A group of people have organized a new ceremony scheduled for Saturday, November 24, 2018, from 3 to 5 pm, to light up this well-known evergreen next to the Visitors Center at Polhill Park. The rain date is set for Saturday, December 1.
Tree Ceremony To Add To Merriment
Says Rosemary Merhige, one of the organizers of this lighting: “We started out with a group of Beacon residents and formed a committee. We have support of the Elks, City of Beacon, Boy and Girl Scouts, Beacon Recreation Department, Yanarella Dance Studio and others.”
There will be ornament making, refreshments, and entertainment. Look for Santa, carolers, tiny dancers, and more.
The Bicycle Tree Lighting from BeaconArts and the City of Beacon will be on December’s Second Saturday as it always is - this year it’s December 8. That is also the seventh night of Hanukkah, and BeaconArts will be lighting the menorah that night as well. The lighting of the menorah begins on the first night of Hanukkah: Sunday, December 2. Details about it are here.
Says Kelly Ellenwood, a past president of BeaconArts about the tree: “The tree next door [to the bicycle tree] was never left alone. It was always lit up and decorated, every year. Its juxtaposition to the Visitors Center makes it hard to see. A new tree somewhere where folks can gather ‘round will need to be planted (or sited) in the coming years.”
It is the opinion of this writer that a new tree on the other side of town - near the mountain - would help spread the abundant merriment down the full length of Main Street. It could serve as a new anchor to help draw people toward the east end of Beacon, and the shops, art galleries and salons that reside there. Oftentimes, people turn around after the Howland Cultural Center, where there is the big turn in the road. If you follow Main Street around the bend, you’ll discover so many more art galleries and shops, like Maria Lago Studio 502, bau Gallery, Russell Cusick Gallery, Kaight, Style Storehouse, and others. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Art Gallery Guide for a list of galleries.
It’s a most exciting time of the year, when we see the City of Beacon trucks loaded with holiday wreaths intended for the streetlamps slowly roll down Main Street, hanging up the festive greenery and bows.
Cheers to you this holiday season, on the eve of Thanksgiving. May you stay merry and bright.
PS: If you are decorating your house this season, please send your pics to us! We want to feature your houselights. Email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com for consideration. Including your address is optional. We’d love to see your work, so even if you set up one version, and then add to it later, get on our radar now - you can always send another picture when your masterpiece is complete!
Updates have been made to A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide! Some of these shops moved in several months ago, and some a few weeks ago. Take a look at these fresh collections and experiences waiting to delight you inside:
La Mere Clothing and Goods
436 Main Street, Beacon NY This shop moved in when Matteawan Gallery moved out. We had a mourning period for the art gallery for a bit, and are embracing this new space! April has been quickly setting up and sharing on the shop’s Instagram page all of the styles catching her eye. Inside the shop, you’ll find fashion, from cheetah print to bobble sweaters (what is a bobble sweater? you’ll want one, check it out). LaMere Clothing and Goods has brought more fashion options to the ladies in Beacon. Located in the cute storefront with stairs in front in a small building on your way to the east end of town. Welcome!
462 Main Street, Beacon, NY This destination for comics moved in when Lauren and Riley moved out of its original space, as the established Beacon boutique moved to the other (western) end of Main Street. The Underground Beacon is on fire with what they offer, which includes board games, a gameroom to play Magic and other real person-to-person games, a video game console on the wall, and most recently, skateboards. As you can see from this screenshot of their Instagram, they sell unusual games too, like this Golden Girls-themed Checkers and Bingo set. Obviously this is on your holiday gift list!
17 East Main Street, Beacon, NY Not totally new to Beacon anymore, but still under a year old, is Artifact Beacon, the shop with uncommonly beautiful jewelry, art, home décor and more. They are in the space formerly occupied by Gwenno James’, who used to sell the silk scarves that she designed in the building. Artifact continues with the art by bringing you even more of it. If you get some familiar vibes while you’re shopping, it’s because you may have shopped Artifact’s selection before, when they first popped up in A Little Beacon’s Space in the Made and Given Pop-Up Shop! They had so much fun setting up and running a shop, that they put roots down on the far east end of town. Find Artifact Beacon on your way to Dogwood. If you’re staying at the Roundhouse, this is an easy shopping destination to pick up some amazing goods. Pro tip: If you’ve been curious after seeing the Instagram page of Beacon Mercantile, who makes small-batch, natural, cruelty-free candles and apothecary goods including colored lip balms, then you will be happy to find this line carried in Artifact Beacon!
