History

Excellent event for history buffs and those curious about Newburgh’s history with welfare! And as they say, to know where you are going you must know where you are coming from.

Press release:

The Historical Society of Newburgh Bay & the Highlands will host a fifty-year retrospective on the Battle of Newburgh.

The event planned for October will recall the 1960’s conflict over a plan to curb welfare costs to help meet the city’s financial struggles. The decision sparked a national debate that became known as the “Battle of Newburgh.” The issue attracted the attention of prominent figures and organizations such as Arizona Senator and Presidential Candidate Barry Goldwater, the NAACP and New York State Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. The “Battle of Newburgh” was also turned into an NBC White Paper Report of the same name.

“Newburgh was front and center in what became a very critical and divisive issue. It is important for us to remember and examine our past as we look to the future and work to revitalize our communities today,” said Johanna Porr, Director of the Newburgh Historical Society.

The retrospective will be held on October 6th, from 1pm – 3:30pm at Aquinas Hall on the campus of Mount Saint Mary College is Newburgh.

The program will include a viewing of the original NBC White Papers Report and a short video compilation of personal first-hand accounts. This will be followed by a panel discussion with a group of notable historians. Individuals in the audience will also have an opportunity to share their recollections from era with the Sound & Story Project at the conclusion of the program. Tickets are $10 for general admission and free to Historical Society Members. Group discounts are available.

To purchase tickets or more information about the event and the history of the “Battle for Newburgh” you can visit: newburghinretrospect.com

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

In August 1961 a national Gallup poll revealed 85% support for the Newburgh City Council’s 13 point plan to balance the city budget by reforming requirements for individuals to receive payments from the welfare relief program. Two months later, the State of New York ordered a permanent injunction, effectively ending the City of Newburgh’s attempts to curb welfare costs.

In the midst of this dispute, City Manager Joseph MacDowell Mitchell was quoted in the New York Times asking, “The basic issue is can a city control its own social and economic future, or shall this future be determined by outsiders, by the State and Federal government, by social theorists and philosophers?” More than fifty years later, this question is still at the heart of political debate.

Press release:

Meet Frances Elizabeth Macon Dandridge, fictional great-grandniece of Martha Washington, when she offers her presentation,  “Recollections About My Great-Grandaunt: Martha Washington” at Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site on Sunday, September 29th. The program begins at 2:00 PM as part of the 2013 Hudson Valley Ramble and is free with admission to the Headquarters and Museum, which houses over 1,300 artifacts.

Miss Dandridge, visiting from Virginia, has come to the July 4, 1850 dedication of the Headquarters as the first publicly owned and operated historic site in the nation. It was here George and Martha Washington resided during the last days of the Revolutionary War. While at the dedication, Miss Dandridge will reflect upon her Great-Aunt Martha’s life, family connections, tenure at Headquarters Newburgh, and the lasting impression she left for other presidential wives to follow. With pride, she will compare her ancestor with some wives of later presidents and find Martha’s example to be timeless.

Take time from your weekend tasks to visit the General’s headquarters. Browse through the Museum galleries. Hear what Miss Dandridge has to say about her ancestor, Martha. Walk through the rooms of the historic Headquarters. Enjoy the autumnal breezes wafting across the Hudson River. See the signs of fall foliage on the Hudson Highlands landscape. Come to Washington’s Headquarters for the 2013 Hudson Valley Ramble; take home the memory of one the most culturally and historically rich environments in the United States.

Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site is a registered national historic landmark.  It is located at the corner of Liberty and Washington Streets within the city of Newburgh’s East End Historic District.  The site is one of 35 historic sites within the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is one of 28 facilities administered by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in New York and New Jersey.  For further information contact: (845) 562-1195.  For more information about New York State Parks, please visit our website at www.nysparks. com.   For more information call 845-562-1195 or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/washingtonsheadquarters.

Press Release:

Join the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands and The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society (The AHA Society) on Sunday, July 28th, for a lecture on George Washington and Alexander Hamilton’s partnership. Author Michael Newton will discuss the friendship between the two founding fathers, followed by a presentation on “Washington’s Indispensable Partner” by AHA Society President Rand Scholet.
 
Afterwards, a panel Q&A session will be held with the two speakers and Johanna Porr, the Director of the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands. The event will take place at 3 pm on Sunday, July 28th at the Newburgh Heritage Center (123 Grand Street, Newburgh).
 
This talk is part of a program called Hamilton on the Hudson, hosted by The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society (The AHA Society). Other events being held July 26-28th in the Hudson River Valley as a part of Hamilton on the Hudson include tours of Revolutionary War sites, guided walks, and ‘living history’ events to celebrate the 225th anniversary of New York ratifying the US Constitution.
 
Schedule of Hamilton on the Hudson events in Newburgh and surrounding areas
 
Sunday, July 28, 2013

10 AM – Revolutionary War at West Point
West Point Museum, West Point
1 PM – Spotlight location: Newburgh Conspiracy
New Windsor Cantonment, New Windsor
2 PM – Washington Headquarters in New Windsor
Ellison House Plaque, New Windsor
3 PM – Lecture Panel: “Washington and Hamilton’s Wartime Partnership”
Newburgh Cultural Center, Newburgh
 
To see all events from the three days and event details, visit The-AHA-Society.com and click on “Official Events.”

Image: Washington University Law School