What Would Colden Say? "NO!"

What would Cadwallader Colden say to the Hudson Valley Casino & Resort's proposal to build an 890,000 sq. ft. monstrosity on Route 17K right in the middle of the land patent that he purchased in 1719? A resounding "No!"

It's a beautiful proposal filled with wonderful images of all things pretty in the Hudson Valley. It talks of jobs created, of revenue generated, partnerships with education, and building on the Hudson Valley's key assets. What it does not tell you is that building the casino will destroy almost 300 years of colonial history.

For the Hudson Valley Casino & Resort's proposal: http://www.co.orange.ny.us/content/124/1362/16386/16495.aspx

Colden would say "NO!" because here is where he built his farm -- hacking out a homestead from the wilderness; and to transport building materials, he created what could possibly be the first canal ever dug out in North America and that canal is still on the land, waiting to be rediscovered.

On this land, his daughter, Jane Colden, Colonial America's first female botanist, roamed, cataloguing in the Linnaeus system, the plants of this new world.

On this land, his son, Cadwallader Colden, Jr., built the first stone mansion in the Hudson Valley.

From this land, Colden corresponded with the great minds of Europe and Colonial America, including Benjamin Franklin, with whom he enjoyed 30 years of friendship. They discussed electricity, astronomy, gravity, light, sound and medicine and replicated each other's experiments. They talked about a cure for breast cancer and the creation of a philosophical society.

On this land, Colden wrote The History of the Five Indian Nations -- the first book written in English of the tribes of New York Province. Thomas Jefferson studied this book while he was contemplating the set up of the new republic, and it is on the catalogue of  his library.

There are many firsts on this land that the Hudson Valley Casino & Resort wants to bulldoze into oblivion. What it doesn't seem to understand is that in the destruction of the Colden land is the destruction of part of our very history.

When sometime down the road the casino closes as many across the country are closing, Hudson Valley Gaming LLC, will move on to something else and people will find jobs in different industries, but the Colden land will still be destroyed and all that history will still be gone forever.

While the Hudson Valley Casino & Resort talks about everything good about its proposal, it says not a thing about a 2012 study of casino crime by the University of Maryland researchers which shows the 10 % increase in substance abuse, suicide, violent crime, theft and bankruptcy that occur when a new casino comes to town. Or about the 100% increase in crime in a 30 mile radius of Atlantic City casinos. It also doesn't mention that most of the jobs generated are low paying jobs and do not go to the locals.

If you'd like to help stop this madness, urge the NY Gaming Commission to say "NO!" --

The Commission is accepting written comments both at the September 23 event and up to seven days following the event.
"Statements received beyond seven days will not be included in the formal record. All submissions should clearly identify the submitter’s name, and affiliation, if any.”
Written statements should be sent to the commissioners via Gail Thorpe at Gail.Thorpe@gaming.ny.gov. List the names of the commissioners at the top of the body of the message, and she’ll get it to them.
The members of The New York Gaming Commission Board:
Mark Gearan, Chair
John A. Crotty
Peter J. Moschetti, Jr.
John J. Poklemba
Barry Sample
Todd R. Snyder.

Please feel free to write to the Town of Montgomery Planning Board. Suzanne Hadden at shadden@townofmontgomery.com. Ask her to forward your letter to Fred Reichle, Chairman and the Town of Montgomery Planning Board. They will be accepting correspondence on this matter until October.

I believe that we have a right to the history that this land represents. I believe that the Colden Family Cemetery will eventually be destroyed beyond salvation by the construction, traffic, noise and vandalism that will result from being surrounded on three sides by the casino. This cemetery which is on the National Register of Historic Places and has survived for almost 300 years, will die if this casino lives.

This family which contributed so greatly to the medical, health, sciences, philosophy, business, botany, cultural and political life of this country, deserves to have its ancestral land protected from destruction. If the casino wins, we all lose forever.

We have to say "NO!" ... help spread the word.

Colden Preservation & Historical Society Meeting

There will be a meeting of the CP&HS on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 2 pm, at the John A. Crabtree House,15 Factory St (a few houses behind Wallkill River School, on the right side), Montgomery, NY 12549.

Agenda items include review of provisional status documents and meeting dates for 2013.

Coldenham Preservation & Historical Society meeting

The Coldengham Preservation & Historical Society will meet this Sunday, June 26, 2011, at 2:00 pm, at the Wallkill River School, 232 Ward Street (Route 17K) in the Village of Montgomery. The results of last month's meeting of the Board will be discussed and a number of small administrative items need to be reviewed. A plan of action for the coming months will also be discussed.

Coldenham Preservation & Historical Society Meeting, Sept. 26, 2010

The Society will be meeting at 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Wallkill River School, 232 Ward Street, in the Village of Montgomery.

This is an important meeting, so please make time to attend! Attendees will receive copies of the draft bylaws, constitution, and petition for provisional charter for the new society. Final vote will take place at the October meeting.

At this meeting former Town of Montgomery Historian Robert Williams will talk about the early efforts to preserve the Colden Mansion Ruins site and the development of the heritage park concept. Current town historian, Suzanne Isaksen will bring pictures of the interior of the mansion.

Light refreshments will be served.

For information, please contact Suzanne Isaksen at 845-641-0463, or sisaksen@earthlink.net.

Project Wins Award from Greater Hudson Heritage Network!

Congratulations to all who have worked tirelessly on the Colden Mansion Ruins project!

The Geater Hudson Heritage Network has selected Michael Hayes, Town of Montgomery Supervisor; Marion Brown, Chair of the Colden Mansion Preservation Team, Suzanne Isaksen, Town Historian and Stephen Tilly, Architect to receive a 2010 Award Towards Excellence for the community collaboration, historic preservation, and Regional Heritage Advancement for the Colden Mansion Emergency Stabilization Project.

This award is in recognition of the successful effort to stabilize, maintain and interpret the remains of an important piece of local history which was in danger of being lost completely.

The award will be presented on October 1, 2010, at the annual meeting of the Greater Hudson Heritage Network. For more information, please visit http://www.greaterhudson.org/

This award would not have been possible without the hard work of everyone over the years to overcome what seemed like unsurmountable odds to preserve the Colden Mansion Ruins from the ravages of time, neglect, indifference and the bulldozers of development. They have always understood that this preservation project protects an important part of where we as a country have come from, and is a gift to generations to come. The history of the Colden Mansion Ruins is our history.

Colden Mansion Ruins Meetings

The next Colden Mansion Ruins site meeting will be held on June 26 (Saturday) at 10 a.m., at the site of the ruins at the junction of NYS 17K and Stone Castle Road.

The Summer Research meeting will be held at 3 p.m. on June 27 (Sunsay) at Wallkill River School.

The Preservation of the Ruins: the Stabilization Begins

Photos by Lisa Melville, taken April 18, 2010, during a site visit to the Colden Mansion ruins.

Stabilization work is being done by Yankee Construction.