119 Howland Avenue, currently for sale from JonCar Realty, as listed in A Little Beacon Blog’s Real Estate Guide. Photo Credit: JonCar Realty
When you look at home listings on websites, you see the address, but you don’t always know exactly where it is. A property might be right next to somewhere you have been to or driven by countless times - even on a daily basis!
Drive down Route 9D/Wolcott Avenue towards Mount Beacon to get to Howland Avenue. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Right as you pass the older apartment building designed in a Spanish adobe style, and just as you think about ordering a grilled cheese from Bob’s Corner Store, you turn left down… Howland Avenue!
Howland Avenue is a quick turn off of 9D, and is an artery road toward several communities at the base of Mount Beacon.
Howland Avenue intersection with Route 9D/Wolcott Avenue. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
The house that is for sale, 119 Howland Avenue, will be on your left, across from wide open land which during the fall, presents a stunning view of peak fall foliage.
119 Howland Avenue in the fall. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
View from across the street of 119 Howland Avenue during the fall foliage. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Now that you know where 119 Howland Avenue is, you can check out the inside of the house via all of the pictures we have! See the new open kitchen, the renovated original details of the house, the gorgeous bathrooms (so many bathrooms), the balcony and porches, and the fireplaces. Call JonCar Realty to see it, and chime in back here if you make it yours!
Maps in this photo are from the David Rumsey collection, and the house in the woods is from an old postcard from the Beacon Historical Society’s collection. As of this writing, we have not confirmed where that house is. The tattoo pictured is on the arm of Tom Cerchiara, made by Evan McGuigan at Graceland Tattoo. Photo Credit: Collage from A Little Beacon Blog
Who better to ask than a land surveyor? Beacon is lucky enough to have several good ones in the area. Tom Cerchiara of TEC Land Surveying is who I thought of first, as my design agency rebranded his logo and website. That rebranding project exposed me to the profession of a land surveyor, where they deeply research the histories of a property to determine boundaries, ownership rights, and much more. So I had a feeling Tom may know the origins of this house.
When I asked him, his immediate response was: “That house is on the 1867 Atlas.”
The 1867 Atlas
Photo Credit: Screenshot of the 1867 Atlas on David Rumsey’s website and part of his collection.
What atlas, I thought? There’s an atlas? Yes. Tom explained that years ago, detailed maps were made of regions, and each map included different properties and information on them. These have been relied upon by surveyors as they research a property and look for clues.
A man named David Rumsey, who has a deep history with technology and archives, has published several of these maps on his website, even winning awards and recognition for this contribution. You can see the 1867 one titled “Fishkill on the Hudson and Matteawan” right here (the area was actually called Fishkill Landing and Matteawan, but the atlas called it “Fishkill on the Hudson”). This is a map of what is known as Beacon now, before it was called Beacon.
Prior to being known as Beacon, the area was officially two names: “Fishkill Landing, near the Hudson River and its busy ports, which incorporated as a village in 1864; and Matteawan, an industrial hub located near the Fishkill Creek, which incorporated in 1886” as explained in this article from Diane Lapis of the Beacon Historical Society that is part of A Little Beacon Blog’s Postcards series.
The Tattoo
“The 1867 Atlas is tattooed on my arm. And that house is represented right here.” Tom pointed to a black marking on his arm.
Wait, what? Tattooed? I knew that Tom had gotten a tattoo last year by Evan McGuigan who made the tattoo at Graceland Tattoo, and I remembered that it was a map of Beacon. But at the time, that’s all it was - a map of Beacon. Now that I’d gone on my own historical property search leading me to the 1867 Atlas of Fishkill and Matteawan, this all became more curious.
The Previous Owner of 119 Howland Avenue From 1867
Back at the computer, Tom zoomed in on the map, and saw that the property was attributed to Frank B. Goodrich, a well-known writer. According to an article at Lehigh University, Frank lost his eyesight, preventing him from earning a living, and retired to a country home (now known as 119 Howland Avenue) in the Hudson Valley.
