Historic Tales of the Harlem Valley: Life at the End of the Line (American Chronicles)

Historic Tales of the Harlem Valley: Life at the End of the Line (American Chronicles)

New York's Harlem Valley, with the last stops on the Metro-North train line from Manhattan, has an incredibly eclectic history for a predominantly agricultural region . A Victorian utopian community claiming to see fairies settled in Wassaic, attracting Japanese samurai and remaking the townscape of Amenia. An early version of the “Borscht Belt” began on the shores of Lake Amenia, where a once-thriving resort community vanished along with the lake itself. Amidst a crisis of dwindling membership, the NAACP was brought together at major conferences held at Amenia’s Troutbeck estate, owned by Joel Spingarn, the organization’s first Jewish president. Young graduates from the Rhode Island School of design and other art schools launched the Wassaic Project, a festival and art residency using a converted agricultural grain elevator as their venue.  Author Tonia Shoumatoff presents these and other fascinating stories from Life at the End of the Line in the Harlem Valley. Stories from “Milk Valley” and Beyond I admit I am not a local history buff, yet Tonia Shoumatoff’s book is written with such warmth, charm, and humor and presents such fascinating facts and delightful anecdotes that is hard to put it down. This is a book that belongs in every library in Dutchess County, as well as adjacent counties and beyond. The book is plentifully illustrated with black-and-while photos as well as a sixteen-page color insert. The photos are period snapshots, many of which are quite amusing (Timothy Leary in an outdoor discussion looking at a bird or plane in the sky; the babies in an early Borden ad). Published by the well-regarded History Press, which specializes in local history, the book is handsome, and its thick, glossy paper is satisfyingly durable. I predict that at the next social event you attend, someone will ask the question, “Have you read Tonia’s book?” - Kevin T. McEneaney, The Millbrook Independent Throughout its history, the valley has been populated by farmers, miners, artists, architects, and spiritual, social, and environmental visionaries ― everyone from psychedelic pioneer Timothy Leary to Borden Milk’s Elsie the Cow. The book’s text and ample photographs, drawings, and paintings bring alive this varied cast of characters. -The Hudson River Valley Review Tonia Shoumatoff is a writer, producer and media commentator with a longtime professional commitment to environmental protection. She has lived in the Harlem Valley since 1987. Her work as senior reporter for the Millbrook Independent newspaper gave her a unique perspective on local affairs and the area’s rich history. As the Ten Mile River watershed manager for the Housatonic Valley Association, Shoumatoff monitored the watershed and reviewed Harlem Valley development proposals, encouraging low-impact development and stream protection. Shoumatoff helped promote worldwide peace activities as a staff member of a United Nations–affiliated NGO, May Peace Prevail on Earth, International.