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outli oi the IflfjountainA The Historical Society of Rockland County Vol. 38, No. 3 July-September 1994 Tappan Reformed Church 1994 Preservation Merit Awards Tappan Reformed Church, 300 Years G.L. Tsoukatos & Co., Haverstraw IN THIS ISSUE 1994 Historic Preservation Merit Awards............................................Page 3 Three preservation/restoration projects, an adaptive use project and two preser vation leaders were recognized at this year’s awards program on May 1. Tappan Reformed Church Celebrates 300 Years of Service........ Page 11 The oldest church in Rockland County is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year. Warren Hafer, a member of the church, writes its history. The Candy Palace: G.L. Tsoukatos & Co., Haverstraw...................Page 16 Margaret Struett vividly tells the story of two Greek gentlemen who successful ly ran a candy shop and ice cream parlor in Haverstraw. SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS (ISSN 0489-9563) is published quarterly by the Historical Society of Rockland County, 20 Zukor Road, New City, N.Y. 10956; 914-634-9629. Single copy price is $2 plus 75 cents postage and han dling. While all efforts are made to ensure accuracy in the articles, the society assumes no responsibility for opinions and conclusions expressed or implied by contributors. SPONSORSHIP. The society depends on the generosity of organizations, cor porations and individuals to fund the production costs of South of the Mountains. Now in its 38th year of continuous publication, it is the only maga zine devoted to Rockland County history. The society is grateful to these spon sors and welcomes additional support. For further information, please phone 914-634-9629. ©1994 The Historical Society of Rockland County All rights reserved Exec. Director: Debra Walker, Ph.D. Editor: Marianne B. Leese Senior Historian: Thomas F.X. Casey Chairman of Publications: Albon P. Man Ramapo Graphics, Pearl River, N.Y. Printing courtesy of Lederle Laboratories, Inc., Pearl River, N.Y. 2 JTf- The Joseph Cornell House 1994 Historic Preservation Merit Awards The Joseph Cornell House...The Trenchard House... Tappan Reformed Church...The Stable... Danforth W. Toan...Arthur H. Gunther III he Historical Society of Rockland The Joseph Cornell House, Sylvia County presented its fourth Roth, South Nyack. For over a Tannual Rockland County Exec hundred years a large shingle-style utive’s Historic Preservation MeritVictorian home has stood at the Awards at a Hudson Valley Early intersection of Piermont and American spring buffet, held on the Corneilson avenues. Built in 1889 grounds of the society May 1. The awards during Nyack’s heyday, the home was were presented by County Executive owned by the family of Nyack-born C. Scott Vanderhoef. County Legislator American artist, Joseph Cornell and is Harriet Cornell presented each awardee designated locally as an art historical with the Rockland County Distin landmark. guished Service Award. Guest speaker Sylvia Roth purchased the house for the evening was J. Winthrop in 1968 and, together with her son- Aldrich, deputy commissioner for his in-law, John Beerman, began an toric preservation, State of New York. enormous restoration effort that has Three awards recognized excel continued to the present. Assisting lence in the preservation or restoration Ms. Roth and her family was master by the owner of a deteriorated historic builder Jeremiah Hesse and his assis building or building component while tant Bedcy Laforest, front-porch maintaining its historic form, appear carpenter Gary Hecht and painter ance and materials. John Penkrat. 3 Louis Silver, vice-president of F.J. Tucek & Son, Inc., Sylvia Roth, and Craig Long, historian for the Town of Ramapo and Village of Montebello (1-r). Sometime prior to 1930, a large heating system. Through her efforts, Victorian addition consisting of a two- new life has been brought to a part of story porch, a parlor and a second- South Nyack’s past. floor master bedroom was added. Due to years of neglect, the porch fell into The Trenchard House, William a state of disrepair and was replaced and Sue Walther, Palisades. The in the 1960s by an unsympathetic first recorded owner of the Trenchard modern porch and a redesigned House (in 1780) was Jesse P. entrance. Using a 1950 photograph, Trenchard, a blacksmith in Palisades. Ms. Roth was able to recapture the The original one-room house with appearance of the original. sleeping loft was moved to its present In the 1940s former owners had site on Oak Tree Road in 1820 onto a applied stucco surfacing over the origi stone-walled basement foundation. A nal cedar shingles on the first story room added to the right of the and had sealed off a prominent win entrance gave the house the look of a dow opening. Ms. Roth restored the central hall