Rockland County and Piermont on the Hudson River Valley

The Arts Historic Sites and Landmarks Farmers Markets and Outdoor Recreation

Rockland County is located just 30 miles north of New York City and is known for its quaint villages, spectacular river views and outdoor recreation with 32,000 acres of parklands dotted with sparkling lakes and streams rushing down to the Hudson. Miles marked trails lead right to the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains.

The first half of the 18^th Century saw much of the land cleared, homes built, grist and saw mills erected on the numerous small creeks; general stores opened at Haverstraw and Tappan Slote, present day Piermont. Because of the lack of roads, travel was largely confined to sloops, which made regular trips up and down the river.

The dawn of the 20^th Century saw the beginnings of the decline in the number of farms and the gradual rise in industry. For example, the California Perfume Company was founded in Suffern in 1897. Today it’s a major cosmetics company known as Avon. 

By the 1920s, Rockland County became home to many artists, writers and stage celebrities and, with the opening of the Tappan Zee Bridge in 1955 and completion of the Palisades Interstate Parkway and the New York State Thruway, a major suburban community.

Historic Sites

Dewint House and Museum in Tappan. George Washington’s temporary Headquarters at Tappan on four separate occasions during the American Revolutionary War. Two important battles took place here: the capture by the British of Fort Clinton at Bear Mountain in October 1777 and the victorious attack by General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s army on the British fort at Stony Point in July 1779.

Jacob Blauvelt Restored Farmhouse in New City.  An example of Flemish Vernacular architecture with Greek revival ornamentation the house contains period rooms that illustrate the lifestyles of local farming families during the first half of the nineteenth century. It is owned and operated by the Historical Society of Rockland County, a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for documents and artifacts relating to the history of Rockland County.

 

 

 Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack. Birthplace and boyhood home of the realist painter. The restored house is a NYS Historic Site. One of its rooms is devoted to materials about Hopper’s work and life in Nyack. Three other rooms provide space for monthly exhibits by local artists. The restored garden is the setting for jazz concerts on summer evenings.

Farmers Markets

Village of Haverstraw New vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, organic fair trade coffee, herbs, plants, locally handmade soaps, pastries, jams, pies, quiches, chutneys, wines, prepared foods, artisanal bread and more.

Village of Suffern The Suffern Civic Association hosts a wide variety of vendors selling fresh seasonal fruits and berries, vegetables, organic produce, locally made wines, crusty bread and homemade pastries, farm-fresh cut flowers, locally roasted organic coffee, dried fruit snacks, cheese and eggs, salsas, sausage and meats, soups, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, pasta sauces and ravioli, and much more. The market also features entertainment – storytellers, musicians, cooking demonstrations by local chefs – something new and exciting every week.

The Village of Piermont

Formerly Tappan Landing, is located by a navigable tidal creek linking the Hudson River with Orangetown and the interior. In the 1830s, a pier and a rail link made it the southern terminus connection to Lake Erie. Following the Civil War and the launching of the Nyack and Northern passenger rail line, the Village of Piermont started attracting tourism from nearby New York City. During World War II Piermont was the point of embarkation for Europe-bound troops. For most of the 20^th century, the local economy revolved around the Piermont Paper Factory, a leading maker of paperboard containers, and the largest employer here since the Erie Railroad. Today, the pier continues playing a key role in Piermont as favorite place for residents, fishermen, walking and bicycle tourists and other visitors from the region and beyond.

Piermont Pier offers beautiful views and excellent springtime fishing. Rental boats, canoes, and kayaks, are available in the immediate area. Piermont Pier extends one mile across the Hudson River, from Rockland toward Westchester County. You can bike, walk, jog, or drive to the end of the pier. Fishing along the pier is popular especially during the spring run of stripers.

Piermont Marsh, part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Department of Environmental Conservation, is located on the west side of the Piermont Pier. The site occupies two miles of shoreline south of Pier including the mouth of Sparkill Creek. Both locations are great for Bird Watching, Fishing, Hiking, Walking, running and best of all the scenic views of the Hudson and the palisades cliffs.

Tallman Mountain State Park has an entrance directly across from our century old hand cranked drawbridge.  Tallman Mountain has many outdoor and recreational activities such as hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, tennis, picnic areas, track and field.

Piermont Historic Landmarks

Railroad Station on Ash Street overlooking the Hudson River. Built in 1873, this site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station is now owned and operated by the Village of Piermont.

The Piermont Drawbridge dates back to 1880 and was recently restored. Today it functions as a pedestrian walkway providing a path to the Tallman Mountain State Park.

Wildlife Piermont Pier and Marsh as well as Tallman Mountain State Park have long been recognized by bird watchers as an ideal area for observing birds.

 

Turin and The Langhe in Piemonte

Food Wine and History

Turin traces its origins to the 3^rd Century BC. Located along the Po River and surrounded by the Alps, this city boasts numerous art galleries, theaters, libraries, museums and palaces in the baroque, rococo and neoclassical styles.

