THE JOHN SCOTT ARMCHAIR WALKING TOURS - FALL, 2008

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE NYACKS and THE FRIENDS OF THE NYACKS ANNOUNCE the schedule for the 2008 Fall Season of THE JOHN SCOTT ARMCHAIR WALKING TOURS. This popular program, now in its thirteenth year, features slide presentations on local history, architecture and related cultural subjects. THE ARMCHAIR WALKING TOURS are dedicated to the memory of John Scott, Rockland County's great Historian. The programs are produced by Bob Goldberg.

The opening September program, "THE INFLUENCE OF THE IRISH IN ROCKLAND COUNTY: PAST AND PRESENT" will be presented by George Leahy. George recently retired after 37 years of teaching social studies at Nanuet High School. George Leahy's roots in Rockland County go back to the mid-1800's when his Irish ancestors settled in Haverstraw. George has lectured extensively on both Irish and local history in Rockland and leads walking tours through Haverstraw. Currently, he is an adjunct professor of History at St. Thomas Aquinas College.

The program will focus on the arrival and impact of the Irish on the political, social and economic history of Rockland. Significant Irish individuals and their roles in Rockland and on the world stage, like Helen Hayes, Michael A Donaldson and John Fortune Ryan will be discussed. A special emphasis will be placed on James A. Farley, who rose from town clerk of Stony Point to Chairman of the national Democratic Party and went on to "engineer" the presidential nomination of FDR.

The program will be presented first at the Nyack Center on Wednesday evening, Sept. 24 at 7:30PM and will be repeated the following afternoon, Sept. 25 at 2:00 PM. in the Valley Cottage Library. Seating is open at the Nyack Center but is limited at the Valley Cottage Library. Please call the Library (845-268-7700) 10 days prior to the program for free seating reservations.

The October and second program in the series, "HISTORIC HOMES ALONG THE HUDSON" will be presented by Leontine Temsky. The Hudson River Valley has a rich heritage of architectural treasures and this slide program will explore interesting examples of Dutch Colonial, Federal and Georgian style homes. Many magnificent Victorian Villas including Glenview, Fonthill, Lyndhurst, Malkasten and Bouldererg Manor will be discussed.

Leontine Temsky recently retired from her position as Professor of Art History at SUNY Empire State College. Leontine has been a very popular speaker at the ARMCHAIR WALKING TOURS where she has presented programs on the Hudson River School of Painters, Architecture of the Hudson River Valley and Highlights of Nyack's Victorian Heritage. She also leads Walking Tours in Nyack and has curated several exhibits at the Hopper House.

The program will be presented first at the Nyack Center on Wednesday evening October 22 at 7:30 PM and will be repeated the next afternoon, Thursday October 23 at 2:00 PM in the Valley Cottage Library. Seating is open at the Nyack Center but is limited at the Valley Cottage Library. Please call the Library (845-268-7700) 10 days prior to the program for free seating reservations.

The third and final program of ARMCHAIR WALKING TOURS, "STORIED SNEDENS LANDING: HOW IT CAME TO BE AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN ITS HEYDAY" will be presented on November 19 and 20, by Alice Gerard, noted author and historian. Alice, who grew up in Snedens Landing tells stories about the personalities, the places and the parties that characterized the riverside area of Palisades NY when Mary Lawrence Tonetti hosted a star-studded assemblage of writers, actors, artists, dancers and musicians including, Lawrence Olivier, Katherine Cornell and Betty Friedan. The Tour includes visits to the Ding Dong House, the beautiful pergola at the Waterfall and the old Snedens Landing ferry that took tenants across the Hudson to the Dobbs Ferry railroad station.

The program will be presented first at the Nyack Center on Wednesday evening , November 19 at 7:30 PM and will be repeated the next afternoon, Thursday November 20 at 2 PM, in the Valley Cottage Library. Seating is open at the Nyack Center but is limited at the Valley Cottage Library. Please call the Valley Cottage Library (845-268-7700) 10 days prior to the program for free seating reservations.

All programs are free and open to the public, but contributions are encouraged to defray the costs of production. Please note the parking is limited at the Valley Cottage Library and car pooling is encouraged.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL BOB GOLDBERG AT (845) 268 3838.