Frank Goodrich was born in Hartford, CT, to Mary Boott Goodrich and Samuel Griswold Goodrich, the popular author of the "Peter Parley" tales of geography and adventure. After graduating from Harvard in 1845, Goodrich moved to Paris when his father was chosen as the United States consul. Goodrich’s literary career began there when, under the pseudonym of "Dick Tinto," he wrote letters to the New York Times about Paris and its government (J. Derby 123). These letters, which his obituary describes as “remarkable for their perception of character, correct judgment of events, and sagacity in political prediction,” were collectively published as Tricolored Sketches of Paris. Goodrich’s most well known works include The Court of Napoleon, Man upon the Sea, The Tribute Book, and Women of Beauty and Heroism (The Goodrich Family in America)…
After his eyesight failed him, preventing him from earning a living, Goodrich went abroad for several years before seeking his retirement at a country house on the Hudson. He spent his later years in New York City, retaining a lively interest in politics but living a quiet life due to his eyesight.
It’s a really good time to move to Beacon. I mean, it’s always a good time to move to Beacon, people have done it time and again no matter what the month. But now is good because the market has opened up a bit. Earlier this year, fewer houses were on the market, and now there are quite a few. More and more people are getting involved with city regulations and how taxes work, so there is a revived look at how our taxes are calculated. Like the Assessment Rate or the city’s Sales Tax that currently goes to Dutchess County to be managed (this decision up for renewal in 2024, so look for fresh debate).
Renovations around town keep rolling, either by the new homeowners or by flippers, so pretty much anywhere you look in Beacon, a house is getting a makeover. And then there are the apartments that are going to be finished soon. There are a lot of options (and emotional adjustments, for those of us not expecting to see so many new buildings go up, but that’s a different blog post, and one that I personally have faith will work out as different voices contribute at City Council, Zoning and Planning Board meetings to have their view heard).
When we moved to Beacon from NYC, it was during the time of President Obama when he lifted the tax penalty on draining your IRA for anything but retirement. He made it tax penalty-free to use your IRA to buy a home. We kicked our apartment/house search into high gear so that we could use the tax advantage, and visited a lot of NYC apartments, then tested other train towns, and dug our heels into Beacon.
We visited all sorts of houses in Beacon, mostly with scary basements and no closets. After touring one house that had been on the market for 4 days and had the B-Dry system, which was a $10K investment that made the basement dry, we made our offer. While the sellers considered it, we stumbled hungrily into Poppy’s, which is now MOD, for a much-needed burger to process what was about to happen.
Night Moving
The night we moved - because it was nighttime after the movers packed all of our boxes that day in NYC; otherwise we would have been buried in boxes in our tiny apartment - we drove up to Beacon in the moving truck.
My most happy time was sitting in the front seat of the moving truck, driving past the wide open spaces on 9D that were actually Garrison homes with large, rolling fields for yards. Those blended into Cold Spring, which disappeared into the tunnel of Breakneck Ridge, until we got to the other side of the ridge and the stars emerged in the sky again.
It was just so black. The sky. The air. And open. When we pulled up to our house, we got out of the truck and fumbled for our new keys to the house. The air was cold and crisp. On the sidewalk across the street from our house, on the other side of a chain-link fence, I heard rustling. My dog was still alive then, so I was used to perking my ears up to hear if outside sounds were human or raccoon. Human. I’d later learn it was my neighbor, who happened to be letting out their dog at that hour, and happens to know everything that is going on at all times. (This is why dog-walking is useful!)
Front Porches
As the movers moved in, my dog was investigating our new front yard within our own new-for-us old chain-link fence, as I stood on the front porch. Again the sky was black with stars. The black enveloped me. The artist Stanley Lindwasser just described it perfectly at his art opening - the openness that is density. That’s what he loves about his new home here in Beacon after moving here from Hoboken, N.J.: the density. And that’s what I loved. I never wanted to lose that feeling of being enveloped by the dark on my front porch, seeing the stars, and feeling so lucky that this space would be what grounded us.