A Walking Tour of Turin’s elegant streets and squares includes Palazzo Carignano and the Academy of Science, with the Egyptian Museum and the Galleria Sabauda. Piazza Castello, the heart of the city, contains the Royal Palace, San Lorenzo Church, the Royal Library, the Armory and the Royal Theater.

Nearby: Venaria Castle, one of Italy’s most visited cultural sites, the Martini Museum and Factory, and Cascina Balbiano’s private museum containing ancient wine making tools.

Food and Wine Turin is famous for its use of aromatic herbs, fish, extra virgin olive oil and no less than 69 traditional local starters. It is also known as the “capital of sweets”, including Revigliasco cherries and scrumptious chocolate.

Po River Cruises Medieval towns along the Po river and a panoramic boat trip. Island Hopping Stresa and the Borromee Islands, a motorboat cruise to Isola Madre, Isola Bella and the Isola dei Pescatori - Fishermen’s Island.

Points of Interest in the Langhe Region

Alba, the city of 100 towers, is home to white truffles and the Dolcetto red wine.

Serralunga Castle and Regional Winery

Barolo Wine and Corkscrew Museums, Cheese Factory

Grinzane Cavour Regional Wine Cellar and Castle

Torrone Factory

Fontanafredda over 100 hectares of vineyards in the heart of the Langhe hills.

The North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum on Lake Superior

Minnesota’s small towns are delightful. From well-known small towns like Ely, Pipestone and Nisswa, to the truly tiny towns there’s nothing quite like exploring a small Minnesota town with family and friends.

The Superior Hiking Trail is a 310-mile-long hiking trail that follows the rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior. Access the trail from many points from Jay Cooke State Park, through Duluth, and along Hwy 61 from west of Two Harbors to north of Grand Marais. Great for both day hikes and backpack camping, enjoy scenic overlooks, waterfalls, forests and wildlife. 93 free backcountry campsites spaced every 5-8 miles.  
Tofte is one of the many small communities dotting the North Shore. It’s a popular jumping-off point for kayakers paddling through the beautiful sea caves found on the shore.

The North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum on Lake Superior's North Shore is a unique experience of the maritime heritage engrained in the landscape and people who call this country home. Governed by the Tofte Historical Society, the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation and dissemination of historical knowledge in commercial fishing and the early lifestyles on the shore and waters of Lake Superior.

Maritime Objects, artifacts, photographs and images are at the heart of the museum's collections. The museum is a replica of the twin fish house in Tofte. In the upstairs rooms, safe from the rain and snow, old nets were dried on net reels and new nets were seamed during slow periods. The second floor had a porch away from the lake that was used to oil and dry corks. In good weather, rope and cord were hung over the porch railings to dry.

The Story of Mobility in America

Maritime Museums in Historic Towns

Museum Exhibits from the fjords of Norway to the isolated, rugged shoreline of Lake Superior, the Museum's exhibits take you across the cultural landscape of North Shore commercial fishermen and their families. From the stories about surviving the raging seas of the Lake to the details of traditional North Shore boat building techniques, you can hear the stories directly from the fishermen themselves.

Steamships were crucial to the development of tourism on the North Shore and Isle Royale

Commercial Fishermen began to take in overnight guests in the 1920's to supplement their income. Rustic, cold water cabins and luxury hotels have proven to be a lasting part of the economy of the North Shore. Steamships helped this fledgling industry by promoting the resorts and transporting potential guests. The steamship captains, representing a link to the outside world, were important personalities along the North Shore. They are remembered as nearly inseparable parts of the ships they commanded.

Lake trout and herring were the two predominant commercial fish on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Whitefish, important on the south shore, lacked proper habitat along this rocky coast. The increasing population of sea lamprey in Lake Superior in the 1950's greatly harmed the trout populations, and effectively ended their commercial harvest. Lampreys were originally prevented from reaching the Great Lakes by Niagara Falls. With the construction of the Welland Ship Canal in 1835, lampreys began to make their first inroads into the eastern lakes, and steadily moved west. They first appeared in Lake Superior in the 1940's.

Fishing Techniques gill netting and hook line were the two primary techniques used by North Shore fishermen. Although gill nets were used for both trout and herring, the hook line was used only for trout. Nets were set in the beginning of the season and moved several times; new anchors were needed with every move. Attached to a coil of strong rope, the anchor was slipped overboard very carefully as the rapidly descending line could entangle and pull a person overboard. Many fishermen used local rocks for anchors. When rocks with suitable natural shapes were unavailable, grooves were chiseled in rocks of the appropriate size.

Connect for Travel to Lake Superior and Minnesota

Micro CHP

Solar Cogeneration and Net Metering Systems

A cogeneration plant often referred to as a combined heat and power plant is tasked with producing electricity and thermal energy in the form of heat or steam, or useful mechanical work, such as shaft power, from the same fuel source. Micro-CHP engine systems are currently based on several different technologies: Internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, Fuel cell, Microturbines, Steam engine/Steam motor using either water or organic chemicals such as refrigerants.

