Narrowsburg News

Walking through history

By GREG TRIGGS
Posted 3/11/20

This time of year, late at night, walking the dog through the Flats, the bare trees allow a view of town that’s normally not possible. There’s time to notice the bend of the river. The …

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Narrowsburg News

Walking through history

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This time of year, late at night, walking the dog through the Flats, the bare trees allow a view of town that’s normally not possible. There’s time to notice the bend of the river. The path of the railroad tracks. Old houses normally obscured by a cluster of leafy trees. In the quiet, your mind can easily imagine the Narrowsburg of a different era.

Online you can find out that the original name of Narrowsburg was Homans Eddy, named after the first settler in town. With a few clicks of your mouse and keyboard, you can learn that the Arlington Hotel, Kirk House and Narrowsburg Methodist Church are on the Register of National Historical Places.

Benjamin Woodward is one of the two former citizens listed under Notable People on Tusten, New York’s Wikipedia Page. Born in Beaver Brook back in 1841, he was a politician who served in the New York State Senate. Gustavus Adolphus Neumann, a German newspaper publisher who retired to Tusten in 1873, is our other Wiki notable. What of all the other souls that have passed this way?

According to Wikipedia, it could be argued we peaked in the 19th century. We know differently, but how do we prove it? Luckily, we have our ways. In fact, we have two. Online resources include websites for Sullivan County Historical Society at www.scnyhistory.org, which has its own museum at 265 Main St. in Hurleyville, and the Tusten Historical Society at www.townoftusten.org/historian.

Each organization maintains records and displays artifacts. They write, design and build the historical markers posted around town. They tell stories. In short, they bring our history alive. Taking the one-dimension of our screens to the three-dimensions of real life.

The Tusten Historical Society is located in the Western Sullivan County Library’s Tusten-Cochecton Branch at 198 Bridge St. in Narrowsburg. The history room is scheduled to be open on Saturday afternoons. Memberships are encouraged. Specifics about joining are available on the website.

Support this worthwhile organization to protect the future of those curious about our town’s history. One hundred years from now, people will be overheard wandering through Narrowsburg saying:

“That’s been River Gallery for over a century.” 

“The town actually used to have TWO Chinese restaurants!” 

“When did Peck’s become Pete’s and did they sell pickled peppers?”

After our era fades into history and becomes memory, on a quiet walk through the Flats late at night, someone will be thinking, “I wonder what this town was like in 2020?” 

Let’s make sure they can find out.

narrowsburg, news, benjamin woodward, homans eddy, walking through history, tusten

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