The Great Blizzard of 2010
A few days later, The Great Blizzard of 2010 hit, and we lost power for three days. We are not campers in the wilderness. In our adulting lives, we grew up in NYC with supers who fixed our kitchen sinks or hung things. We didn’t know how to light our gas stove in the event of a power outage. The next day, our new neighbors, the ones with the late-night dog walking, invited us over for a warm meal and a kerosene heater. They bickered about using the kerosene heater for a bit while I silently prayed they would decide to keep using it because it was just so warm. They also told us how to light the gas stove. Game changer.
So that’s when we fell in love with Beacon. In the winter. While the power was out. It brought us together with our neighbors, and introduced us to the concept of community, something which New York City has in a different way, but not the same way that a small city-town can produce.
What is your moving-in or moving-back story? Or if you moved here 20 or 50 years ago, share that story too!
On Election Day, a reader tagged us on Instagram in this photo they took of the corner of Main Street and Tioronda, just outside of the Howland Cultural Center. In their photo post, they wrote: “I think I’m ready to move to Beacon for this view… just kidding, or maybe not.” They went on to use the hashtags #smalltownvibes to describe a few of the emotions they were feeling about the scene.
I wanted to bring the photo to the surface for a few reasons:
It’s beautiful.
It’s a special thing to be included in someone’s thoughts of how they view Beacon and why they would move here, or have already moved here.
It reminds me of why I moved here.
It shows how someone who does move here and is brand new values the same things that those who currently live here also love and cherish. Sometimes there is a fear of people coming to a “new” great area. (Beacon is always new, it’s always changing, and thanks to the Beacon Historical Society for making it easy for us to follow the city’s living history, and to the neighbors who share their stories on a daily basis.)
Keeping this view seems consistent with the City Council’s rezoning work, that was especially heavy during the Building Moratorium of 2017, where several zoning requirements were tweaked and tightened after several buildings that had existed for a while in concept were built and actually presented themselves in the flesh of concrete.
In the December 18, 2017 City Council Meeting, legislation was passed for the Fishkill Creek Development that would limit the height of a building to three stories. After a new four-story building was constructed at 344 Main Street, the public pushed for limits to the heights of buildings. The new legislation caps new buildings at three stories and not more than 40 feet in height, as first reported by Jeff Simms for the Highlands Current.
When, or if, you see pictures of people who live in New York City getting fresh air, it is usually at Central Park, and many tree branches are in the frame. They want more tree branches in the frame. All of the numerous founding transformational people of Beacon, and there have been many over the generations (the Howlands, the Sauers, etc.) have come from far downstate in the city, to our lower “upstate” region in the south of the state, all looking for space and fresh air above and around them.
Just when we thought this weekend was going to be a quiet one. In fact, the opening line for this weekend's edition of the email was going to be: "It may be the last weekend of calm before the holiday madness really kicks in."
And then the snow storm came! Unbelievable. We hope you are safe. But guess what? Main Street Beacon is OPEN! These business owners are fierce. So come on down!
Beacon Performing Arts Center presents “Annie Kids”
Days: Friday to Sunday, November 16-18, 2018 Times: Friday's performance has been moved to Saturday
Saturday, Nov. 17: 11 am, 2 pm
Sunday, Nov. 18: 6:30 pm Location: Beacon High School Theatre, 101 Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY Information >
Little Boxes Art Contest and Reception
Day: Saturday, November 17, 2018 Time: 6 to 9 pm Location: Scenic Hudson's River Center (Red Barn) at Long Dock Park, Beacon, NY Information >
Live Concert: Equinox Series presents Clear Light Ensemble
Day: Saturday, November 17, 2018 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 447 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Beacon Film Society: A Bread Factory (Double-Header)
Day: Sunday, November 18, 2018 Time: 1:30 to 6:30 pm Location: BEAHIVE, 291 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Sound/Peace (Seeking Harmony in Dissonant Times)
Day: Sunday, November 18, 2018 Time: 3:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 447 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Bringing Broadway To Beacon Starring Lindsay Mendez
Day: Monday, November 19, 2018 Time: 7:30 pm Location: Beacon High School, 101 Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company)
Luxe Optique has a full-service eye examination room in their shop, with two optometrists: Dr. James Carroll, O.D., who received his bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Binghamton University and earned his Doctor of Optometry from SUNY College of Optometry, and Dr. Alexandra Herrera, O.D., who received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Marist College and graduated Magna Cum Laude. From there, she went on to get her Doctor of Optometry from SUNY College of Optometry.