colonial. In the interven opening and resurfaced the exterior ing years, several more rooms were with a combination of cedar shingles, added to the back of the house, includ clapboard siding and wood trim. ing a kitchen and an unheated room Within the house, layers of black used as a garage. ened varnish covered wood trim, doors When the Walthers purchased the and a unique wooden fireplace mantel. house in 1983, it had been used peri They were carefully restored as were odically as a summer house and was six existing fireplaces to working order. in serious disrepair. The floors in the Following interior color schemes, Ms. kitchen and garage were little more Roth had the stained glass transoms than wood slats resting on the ground. replaced, and the authentic iron floor Several inches of water stood on the grilles continue to be utilized in the basement’s dirt floor. At the back of 4 msM •;:;rr'f1 MEetWaw mur-. wf| •^s-n sen «!Ml IIM II ll«« IIM |j •*1 ^ V a' 'jiteti'. The Trenchard House (above). Mr. & Mrs. William Walther (right). the house, a lean-to was about to cave in. Only the living room and two bed rooms were habitable. Despite the drawbacks, the Walthers loved the place. They were attracted to the ornately carved front door, its original knocker, and lock and skeleton key; to the staircase, its worn handrailing and ten-inch risers; to the wide floor boards of heart pine; and to the beautiful fireplace with built-in wood cupboard to its side in replaced and painted. The paint color the living room. was chosen to match the original The Walthers cleared out the color. Extensive landscaping was weeds growing around and into the done to harmonize with the historical house and used a dehumidifier to dry nature of neighboring buildings in out the basement. A concrete slab Palisades. foundation was laid under the wood In 1989 the Walthers added a floors that were resting directly on the garage, a mudroom, a room for their soil. All the walls were plastered and son, and a master bedroom. The addi painted. The floors were sanded and tion was connected to the existing restored where necessary. The entire house by a bridge that can be seen roof on the lean-to was replaced. from the street but to the eye looks The house finally suitable to live in like a long bay of windows. Given after two years of work, the Walthers that the original Trenchard House concentrated on the house’s exterior. had been a composite of additions, the Broken clapboard was repaired or Walthers wanted the new addition to 5 UUnd < ««•«»> 1 Rev. & Mrs. James L. Johnson be part of the legacy, the house seen After he was installed as the as whole from every angle. church’s minister in 1982, the Rev. They find living in a house full of James L. Johnson became aware that history gives them great joy. “The fact the church had invaluable historical that the house is very comfortable to and archival documents and oversaw live in with all the modern amenities the construction of a fireproof vault that one could need,” says Sue for their safekeeping. In 1993 recon Walther, “is just icing on the cake.” struction of the badly deteriorated The house is listed on the National spire was started by the firm of La Register of Historic Sites within the Bozz, Design/Builders and completed Palisades historic district. by restoration carpenter George Turrell. The Tappan Reformed Church, All aspects of the restoration pro the Rev. James L. Johnson, pastor, ject were designed to insure the accu Tappan. The stately, late Federal-style rate recovery of the features of the structure of the Tappan Reformed original spire, including building the Church represents three centuries of spire five inches off center. In addi continuous public worship, from 1694 tion traditional tools and techniques to 1994. Built in 1835, the church is were used to shape the lumber, and the third sacred building to stand on the timber frame was rebuilt to fit the the site where British spy Maj. John existing exterior frame of the spire. Andre was tried. A preservation The eight finials reaching heavenward merit award was given to the church from the spire were refashioned, some for the preservation and restoration of of the old ones serving as guides. To its church spire. rebuild the wheel of the church bell, 6 The Stable, viewed from Oak Tree Road (above) and from Main Street (right). Paul & Betty Malone (below). Mr. Turrell used oak sections overall and copper boat nails. The total cost of the work, includ ing interior painting of the church itself, was approximately $70,000. The congregation has made outstand ing efforts to maintain the historic form, appearance and materials of the spire, thereby preserving its historical and architectural value. ne award was presented for adaptive use, the successful rehabilitation of a building for Oa new function.

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