2011 Living Landmark
Alfred Bristol
June 11, 2011
The Historical Society of Rockland County 20 Zukor Road, New City, New York 10956 845 634 9629 www.rocklandhistory.org
Alfred Bristol: A Living Landmark By Pat Civitello
When folks ask Alfred what his secret is for living such a long and healthy life, he credits his wife, Carolyn, who is a nurse. Always modest, Alfred has a knack for making others feel good. Whether he’s talking about “his” Yankee baseball team, anticipating his favorite dessert of vanilla ice cream with strawberry syrup or victoriously “Bristolizing” his weekly card buddies, Alfred is sharing his philosophy of life, “Be Happy”.
Alfred greets everyone with a big smile and a big handshake. When you are with him, Alfred is engaged and engaging in conversation. He reads and watches the news daily because he is interested in people and world events. Always willing to learn new things, Alfred uses a cell phone and recently took up the game of Bocce. With Alfred, there are no generation gaps; he is current and caring. He is a member of “our family” and my trusted advisor.
No matter what life has held for Alfred, I’ve never heard him complain, use profanity, speak bitterly or put anyone down. He believes that he is fortunate and he is mindful to say grace before each meal and actively participate in his community. Approaching 100 years young, Alfred is truly a living landmark who continues to give and live 100%.
The Historical Society of Rockland County Living Landmark Award
Since 1980, The Historical Society of Rockland County has been working with the community to identify and highlight historic sites in Rockland County through its historical marker program.
This year, we introduce The Living Landmark Award: To recognize and honor an individual in Rockland who demonstrates commitment and service thereby representing The County of Rockland’s spirit and history.
The 2011 Living Landmark Recipient is someone who has made a difference here in Rockland and beyond.
The first recipient of this award is well deserving: His contributions have been numerous throughout his extraordinary and long life:
Alfred Bristol
Alfred Bristol was born in Newark, NJ on November 5, 1911 (yes he will celebrate his 100th birthday later this year). He spent his early years there. In 1930, while living in the Bronx, he joined the national guard and became a machine gun specialist with D Company of the 369th Infantry. He married his sweetheart, Carolyn in November 1941 (yes, another milestone will be the 70th wedding anniversary of Al and Carolyn later this year).
Al and Carolyn had a son, Kim who graduated from Tappan Zee High in 1965. Kim went on to Ricker University in Maine and in 1966 received the Trustees award for leadership. Tragically, in 1967 the family lost their beloved Kim in an accident during a trip home for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Al served his country in the South Pacific for five years during WWII rising to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. After returning home to the Bronx, the Bristols were encouraged by his sister, his sister-in-law and Paul Melone to move to Shanks Village in Orangeburg, New York, which they did in 1950. After living there for several years, they moved to Tappan, again, at the encouragement of his friend Paul Melone. They lived in the upper floor of the house that currently houses the Tappan Library, while they built a house on Babcock Lane.
During his time in Tappan, Al helped Paul and Betty Melone's efforts to create a historic district in Tappan. In addition, Al was a Trustee and/or President of the Tappan Library continuously from 1963 until 1995.
Throughout this time Mr. Bristol was also working in New York at Parke Bernet galleries and then Sotheby's. Mr. Bristol joined Parke Bernet galleries prior to being sent overseas.
Throughout his career, Al was instrumental in the set up of thousands of exhibitions and auctions. He was eventually promoted to Assistant Vice President and was a fixture in the salesrooms of Sotheby’s/Parke Bernet for over 65 years and as such worked directly with important clients such as Israel Sack, Bill Cosby, Katie Couric and former President Jimmy Carter.
