I’m fond of rocking chairs on a porch. A plate reads “Baridon House”, but so far I’ve been unable to discover whether or not this has any historical significance.

Taken with a Nikon N6006 and Nikon 50mm f1.8.

According to the library’s website:

Edith Diehl started the Brewster Public Library in 1896 with a collection of 500 books at a storefront on Park Street. The present Federal style building donated by Andrew Ferris opened in 1931. The collection now contains over 25,000 items including books, newspapers, magazines, videos, DVDs, books on tape and CD, and Music CDs. Anyone living or working in the town of Southeast or Village of Brewster may apply for a library card which may be used at all 71 libraries in the Midhudson Library System. As a member of the Midhudson Library System, the Brewster Public Library accepts all borrowers cards issued to the residents of Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster, Greene and Columbia Counties.

The Brewster Public Library’s public access computers provide free Internet access as well as word processing software and the electronic catalog op library holdings of the Brewster Public Library and other libraries in the region. On site reference service is available by trained staff via the reference collection and online databases.

The library’s catalog and databases are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via computer from home or office. Cardholders may check their patron records, renew materials, place hold requests and search the online catalog.

The library offers story times and special programs for children of all ages; school visits,chess instruction, and homework help for children. Computers with educational games and software are available for use by children ages 4-10 in the children’s room. The library also offers computer instruction, lectures, art exhibits, writing and photography workshops, and book discussion groups as well productions by the Brewster Theater Group..

The Brewster Public Library is accessible to people with disabilities on each floor, and each floor has an accessible restroom. However, at this time we have only a stairway connecting the two floors. We hope to install an elevator during a future expansion project.

There are parking spaces reserved for the disabled near each entrance, but only metered parking is available for all at this time. Certain areas of the stacks are not easily accessible to anyone — staff is always available to obtain these materials for people who request them.

While everyone is welcome to attend our programs, we have not had any specifically designed for the disabled. We do make every attempt to accommodate all who attend our programs, and hope to provide programs for people with disabilities in the future.

Taken with a Nikon N6006 and Nikon 50mm f1.8.

According to the church’s website:

The first church in what is now Putnam County, New York was gathered by the Rev. Elisha Kent, who came from Newtown, Connecticut Colony. The earliest known meeting of the “Church of Christ on Philipse’s Patent” occurred on September 11, 1743. In 1793 the congregation constructed its third meeting house, now known as Old Southeast Church, a national landmark on the east side of Route 22, about three miles north of the village.

In 1830 the church called Robert B. E. McLeod to its pulpit. By the early 1850s, populations had shifted and most members now lived south of the church. Rev. McLeod’s health was failing and services were being held irregularly. The church building was in need of repairs, and a movement was begun to move the church closer to the majority of the congregation.

In 1853, 26 members sent a petition to the Presbytery of Bedford seeking to organize a new church at South East Center. Efforts by the Presbytery to prevent a division of the old church at Southeast failed, and on June 14, 1853 the Central Presbyterian Society of Southeast was organized. Services were held in the Temperance Hall at Sodom until the church building across the street was dedicated on June 28, 1854.

With the coming of the railroad populations again shifted, this time west. In 1882 the congregation voted to move to the village of Brewster. Property was purchased on Main St. and on Oct. 3, 1882 the cornerstone of our present house of worship was laid. The first service was held on June 29, 1884, and the church was dedicated and incorporated in 1886. In 1922 the church was renamed as the Brewster Presbyterian Church.

In 1961, the Old Southeast Church congregation disbanded, leaving this congregation to continue over 260 years of a living tradition of Presbyterian faith, worship and life.

I’m not sure what architectural style is at represented here, but I find it quite attractive.

Taken with a Nikon N6006 and Nikon 50mm f1.8.

The Village of Brewster is quite close to where I live, but although I’ve been various locations on the outskirts I’ve never been to the center.

According to Wikipedia:

The village of Brewster derives its name from that of the landowner, Walter Brewster, who invited the New York and Harlem Railroad to build a depot on his property. Brewster’s Station, New York, (sometimes just “Brewster’s”) appeared on maps, on postcards, and in directories of Putnam County throughout the second half of the 19th century. It was officially incorporated as the Village of Brewster, New York, in 1894.

In 1886, historian William Smith Pelletreau published The History of Putnam County, New York. In his second chapter on the town of Southeast, he wrote: “The land now [1886] embraced within the limits of the village of Brewster consists of a farm which was sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to Peleg Bailey, in 1781. A portion of it afterward passed into the possession of Bailey Howes, his grandson, who sold 98 acres to Gilbert Bailey on April 1, 1833. Two other tracts containing 39 acres were sold to Gilbert Bailey, by William P. Downs and Frederick Parks in 1838. On the 17th of February, 1848, Gilbert Bailey sold the whole tracts, estimated at 134 acres, to James and Walter F. Brewster, for the sum of $8,000.”

“At the time of the purchase, the New York and Harlem Railroad was finished and trains were running as far as Croton Falls. The road was surveyed as far as Pawling, and the prospect of its being continued to that point seemed certain, and to the new purchasers of the farm it seemed just the place for a station.”

“The New York and Harlem Railroad was finished to this place and the depot was built in that year, and what is now [1886] the Main street was opened, for the purpose of allowing the stages from Danbury to come to the station. Previous to this the firm of Crosby and DeForest had run a line of four horse stages to Croton Falls, from Danbury. The first new house in the place was built by Walter F. Brewster, in 1850 and stood in front of the present [1886] Methodist church.” That house, now listed as the Walter Brewster House on the New York State and national historic registers, is owned by the Landmark Preservation Society of Southeast.

“The Harlem Railroad’s extension of its mileage in 1849 proved advantageous to Mr. Brewster, who needed all sorts of materials in his building activities. Large shipments were billed simply to ‘Brewster’s Station’ for lack of better designation. This is the apparent origin of the village’s name, which many years ago was shortened to Brewster.”

Above the Walter Brewster house.

Taken with a Nikon N6006 and Nikon 50mm f1.8.