A monumental accomplishment, the work of many volunteers, Historic Places in Greene County was five years in the making. Lavishly illustrated with over 330 contemporary and historic photographs and images, this book is one of the few detailed accounts to date chronicling the abundant history of Greene County, New York. Not since Beers’ History of Greene County or DeLisser’s Picturesque Catskills have I encountered a work of local history this important and this likely to endure for decades—perhaps centuries—to come.

Historic Places in Greene County is the impressive achievement of numerous, dedicated members of the Greene County Historical Society’s Historical Register Committee. The book’s contents highlight the extensive histories gathered together by the Committee for the past nineteen years. The bound book itself has been in the works for nearly five years. It takes many hands to make a great book, and many thanks go to the hundreds of acolytes who keep the flame of Greene County’s important history burning bright.

That a grassroots effort of this magnitude has been pulled off by the ten-person committee that makes up the Greene County Historical Register Committee—Jean Bush, Winifred Clark, Natalie Daly, Roy Davis, Carol Doney, Ralph Grinnell, Emily Kunchala, Ken Maybe, Nick Nahas and Betty O’Hara—is a stellar accomplishment. All of them deserve a round of applause, but special mention must be made to Jean Bush, Natalie Daly, Betty O’Hara and Ken Mabey, four hardworking committee workers who, like the others, demand no praise but should be recognized for efforts above-and-beyond in documenting the architecture of the Towns of Catskill, Coxsackie and Prattsville.

Rather than a generalized architectural history, the buildings are presented anecdotally, one at a time. For instance, how many patrons of the Catskill Public Library think about the legacy of 19th century New York industrialist Andrew Carnegie when entering or leaving the building? But a legacy it is. In late April 1899, library president W. Irving Jennings wrote to philanthropist Carnegie, who was awarding monies to cities throughout the United States in an effort to establish libraries to enhance cultural activities nationwide. Eventually, Catskill became the recipient of $20,000 and is believed to be the smallest town to receive such largesse. The Overbaush/Everitt Cemetery in Catskill is another fascinating piece of Greene County history. The dates on the headstones marking the graves in this family cemetery range from 1732 to 1996. On the same property, which is part of an old farm, is a barn built in 1743 and a house whose construction dates to 1801. A Revolutionary fire site is located nearby. Considered together, these artifacts spanning almost two-and-a-half centuries create a historical triptych worthy of any early American monument.

How many residents or visitors to Greene County realize that there have been 30 or more spellings of “Coxsackie,” and there have been many attempts to locate and characterize the name of that town as Native American, Dutch or English? What is definitely known is that Dutch pioneers had been in the Coxsackie area as 1652, making their arrival just a few decades after the arrival of Henry Hudson to this region in 1609. This would account for the presence of the Bronck House, constructed in 1663 by Pieter Bronck, who cleared the land and built a single-room rubble stone-house, which is believed to the oldest house in the Hudson Valley.

Prattsville’s history shines through as well, with over fifteen buildings on the Greene County Historical Register, ten of which appear in the book. While most County residents have heard of Zadock Pratt, many may be surprised to learn that the diminutive and charming-but-unobtrusive gingerbread building directly across from the Zadock Pratt Homestead & Museum was once the site of the old Town Hall.

Unfortunately, I received this review copy just before deadline and therefore wasn’t able to read it cover-to-cover. A quick scan of all 330 pages, however, reveals that Historic Places in Greene County, New York is a historical banquet that may be sampled at will. My only regret is that I haven’t yet seen the book in color since my review copy was supplied, by necessity, in black and white. You, the reader, have that treat in store for you. Savor it with delight.