In 1967, Rockland County and Sotheby/Parke Bernet came together thanks to Alfred. At this time, the threat of development of 2,000 units of housing on Clausland Mountain (a 550 acre park which offers seasonal Hudson River views and 2 miles of trails) faced the concerned citizens of Tappan and the rest of Orangetown. Many of these citizens came together to fight to preserve Clausland Mountain as a natural park including Donald Ackerson (the then town councilman), Harry Bellaver, Ed Olsen, Pat Haugh, Zohn Zahn, Martin Cornell and Simon O'Shea in Washington. Key assistance came from Al who co- chaired the "Art for the Mountain" benefit art auction. This art auction, held at the Sotheby Parke-Bernet Gallery in New York, raised over $10,000 in the fight to preserve Clausland Mountain. With additional efforts from Washington through Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Nature Conservancy, and the office of Robert F. Kennedy, the local efforts, including Al’s, helped achieve the goal of keeping Clausland Mountain green and free of development. It remains a beautiful green space today.
An avid tennis player, Mr. Bristol met Althea Gibson at Sotheby’s in 1995, and invited her for a match. Ms. Gibson agreed and there began a great friendship.
Throughout his life Mr. Bristol has been committed to his Rockland communities: first Shanks Village, then Tappan and now Piermont. He has been committed to his work and colleagues first in Military Service and then at Parke Bernet/Sotheby’s.
Al has earned the reputation as someone who can diffuse conflicts and someone who can bring people together who would otherwise be at odds. When asked about the credits to his success he remarks that it is all about taking time to get to know people, always listening and maintaining a love of staying involved in your community – at home or in your workplace.
Al currently lives in Piermont with his wife of 70 years, Carolyn. They have lived an active life, skiing, boating, playing tennis and traveling.
This past Memorial Day, Al marched in a Rockland Memorial Day parade once again, this year it was Piermont. Of course he did it perfectly – since he’s been doing it continuously since he came to Rockland.
A Special Note of Thanks…
The Living Landmark Luncheon would not have been possible without the help and support of the following:
Dorice Madronero Carolyn Bristol Pat Civitello Sara Nugent Denise Starr Thano Schoppel Peter deLisser Kristan Walker-MacIntyre Carol Lavalle John Rossi Wayne Cobham Billy Cobham Marianne Leese Bill Sheridan Carl Capasso Mary McQuaid Louisa Hirst MeeSeen Loong Ken Dixon Alean Timm Susan Alexander Joanne Potanovic Michael Neveling Patrice Brenner John Elliot The Historical Society of the Nyacks The Tappantown Historical Society The Tappan Library
Historical Marker Program: Its History The Historical Society of Rockland County
A total of 71 cast aluminum historical markers on posts plus 3 plaques on boulders have been erected since the historical marker program began in 1980. An earlier marker was installed in 1967. A notebook containing the text of each marker as well as photographs and further information about the sites is in the Historical Society’s library. Below is a list of these markers.
Local historian and Historical Society member John Scott was, for many years, the driving force behind the historical marker program. In 1979, John was appointed chairman of the newly established historic sites preservation committee. By the next year he had established the historical marker program. Markers went up in front of the old sandstone homesteads along Western Highway in Blauvelt and at the Clarksville Inn in West Nyack, the Hopper House in Nyack, the Dr. Davies Farm in Congers, Torne Brook Farm in Ramapo, Pig Knoll School in Pomona, Bogertown in Piermont. When John resigned as chairman of the committee in 1995, fifty of the brown cast aluminum markers had been erected throughout the county.
Before John Scott began the current marker program, the Society had erected a marker in 1967. It is the Treason House marker in front of Helen Hayes Hospital on Route 9W in West Haverstraw. The marker replaced one that had been erected by the New York State Department of Education in the 1930s and was damaged. We now know, through exhaustive research done by historian Richard Koke, that the marker is improperly placed. The Treason House stood further south on the site where an early 19th-century house currently stands but is poor condition.
The Tappan Zee Historical Society, a predecessor to the Historical Society of Rockland County, erected a marker at the Onderdonk House in Piermont in 1958 to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the meeting of General George Washington and British General Sir Guy Carleton at the end of the American Revolution. In 1983 a second plaque was dedicated at the DeWint House, Tappan, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the meeting. This marker was co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Rockland County and the Tappantown Historical Society.