The luxury loft rental apartments at 7 Creek Drive are one of the largest new apartment buildings in Beacon, yet are one of the hardest to find. They are nestled into a slope near the Fishkill Creek, facing Mount Beacon. If the view of the mountain is one of your favorite, and you want to start renting in Beacon, this apartment with a parking spot and optional additional parking in a heated garage is for you. Details + Pictures >
A Little Beacon Space
Bring the eggnog! 'Tis the season for Holiday Business Parties! Looking for a space for your special event? There is still time to book with A Little Beacon Space.
A Little Beacon Space SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, December 9, 2018
A Handmade Pop-Up Shop for one day only! Featuring Allegory (jewelry), Anna West (paintings), Teller Hill (eco-friendly dog accessories), Reklaimed (fabric flowers and more, and is the original Beacon pop-up shop creator of Cherry Bomb!), and Moss Pocket (small-batch ceramic wares). Details >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Antalek & Moore can find the best insurance for your home, car, business, event, and more. You can still work directly with the insurance company you go with, like Progressive or Travelers, like if you want to pay your bill over the phone or ask a question. For no extra cost, the folks at Antalek & Moore do the research for you and act as your advocate if you need to file a claim or if something goes wrong.
Call them today at (845) 831-4300 or visit them at 340 Main St., Beacon, NY.
Katie James, Inc. NEW Special Rate: "The Do It Together" hourly rate is designed for people who use Squarespace and MailChimp, and want to get work done on their websites or newsletters. During this session, sit with Katie as she makes the changes with you to your website. This can include design and strategy during your time. Studio rate is $350/hour, but the Do It Together package is $150/hour. Zip through your to-do list quick! Contact for Details >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Beacon Chamber of Commerce is available to all businesses in Beacon, as well as others nearby. Membership and event opportunities are available to help connect businesses. Learn More >
BeaconArts
Your membership with BeaconArts is important to provide funding, support and expertise for achieving BeaconArts’ vision and mission. Volunteers are important to the success of the many BeaconArts activities and are the backbone of BeaconArts’ achievements. If you would like to make a donation to one of their sponsored projects, click here.
Advertise With A Little Beacon Blog
The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community in a meaningful way.
Friday may be a snow day for every parent in the Beacon City School District and other private schools, but businesses are open on Main Street in Beacon. These business owners are resilient, and some were out with their shovels on Thursday night as the snow fell, pre-clearing the sidewalks for Friday morning’s forecast of rain.
Sleet did fall at 6:30 am at least, making for slippery and dangerous roadways, but come the 9 am hour, snow was falling, and by 1 pm, we are in full blue sky and sunshine.
How is the parking, you ask? Eh, skip the parking, just get your winter boots on and come on out! Let today be your day to ride the free Beacon bus up and down Main Street. Hail it from wherever, and get off whenever.
Here is a sampling of who you can go see on this snow day, and beyond into the weekend!
Hot off the grill at Barb’s Butchery. Hungry! Photo Credit: Barb’s Butchery
Luxe Optique, the stylists will see you now! Clearly, this picture was from before the snow fell, but they are still open. Photo Credit: Luxe Optique
Emily at Utensil is a steady-eddy - always open! And now in her new location on the west end of town near Mountain Tops. She probably sells hot chocolate powder inside… Photo Credit: Utensil
You can’t keep these bakers away! Ella’s Bellas is all dug out, open for business. making up some chocolate ganache this morning. Photo Credit: Ella’s Bellas
Because what Are you gonna do on a snow day… stitch and stuff cute critters of course! That, and yarn and fabric inside at Beetle and Fred. Photo Credit: Beetle and Fred
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique at the base of the mountain is not open today due to snow, but this is the view from the Lambs Hill Wedding Venue at the top of Mount Beacon, overlooking the city-town. Photo Credit: Lambs Hill
During the holiday season, Grace Smith House opens its doors to countless survivors of domestic violence and their families. They need your help to provide their shelter families with holiday joy. Consider adopting a shelter family for this holiday season. You can be matched with a family and their recommended gift list, and the matching process is going on now. See here for more information on how to apply.