Micro combined heat and power or mCHP applies to single or multi-family homes or small office buildings in the range of up to 50 kW. Local generation has the potential for a higher efficiency than traditional grid-level generators since it lacks the 8-10% energy losses from transporting electricity over long distances as well as 10–15% energy losses from heat transfer in district heating networks due to the difference between the thermal energy carrier - hot water - and the colder external environment.

Most Systems use natural gas as the primary energy source and emit carbon dioxide. A micro-CHP system usually contains a small fuel cell or a heat engine as a prime mover used to rotate a generator which provides electric power, while simultaneously utilizing the waste heat from the prime mover for a building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. A micro-CHP generator delivers electricity as the by-product or may generate electricity with heat as the by-product. 

Micro-CHP systems have been facilitated by recent technological developments of small heat engines

Type	2008 Status	2012	2015	2020
Electrical efficiency at rated power	34%	40%	42.5%	45%
CHP energy efficiency	80%	85%	87.5%	90%
Factory cost	$750/kW	$650/kW	$550/kW	$450/kW
Transient response (10%–90% rated power)	5 min	4 min	3 min	2 min
Start-up time from 20 °C ambient temperature	60 min	45 min	30 min	20 min
Degradation with cycling	< 2%/1000 h	0.7%/1000 h	0.5%/1000 h	0.3%/1000 h
Operating lifetime	6,000 h	30,000 h	40,000 h	60,000 h
System availability	97%	97.5%	98%	99%

CPVT Concentrated photovoltaics and thermal also called CHAPS combined heat and power solar, is a cogeneration technology used in concentrated photovoltaics that produce electricity and heat in the same module. The heat may be employed in district and water heating, air conditioning, process heat or desalination.

Net metering micro-CHP systems achieve much of their savings by the value of electrical energy which is replaced by auto produced electricity. A generate-and-resell model supports this as home-generated power exceeding the in-home needs is sold back to the electrical utility. This system is efficient because the energy used is distributed and used instantaneously over the electric grid.

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Washington County Maryland

Arts Entertainment and a Civil War Legacy

Hagerstown located in Western Maryland it features a distinct topography, formed by stone ridges running from northeast to southwest through the center of town defining its neighborhoods. These ridges consist of upper Stonehenge limestone; the older buildings were built from this stone which is easily quarried and dressed onsite. Several of Hagerstown’s churches are constructed of Stonehenge limestone; brick and concrete eventually displaced this native stone.

Hub City German immigrant Jonathan Hager built the first house here in 1739 and began laying out the town in 1762. Hager House still stands as a carefully preserved museum, giving visitors a window to the 18^th century. The National Road brought growth and the railroads intersecting here gave it its nickname, “Hub City.” The largest Civil War cavalry battle fought in an urban setting happened here.

City Park offers 50 acres of beautiful outdoor space and Hagerstown City Farmers Market sells crafts and baked goods as well as homegrown produce from area farmers.

The Arts & Entertainment District is home to the Maryland Theatre’s year-round performances and events, including Maryland Symphony Orchestra concerts. Hagerstown is also home to the Western Maryland Blues Fest. The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is in scenic City Park.

The Hagerstown Cultural Trail links the Arts District with City Park and Fine Arts Museum

A Transit Center, Hagerstown is the chief commercial and industrial hub for a Tri-State Area that includes much of Western Maryland as well as portions of South-Central Pennsylvania and Eastern West Virginia.

Washington County is home to many quaint towns, including:

Boonsboro founded by relatives of Daniel Boone and situated along the main road to Hagerstown and Frederick. Historic markers explain the National Road, Civil War battles, and quaint shops line Main Street including author Nora Roberts' bookstore and bed and breakfast.
Clear Spring is located 12 miles west of Hagerstown. The historic National Pike which once linked the port of Baltimore to the western frontier of Ohio, runs through the center of town. Area attractions include Knob Hall Winery, Whitetail Mountain Resort, the C&O Canal and Fort Frederick State Park.

Explore the C&O Canal Towpath and the Western Maryland Rail Trail

Civil War Legacy Sharpsburg was the place where two massive armies clashed, leaving 23,110 dead, wounded, or missing. Every building overflowed with the wounded and dying. After the Civil War, its population declined; today, it has fewer than 700 residents, many direct descendants of families here during the Civil War. The Antietam National Battlefield and the Antietam National Cemetery are part of Sharpsburg, and nearby museums such as the Pry House Field Hospital Museum attract international symposiums. Smithsburg played a role in the Civil War, when residents helped care for wounded soldiers after the battles of Gettysburg, Monterey, South Mountain, and Antietam.

Williamsport is located at the confluence of Conococheague Creek and the Potomac River. When the C&O Canal opened in 1834, it evolved into a thriving waterfront town. It was also once considered a potential site for the United States’ capital.

Williamsport is the Finish Line for the JFK 50 Mile the Oldest Ultra-Marathon in North America