Another predecessor of the Historical Society of Rockland County, the Rockland County Society, placed 13 bronze plaques from 1921 to 1938. These are listed in Cornelia Bedell’s book, Now and Then and Long Ago. All plaques remain in place except for three: two that were placed near the Arnold/André meeting place in Haverstraw and are now in the Society’s collections room and one that was placed on the Salisbury House in South Nyack. The house was razed in 1959. The fate of this marker is unknown.
The County of Rockland has included these markers in its tourism material. Except for the recently erected markers, the Rockland County Planning Department has entered the locations and names of the markers into its GIS (Geographic Information System), which links geographic data to computerized maps. We are pleased that the county is enhancing the awareness of our historic places and considers their importance within the framework of county planning. mbl:2011.05.05
Historical Markers Erected by The Historical Society of Rockland County
Marker, address, sponsor(s), date of dedication -- erected since 1980
1. Treason Site, Route 9W, Haverstraw; Town & Village of Haverstraw, north of the intersection with Route 303 -- Sept. 15, 1980 (marker whereabouts unknown since put into storage years ago after knocked over by a car)
2. Blauvelt House, HSRC, 20 Zukor Rd., New City; Dellwood Country Club -- Oct. 19, 1980 (post severely damaged by possibly a snowplow 2009; marker removed; replaced by #72)
3. Clarksville, West Nyack Rd. & Sickletown Rd., West Nyack; West Nyack Rotary Club -- May 30, 1982
4. Clarksville Inn, 1 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; West Nyack American Legion Memorial Post #1519 -- May 30, 1982
5. Colonial Clarkstown, 135 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; Nanuet Bank, Bank of New York, and Dr. & Mrs. Louis Korngold -- May 30, 1982
6. Clarkstown Reformed Church, 107 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; Edwin & Georgia Kretschmar -- Apr. 24, 1983
7. The Old Parsonage, 106 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; Charlene & Edward Dixon -- May 30, 1983
8. Washington and Carleton Meetings, 200th Anniversary, DeWint House, Livingston St. & Oak Tree Rd., Tappan; jointly with the Tappantown Historical Society -- May 15, 1983 (plaque on boulder)
9. Nyack Turnpike, West Nyack Rd. & West Nyack Way, West Nyack; West Nyack Lions Club -- May 30, 1983
10. Johannes J. Blauvelt Homestead, 514 S. Western Hwy., Blauvelt; Mr. & Mrs. Emil Pedersen -- Sept. 5, 1983
11. Jacob J. Blauvelt Homestead, 525 S. Western Hwy., Blauvelt; Mr. & Mrs. Ben F. Jackson -- Sept. 5, 1983
12. Johannes Perry House, 49 Elizabeth St., Pearl River; Mr. & Mrs. Harold Kennedy -- Oct. 13, 1984
13. Johannes Isaac Blauvelt House, 820 Western Hwy. N., Blauvelt; Mr. & Mrs. David Egan -- Dec. 29, 1984
14. Pye's Corner, 145 Strawtown Rd.; West Nyack, Mr. & Mrs. Edwin P. Kretschmar -- May 27, 1985
15. Sneden House, 38 Paradise Ave., Piermont; Edward H. Brown -- June 30, 1985
16. Hopper House, 82 N. Broadway, Nyack; Rotary Club of Nyack -- July 21, 1985
17. Montebello, 75 Montebello Rd., Montebello Park, Montebello; Gary Goldberg -- Oct. 6, 1985
18. Blauvelt-Norris-Burr House, 608 Western Hwy., Blauvelt; Mr. & Mrs. Garton Del Savio -- Apr. 26, 1986
19. Haring Homestead, 606 S. Pascack Rd., Chestnut Ridge; Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Saybold -- June 14, 1986