Gifts must be new items. Grace Smith House asks that all gifts be delivered wrapped and tagged with the family members’ names (if provided on the form), and arrive at their offices no later than Friday, December 14, to ensure delivery to the appropriate family in time for the holidays. Please call well in advance to schedule an appointment for delivery.
Grace Smith House is a religiously and ethnically diverse community, hosting families from all walks of life. They ask that you consider donating toys and items that are inclusive and open to all members of their family. The shelter is often lacking in items such as African-American body and hair care products, nonwhite dolls, nondenominational gift wrapping, etc. “We are very grateful for our donors’ generosity and their consideration for the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of our residents,” as stated on their website.
If filling stockings brings you joy during the holiday season, and so does giving the stockings to someone who isn’t expecting them, then this holiday initiative is for you. Libby Funeral Home has set up a free stocking for you to take home, decorate and stuff to the brim with holiday cheer. You will receive a list of recommended items along with the stocking.
Libby Funeral & Cremation Services will ship the stockings (at their expense) to troops abroad in time for the holidays. “Sending our heroes some good tidings and holiday cheer is a great way for us to show our support and appreciation for the sacrifices they make to keep our country safe and secure,” said Matthew Fiorillo, owner of Libby Funeral & Cremation Services.
Pickup of stockings is now through Saturday, December 15. You can stop by their Beacon location at 55 Teller Ave., Beacon, NY, 12508 (near Stock Up) on Monday through Friday, between 9 am and 2 pm to pick up your stocking and begin stuffing.
Another Way to Help: Recycled Cell Phones for Soldiers
FYI, for those looking to recycle their cell phones: Libby Funeral & Cremation Services is also an official drop-off center for Cell Phones for Soldiers. You can bring in your old cell phones to help American troops call home this holiday season. The old cell phones are recycled and turned into free calling cards for the soldiers. According to Matthew, businesses nationwide have so far collected enough old cell phones to provide American troops overseas with nearly four million free calling minutes.
The Veterans Ceremony in Beacon on Sunday, November 11, 2018, was moved indoors after the chilly air proved to be too cold for most who were attending, including children, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, veterans, city leaders, and the public. The keynote speaker was LTC Caroline Pogge, who, according to her speech, was in part asked to deliver it so that people could get a female perspective on serving in the military.
Her speech was given on the 100th anniversary of signing of Armistice, which marked the ending of World War I. In the second half of her speech, she gave a brief history of women’s involvement in serving in the military of this country - which began in disguise and in secret.
The lieutenant colonel followed up with a small part of her own story of serving in Iraq. LTC Caroline Pogge granted permission to A Little Beacon Blog to publish her speech in full here, with headlines added to help you skim down.
Following that is the video provided by the City of Beacon of the entire event, where you can also listen to her speech. We wanted to publish in text to help share the stories in history.
Good morning! Thank you for the wonderful introduction. As a 22-year and counting veteran, it was an honor to be asked to speak with you this morning. Not only because of what Veterans Day represents, but more specifically because of what THIS Veterans Day represents. 100 years ago today, the German delegation signed an Armistice in a train car outside of Paris, formally ending the “War to end all wars.” Unfortunately, as we know, this was not the case.
While there was an end to international involvement in the war, it was not an end to regional instability as civil wars, revolutionary and counter-revolutionary conflicts emerged across the globe. As nations split, empires collapsed and monarchies abdicated, boundaries were redrawn and new nations were created. In many cases this resulted in new players scrapping for position, some with less-than-honorable intentions as extremist attitudes, including ethnic cleansing, emerged.
This was not limited to Europe, but rather spread across to the Middle East with the fall of the Ottoman Empire; to Asia where Korea, influenced by President Wilson’s 14 Points, protested their independence and the Chinese Civil war raged; and to Africa where nations were trying to make sense of newly drawn boundaries that had little to do with cultural demographics.
All the while, the global struggle went seemingly unnoticed in America. Many of us spent a very short time discussing World War I and its global impact. Certainly far less time than we spent learning about the Civil War or World War II. For most Americans, it can be summed up simply as: WWI was a decisive victory brought about by American bravery and might.
WWI had a relatively small impact on the U.S. population, particularly when compared to Europe. During the one-year U.S. involvement, approximately 50,000 troops died from combat and another 50,000 died from the 1918 influenza pandemic. Unfortunately, the peace of WWI would fail and the ripple effect would have a tremendous impact on America for years to come.
