Peekskill Museum

THIS WEEK IN 1952... The "Hortonshphere" on Water Street became the biggest snowball in Peekskill!

THIS WEEK IN 1951... Santa arrived at the Peekskill train station, with kids and parents anxiously awaiting his visit, sponsored by Genung's department store. - Mike Stewart for the Peekskill Museum

ON THIS DAY IN 1951... Mrs. Hazel Cava of the VFW rings the bell, collecting donations for the Salvation Army's Christmas kettle on December 13, 1951. - Mike Stewart for the Peekskill Museum

ON THIS DAY IN 1954... On December 13, 1954 the Evening Star newspaper ran this photo of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Woodside Elementary School, showing School Board president Dr. Robert Poritzky, and Principal Robert W. Herres. - Mike Stewart for the Peekskill Museum

INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY In observance of International Mountain Day on December 11, the Peekskill Museum is pleased to share these views of Dunderberg and Bear Mountain as they loom large over Peekskill Bay. These images are drawn from the Museum’s collection of historic glass plate negatives from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. But it was in the mid-1600s when Dutch mariners named the more imposing of these two mountains Dunderberg (translated as Thunder Mounta...in) for the sudden storms that arose as they passed under its shadow. Legend has it that many Dutch sailors imagined the mountain was inhabited by a short, stout, wide-bottomed, flying goblin who dressed in trunk hose and a sugar-loafed hat, and used a hand-held speaking trumpet to call forth great storms to harass passing ships. He supposedly commanded a crew of imps who would do his mischievous bidding, by trooping into the air and tumbling about in the mist, smiting the topsails of nearby ships. Another tale recounts how the goblin leapt from Dunderberg and appeared out of the mist to board a schooner being tossed about in a heavy squall, and landed on the bowsprit in order to guide the ship straight toward a pile of rocks. But a quick-thinking parson on board took action by chanting the song of Saint Nicolaus, and the goblin unable to endure the spiritual potency of the song and the parson’s singing voice, suddenly shot upward like a cannon ball and rode off on a gale, carrying away the hat of the parson’s wife, which he hung on the Esopus steeple some 40 miles away. But contrary to legend and its name, the Dunderberg usually provides a peaceful and quiet landscape for Peekskill’s residents and visitors to enjoy. Whether it’s viewed from the riverfront or higher elevations, it’s an iconic view that many of us associate with home, rather than woodland sprites and goblins. So on this International Day of the Mountain, enjoy this poem by Thomas MacKellar "The Dunderberg sat silently beneath the snowy clouds, that form'd a vapory wreath above its peak. The Hudson swept along its mighty waters - ‘tis not in me to paint. But oh! Had I a pen endued with master gifts and genius, then might I aspire to tell its praise in song." - Mike Stewart for the Peekskill Museum

ON THIS DAY IN 1950 Residents of Annsville Creek were besieged with torrential rains on December 8 that were accompanied by an unusually high tide from the Hudson River. The Evening Star newspaper published photos of the resulting flood, along with this description: Flood waters, resulting from last night’s heavy rain, combined with a high tide, today inundated a number of the bungalows on the south shore of Annsville Creek in Pine Grove. For the second time within two week...s, Mr. and Mrs. William Turner, occupants of the bungalow ‘River’s Edge,’ located under the trestle, were the victims of the flood. On Saturday, November 25th, the day of the first big storm, the Peekskill Fire Patrol was called out to rescue Mrs. Turner and her ten-year-old son, Harry, who was on the second floor of the building and who was ill. Today they were flooded a second time, after only getting back into the place last Tuesday. Asked where they will go tonight, Mrs. Turner said they would have to remain in the flooded building because they had no place to go. She said they would probably all occupy rooms on the second floor. Upon hearing of the family’s plight, the Evening Star dispatched its photographer to the bungalow by row boat! - Mike Stewart for the Peekskill Museum