20. Dogwoods, 24 DeBaun Ave., Airmont (Ralph Borsodi Residence); Richard & Linda Harvey -- June 21, 1986
21. Dr. Davies Farm, Dr. Davies Rd., Congers; Mr. & Mrs. Niles M. Davies, Jr. -- Aug. 10, 1986
22. Shady Side Farm, 670 New Hempstead Rd., New Hempstead; Pauline H. Sherwood -- Oct. 25, 1986
23. Torne Brook Farm, Torne Brook Rd., Ramapo; George Demas -- Nov. 2, 1986
24. Kakiat Lodge, 680 Route 202 (Opp. Grandview Ave.), Montebello; Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Katz -- May 9, 1987 (Kakiat Lodge demolished Sept. 2000; marker removed by owner)
25. Clausland Cemetery, Greenbush Rd. at Mountainview Ave., Orangeburg; World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. -- May 20, 1987
26. Kings Highway, Kings Hwy. and Lake Rd., Congers; Congers-Valley Cottage Rotary Club -- May 30, 1987
27. Snedeker Farm, 74 Endicott St., Congers; Mr. & Mrs. Martin E. Holbrook and Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. Holbrook -- July 26, 1987
28. Rockland County Court House, New City; Rockland County Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution -- Sept. 17, 1987
29. Van Houten Fields, Van Houten Fields and Sickeltown Rds., West Nyack; Van Houten Fields Assoc. -- Oct. 24, 1987
30. First Reformed Church, 18 S. Broadway, Nyack; First Reformed Church -- May 21, 1988
31. St. Charles A.M.E. Zion Church, 127 Valentine Ave., Sparkill; African-American Historical Society of Rockland County -- June 18, 1988
32. Old Clarkstown Reformed Church Cemetery, 254 Germonds Rd. near Huested Ln., West Nyack; American Legion Memorial Post #1519 -- June 26, 1988
33. Shanks Village, Orangetown Town Hall, 26 Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg; Orangetown Tricentennial Committee -- Nov. 6, 1988
34. Camp Shanks, Camp Shanks Memorial, Independence Ave., Tappan; Orangetown Tricentennial Committee -- Nov. 6, 1988
35. Cuyper-Van Houten House, 66 Sickeltown Rd., Nauraushaun; James Bradford Van Houten and James Blauvelt Van Houten -- Nov. 20, 1988
36. The First Courthouse, Tappan Green, Tappan; Orangetown Tricentennial Committee -- Apr. 29, 1989
37. Pig Knoll School; Pomona Cultural Center, 76 Route 306, Pomona; West Pomona Community Center Assoc. -- Apr. 23, 1989
38. Gravesite of General John Charles Fremont, Rockland Cemetery, 201 Kings Hwy., Sparkill; Friends of Fremont -- May 20, 1989 (bronze plaque on boulder)
39. Mount Moor Cemetery, southwest entrance to Palisades Center mall, West Nyack; African-American Historical Society of Rockland County and Mount Moor Cemetery Assoc. -- June 17, 1989
40. Colonial Orangetown; Veterans Memorial Park, Orangeburg Rd. & Hunt Rd., Orangeburg; Orangetown Tricentennial Committee -- June 2, 1990
41. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church & S. Airmont Rds., Airmont; Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church -- June 15, 1990
42. Snedekers Landing, Rt. 9W & Long Clove Rd., Congers; Charles E. Holbrook -- Aug. 19, 1990
43. Congers Station, Lake Rd. & Burnside Ave., Congers; Charles E. Holbrook -- June 13, 1991 (property neglected)
44. Viola United Methodist Church, Viola Rd. near College Rd., Suffern; Viola United Methodist Church -- Dec. 29, 1991
45. Bayard Lane, Rt. 202, Montebello; Bayard Lane Assoc. -- Oct. 1992
46. School of Living, 21 Bayard La., Montebello; Bayard Lane Assoc. -- Oct. 1992
47. Martinus Hogenkamp Cemetery, S. Little Tor Rd., New City; Martinus Hogenkamp Cemetery Assoc. -- Nov. 21, 1992
