Karen’s Birthday

by Posted in Events, People Leave a comment
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Yesterday was the Executive Director of the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society and my friend Karen’s Birthday. So, we had a little celebration. I had earlier invited the Historical Society’s Board members. In that invitation I had asked if one of them would volunteer to pick up something to eat. Unfortunately, I must not have been clear enough, because everyone brought food – including me because I didn’t think anybody else was going to. So, we had way too much food, all of it sweet: cupcakes, mini-cupcakes, carrot cake etc. All of the Board members save one who had babysitting obligations came. As did our friends and neighbors from the Briarcliff Manor Recreation Department.

A good time was had by all.

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Taken with an Apple SE II.

An interesting frame

by Posted in Buildings/Structures Leave a comment
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This frame, with its numerous black and white historical images stands in the entrance to the Vescio Community Center in Briarcliff Manor. In of itself it’s interesting, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. It’s actually a window tilted on its side. But why a window? Well the Vescio Community Center is now part of a building that was once the Briarcliff Manor Train Station, actually the second at that location.

Walter W. Law, the founder of Briarcliff Manor wanted a train station where wealthy residents and visiting fashionable friends could be comfortable, so he replaced the earlier station (which was tiny and not particularly comfortable) with this one, to cater to the genteel crowd. It sported flowers, oriental rugs and fancy Mission-style furniture. By 1963 the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad was abandoned north of Elmsford and the train tracks were removed. Three years later, the empty railroad right-of-way was used to create Route 100 and in the early 1990’s, the North County Trailway for hikers and bicyclists was built parallel to the route and is in frequent use today.

The picture below shows the building as it is now. The old station is in the central to right part of the picture. The windows in this part are original.

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The last picture shows the station it as it was, shortly after it was built. you can clearly see the distinctive “cris cross” pattern in the windows.

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Taken with an iPhone SE II (except for the last one, which clearly wasn’t taken by me. And I have no idea who did take it).