Crossroads of Rockland History

Episode originally aired on Monday, March 28, 2022 at 9:30am on WRCR Radio 1700AM. To celebrate Women's History Month,  we turned our attention to the women of South Mountain Road (Rockland County) who, like their male counterparts, were gifted artists and intellectuals. HSRC Executive Director Susan Deeks joined Clare Sheridan to discuss some of these notable women and why they deserve a pro...

Broadcast aired Monday, February 21, 2022 at 9:30 am, on WRCR AM 1700.   We revisited the interview with historical archeologist Joan Geismar and the fascinating and little-known area known as Skunk Hollow. Dr. Geismar has been a practicing urban archaeologist since 1981 and wrote her dissertation on Skunk Hollow. She shares how she uncovered the history of this place through archeological researc...

Clare Sheridan interviewed Blauvelt, NY native Roger Peltzman . Since his appearance on "Crossroads" in 2014, Peltzman has continued to explore his family’s harrowing story that took place in the wake of Hitler’s rise to power, with his primary focus on his uncle, the piano prodigy Norbert Stern, who perished in Auschwitz at 21 years old. Sheridan and Peltzman discussed the new developme...

Broadcast originally aired December 20, 2021 at 9:30am on WRCR Radio Did you know that we can discover the future by studying the past? The Haverstraw Brick Museum is doing just that! Clare Sheridan’s guest was Rachel Whitlow, acting director of the Haverstraw Brick Museum. We discussed the Museum’s new innovation series of exhibitions; interesting collaborations with organizations, including the...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, November 15, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700AM Spies! Loyalists! Tories! Conspiracy! Strange messages? Codes in invisible ink? We turned our attention to Patriots and Spies in Revolutionary New York , the new book by A. J. Schenkman . The author was interviewed by host Clare Sheridan.  The American Revolution was first and foremost a civil war that tore at the very fabr...

Broadcast originally aired Monday, October 18, 2021, at 9:30 am, on WRCR AM1700 Ralph Blauvelt joined Clare Sheridan to speak about his new book, "Four Hundred Years in America: 17th Century Immigrant Ancestors." This is the story of the first immigrant settlers in New Netherland, some of whom are Blauvelt’s own ancestors. Their lives are reconstructed from the documents they left behind...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, September 20, 2021 at 9:30am on WRCR Radio 1700AM In this two-part episode, Clare Sheridan read “The True Story of Major André’s Toe,” as written by Palisades Historian Alice Gerard. (The story appeared in the HSRC's South of the Mountains history quarterly). This story is relevant right now, because one hundred years ago, Major John André’s remains were...

Monday, August 16, 2021, 9:30 am, on WRCR AM 1700 We learned all about the history scavenger hunt happening now in Tappan, NY. That’s right: If you love a history challenge, now’s your chance to take part!  Carol LaValle, from the Tappantown Historical Society , joined Clare Sheridan to discuss the details surrounding this fun, educational and family-friendly event, co-sponsored by the Tappan Libr...

Broadcast originally aired Monday, July 19, 2021, 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM We turned our attention to the life and career of Steve Possell, who's retiring after a fifty-year career in local Rockland County radio. First at WRKL and now at WRCR, Possell has had an impact on local radio and our community that can only be called significant. We learned about how he got started in radio, his...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, June 21, 2021, 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM Clare Sheridan welcomed author Brenda Ross, curator of the new exhibition at the Historical Society of the Nyacks on the life of the local celebrity and Nobel Prize–winning author Toni Morrison. The exhibit covers a refreshing set of Morrison’s life lessons and offers a glimpse of her that has not been well explored...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, May 17, 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM We turned our attention to the first lady of the American Theater, Helen Hayes. Joyce Bulifant, Hayes’s daughter-in-law, shared her fond memories of the stage and screen star Helen Hayes; of her father-in-law, the playwright Charles MacArthur; and of their famous house in Nyack, Pretty Penny. We reminisced with Bulifant an...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, April 19, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700AM Virginia "Ginny" Norfleet of the Haverstraw African-American Connection appeared to tell us about how the 2,400-pound bronze statue entitled Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom by Wesley Woffard will make its way to Rockland County. The nationally-touring sculpture will be unveiled in Haverstraw on April 20 and will s...