48. Washington's Encampment, 134 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; Rabbi & Mrs. Abraham Krantz -- Aug. 1, 1993
49. Michael Salyer House, 213 Blue Hill Rd., Pearl River; Town of Orangetown -- Nov. 6, 1993
50. Bogertown, 102 Paradise Ave., Piermont; Marjorie Smith and Paul Palen -- April 22, 1995
51. Treason Site, Hook Mountain State Park, Town of Clarkstown (off Riverside Ave., Dutchtown, Haverstraw); Palisades Interstate Park Commission -- Sept. 21, 1995
52. Soldier's Monument, Lafayette & Washington Aves., Suffern; Suffern Chamber of Commerce -- Apr. 16, 1996
53. Carson McCullers House, 131 S. Broadway, S. Nyack; Mary E. Mercer, M.D. -- Sept. 29, 1996
54. Paul Farmhouse, c. 1810, Gilchrest Rd., Congers; Town of Clarkstown -- June 14, 1997
55. Congers Lake Dam, Gilchrest Rd., Congers; Town of Clarkstown -- June 14, 1997
56. Kings Highway and the Long Clove; Old Haverstraw Rd. near Rt. 304, Congers; Town of Clarkstown -- 1998
57. Collyer Farm Pond and New City Park, Collyer Rd. & Lake Dr., New City; New City Park Club, Inc. -- 1998
58. Suffern's Depot, 1841-1941, 41 Erie Plaza, Suffern; Suffern Centennial Committee -- Nov. 15, 1998
59. Rochambeau's Encampment, 1781-1782, Washington Ave., Suffern; Suffern Chamber of Commerce -- 1998
60. Suffern Grammar School, 41 Wayne Ave., Suffern; Sycamore Estates, Inc. -- 1998
61. Hickory Hill Cooperative, Hickory Hill & Old Tappan Rds., Tappan; Hickory Hill Cooperative -- June 2000
62. Scotland Hill Burial Ground, Carriage Ln., Nanuet; Town of Clarkstown -- 2001
63. Memorial Park, July 26, 1920, Nyack Memorial Park, Piermont & DePew Aves., Nyack; C. R. & R. O. Blauvelt Post 310, Nyack -- May 28, 2001
64. Couch Court, 46 South Broadway, Nyack; Karen E. Acker -- 2001
65. Cobblestone Farm, Viola Rd. & Cobblestone Farm Ct., Montebello; Cobblestone Farm, Inc. -- August 2002
66. Oak Hill Cemetery, 140 N. Highland Ave., Nyack; Board of Trustees, Oak Hill Cemetery -- October 2002
67. Congers Elementary School, 9 Lake Road, Congers; Town of Clarkstown, sponsor -- June 18, 2003
68. West Nyack's Last Horse Trough, West Nyack Free Library, 65 Strawtown Rd., West Nyack; Rotary Club of West Nyack and Friends of the West Nyack Library, sponsors -- June 12, 2005
69. King’s Ferry Site, Battlefield Road, Stony Point (private property; no admission without permission); Eric Emanuel, sponsor -- August 26, 2006 (bronze plaque on boulder)
70. Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Rockland Lake State Park, corner of Landing Rd. and Collyer Ave. (across from Knickerbocker Fire Engine Co.); The Friends of Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Inc., sponsor -- October 4, 2008
71. Stephen Rowe Bradley, Sr., Park, Bradley Hill Road (Co. Route 38) at Park Rd. [aka Tweed Blvd. (Co. Route 5)], South Nyack; Benson Blake, Jr., sponsor – June 30, 2009
72. Rockland Brink's Robbery, at the Brinks Memorial, Mountainview Ave., just south of entrance to New York State Thruway entrance, Central Nyack; Rockland County Patrolmen's Benevolent Association and the Police Chiefs Association of Rockland County, sponsors - October 20, 2009
73. Blauvelt Homestead, 20 Zukor Road, New City; Marjorie Hornblower Johnson, sponsor -- erected August 2010 (no dedication to date; replaces previous marker dedicated October 2010, Marker #2)
74. Ladentown United Methodist Church, 14 Ladentown Road, Pomona; Joni Anger, sponsor -- erected October 2010 (no dedication to date)
Updated May 2011 MBLeese