingthe Memorial Day weekend. Nearly all of theschool’s students were guided through the exhibitand large numbers of residents helped theattendance soar to well over a thousand peoplewho paid their respects to our veterans. Thanks toJane, Cindi, Michael, the Parent Teacher Association,and the Bronxville School administration and faculty,the “memorial” aspect of the weekend has beenenriched.
In 1999, when theBronxville PublicLibrary buildingwas beingdismantled forrenovation andexpansion, acollection ofabout 80 World War Ipropagandaposters, rolledup in two dustyboxes, wasdiscovered byformer LibraryTrustee JayneWarman, whosaved themfrom the
dumpster. Nine works were recentlyframed by the Library Board and displayed in theYeager Community Room.
Using these posters as a centerpiece,Conservancy Co-chair JayneWarman and board member SarahUnderhill organized a specialVeterans Day presentation onThursday, November 10, 2011,featuring Fred Smoler, Professor ofInternational Relations at SarahLawrence College, and ConservancyBoard member Jack Bierwirth.
Adults and students alike, all anxious to learn moreabout this important communications effort thatwas critical to the war effort, filled almost everyseat in the YeagerCommunity Room.
Professor Smoler,spoke on thesignificance of WWIposters. With radio inits infancy, the U.S.governmentdepended on warposters to spread theword—to overcomethe country’sinnocence, reinforcethe importance ofhome front sacrifice, encourage citizens tovolunteer for service, inspire those left behind(women and older citizens) to serve as replacementworkers in factories, and appeal to Americanideals to buy war bonds and support the RedCross. According to Professor Smoler the posters
created asense ofinclusion in thecountry andtaught uswhat to do(i.e., scrapmetal drives).
Jack Bierwirththen broughtWWI alive bysharing thecontents of hisgrandfather’sarmy trunk. Lt. John E.
Bierwirth served as an artillery officer in World War Iin France from 1917 until the Armistice. Inside thetrunk were uniforms, hats, a helmet, a Sam Brownbelt and a gas mask. Five students in the audiencewere invited on stage to model this importantmemorabilia of the war.
This event was a fascinating and rewardingglimpse into a colorful and critical part of ourcountry’s history.
Emphasizing the “Memorial” in Memorial Day
One of the visual delights of the BronxvilleMemorial Day Parade is having it led by a largecontingent of antique Model A cars from the
Model A Ford Club of Westchester, a parade entrysponsored by the Conservancy. This year, as usual, onMonday, May 28, the Model A Fords will gather at 8a.m. on Studio Arcade. Other cars, age 25 years andolder, are welcome to join the parade. If you wouldlike to participate with your car, please call JackKennedy at 914-961-2464 to register, or be at StudioArcade before 8:15.
World War I Comes Alive for a Younger Generation
Gentlemen (and Ladies): Please Start Your Engines!Professor Fred Smoler
Conservancy board member Jack Bierwirth with Bronxville School students during his
presentation of WWI posters and memorabilia
Professor Smoler and Conservancy Co-Chair Jayne Warman
Photo credits: Larry Lee
The Chronicle © Spring 2012
Editors: Liz Folberth, Bob ScottDesigner: Ken GudaitisContributing Editors:
Bill Dowling, Liz Folberth, Marilynn Hill, Dale Walker, Jayne Warman, Contributing Photographers:
Bill Dowling, Larry Lee, Nancy Vittorini, Jayne Warman
Submissions welcome!
P. O. Box 989Bronxville, NY 10708
8
The Bronxville Historical Conservancy is dedicated to an understandingand appreciation of the heritage and culture of Bronxville.
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 village’s
architectural, artistic and cultural heritage and lends
its support for projects designed to strengthen
and preserve those legacies.
I wish to become a member.Enclosed is my check payable to The Bronxville Historical ConservancyOr join online: www.bronxvillehistoricalconservancy.org
� $35 – Dusenberry Donor � $50 – Lawrence Friend � $100 – Chambers Champion
� $250 – Prescott Patron � $500 – Underhill Fellow � $1,000 – Masterton Benefactor
Each membership, at any level, is a household membership for the calendar year.Corporate memberships are also available.Please print clearly:
First Name(s)__________________________________Last Name_____________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone____________________________________Email__________________________________________
Please mail your check to Bronxville Historical Conservancy, P.O. Box 989, Bronxville, NY 10708