Broadcast originally aired Monday, March 15, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700 AM Miriam Cordwell, the trailblazing and award-winning hair stylist known as the first lady of hair dressing was the topic of the March (women's history month) episode. Judith Brodil, Cordwell’s niece, joined Clare Sheridan to discuss the life and legacy of her aunt, who for decades was the preeminent style sophisticate workin...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, February 15, 2021, 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM  During the middle of the 20th century, New York City's suburbs, including Nyack, were the site of massive urban renewal projects. Joining Clare Sheridan were  Owen Voutsinas-Klose , author of Race, Power and Urban Renewal on the Hudson , and Bill Batson , whose family was directly impacted  when their home...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, January 18, 9:30am on WRCR Radio (1700AM ) Rockland County Historian Craig Long stopped by to discuss the history of the Smith House, the Ramapo Pass, The Clove Road and the new historical markers that relate to these historic sites in the Town of Ramapo. This episode of Crossroads of Rockland History has been made possible by a generous contribution from the...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, December 21, at 9:30 am, on WRCR Radio 1700AM (Rockland County, NY) Clare Sheridan  welcomed Muriel Fox to Crossroads of Rockland History .   While living in Tappan, Muriel Fox made history with Betty Friedan when they, and other prominent feminists, founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966.  A powerhouse herself, Muriel Fox is a world travele...

Broadcast originally ared Monday, November 16, 2020, 9:30 AM, on WRCR 1700 AM and WRCR.com Please note that this eposide   includes discussion around topics including  sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, physical violence, and harassment. We  acknowledge that this content may be difficult. We also encourage you to care for your safety and well-being. If you or someone you know needs help ...

Broadcast originally aired on October 19, 2020 at 9:30am (eastern) on WRCR Radio 1700AM and WRCR.com Crossroads of Rockland History continued our year of Women’s History in celebration of the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment with two guests! First, the Hon. Nita Lowey joined Clare Sheridan to discuss her distinguished career in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lowey shared he...

Broadcast originally aired September 21, 2020 at 9:30am on WRCR radio (www. WRCR.com) We explored the two new exhibitions on view now at the Historical Society. Mariel Farlow and her daughter Michele Lehtis appeared to discuss the monumental sculpture "Being of Light - Image of the Human Soul." This sculpture is the subject of this year's mini-exhibition within our semi-permanent &q...

Broadcast orginally aired Monday August 17, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700AM Did you know that the League of Women Voters is celebrating its 100th year? Marilyn Cohen VP of the Rockland County Chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV) was interviewed. She spoke about the League of Women Voters which is a national, nonpartisan group. They have been doing active grassroots organizing for 100 years with the...

Broadcast originally aired Monday, July 20, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700 and WRCR.com Our topic: Summer Reading: Woman Suffrage Centennial Joining Clare Sheridan were Anya Berg of the Palisades Free Library and Katie Karkheck of the Valley Cottage Library. The librarians shared their recommendations for books that celebrate the Suffrage Centennial. We will also opened up the phone lines for listeners&apo...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, June 15, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700 and WRCR.com We turned our attention to the life and work of Mary Horgan Mowbray-Clarke . As a young woman, Nyack’s Mary Horgan met and mingled with some of the most influential artists and intellectuals of the day.  Later, as co-owner of the Sunwise Turn Bookshop, a hotbed of artistic activity and anarchist political thought in...

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, May 18 at 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700 AM and WRCR.com We turned our attention to the life and work of the artist Josephine Nivison Hopper. Josephine Nivison was an accomplished artist by the time she started dating Edward Hopper in 1923, but the world knows very little about her. Jennifer Patton , executive director of the Edward Hopper House in Nyack, joined Clare...

Broadcast originally aired April 20, 2020 at 9:30 am, on WRCR AM1700 ( www. WRCR.com ) We learned about the women of Orangetown who were engaged in the seven-decade fight for a woman’s right to vote and the legacy they have left us. Caroline Lexow Babcock was among the women discussed in the interview. The book "Ladies Lib" by Isabelle Savell was also discussed. Orangetown Historian Mary...

Broadcast Originally Aired on Monday, March 16, 9:30am, on WRCR 1700AM / WRCR.com Crossroads of Rockland History Episode 113. March is Women's History Month, the episode focused on Monumental Women , the exciting Women’s History project that will be realized with a women’s monument in New York City's Central Park. Pam Elam (President, Monumental Women) and Meredith Bergmann (Sculptor), a...