By ignoring the wildfires spreading across Europe, America and the international community (led by the newly formed League of Nations) quickly learned a difficult lesson: that peace can not be won by simply stopping combat operations; rather, lasting peace must be reinforced through stability. This hard lesson influenced the development of the Marshall Plan after WWII and COL Hunt’s drafting of a Congressional report formally recognizing my specialty of Civil Affairs as a military function. Both these events continue to influence our military operations today.
But who are these soldiers and statesmen, fighting one day and securing the victory through stabilization operations the next? They are Americans who, as LTC G. Edward Buxton described in the American Legion’s Constitution Committee Report in 1919, “fight to perpetuate the principles of Justice, Freedom and Democracy.”
They are Americans who serve selflessly, not for accolades and praise, but as D. Bernard Ryan wrote home in November 1918, troops who want to know we “had contributed by personal contact to the rout of the Enemy and his defeat.” And simply knowing that makes our efforts “worth all we have endured.”
I’d like to now ask my fellow veterans, particularly those who may be standing incognito in today’s crowd, to make yourselves known as I announce your conflict era:
Among the 20.4 million living veterans, less than 10% of our population, there are fewer than 500,000 living WWII-era veterans.
1.3 million Korean War-era veterans (pauses for anyone to stand)
6.5 million Vietnam War-era veterans (pauses for anyone to stand)
and our current conflicts are included in the 7.4 million Gulf War-era veterans.
“Women Represent About 9% of the Veterans”
Of these, women represent about 9% of the veterans, a number expected to grow to nearly 18% by 2045. I was asked to speak a bit about my service as a woman in uniform. To do this I need to take us through another brief history lesson.
When Women First Started Serving In The Military - In Disguise or Unrecognized
While our formal involvement in the military is growing, women have served since the Revolutionary War, albeit not always in a sanctioned role. There are countless stories of women serving alongside their spouse or family member in disguise or even as spies. For example Deborah Sampson, who during the birth of our nation, in 1778, was the first woman to enlist, although as a man under the name Robert Shirtliffe. She served for three years before she was discovered while being treated for an illness, thanked for her service and promptly discharged.
Young Woman Rides Twice The Distance Of Paul Revere To Alert that British were Coming, Yet Remains Unknown
Or you may have heard about the Hudson Valley’s own Sybil Ludington, who on the night of April 26, 1777, at the age of 16, rode between Putnam County, NY, and Danbury, CT, alerting militia of the approach of British forces. We all know the story of Paul Revere, but despite riding nearly twice the distance and given her much younger age, even many locals do not know Sybil’s story!
First African-American Woman to Enlist In Army During Civil War - As A Man - As Buffalo Soldier - Was Discovered and Discharged After 3 Years
Fast forward to the Civil War and let me introduce you to the first African-American woman to enlist in the Army, Cathay Williams. She spent three years as one of the Buffalo Soldiers before being discovered and discharged from service.
Woman Surgeon Volunteers As Nurse - Since Female Surgeons Weren’t Permitted To Serve
Others were able to more openly serve, such as Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, who volunteered for the Union Army as a civilian nurse since women surgeons were not permitted to serve. Her work caused her to frequently cross battle lines to treat injured civilians and even resulted in her capture by Confederate troops, who arrested her as a spy. During her military career, she was eventually awarded a commission as a “Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon,” which made her the first-ever female U.S. Army surgeon.
Women Begin Formally Joining The Fight in 20th Century
Moving into the 20th century, we are witness to many women joining the fight, be it on the frontline, in the sky, or at sea. Mary Borden, born into a wealthy Chicago family and educated at Vassar College, used her passion and funds to create field hospitals on the front lines of WWI, which were credited for saving countless troops’ lives.
In WWII, the military finally started to recognize and award veteran status to women, but only to a handful of female Air Force service pilots, such as Irene Kinne Englund, who spent 18 months ferrying military aircraft, transporting medical patients and towing aerial gunnery targets which freed up men for combat service overseas. The tide began to change in 1948, with the passage of Law 625, “The Women’s Armed Services Act,” which allowed women to serve in fully integrated units during peacetime and leaving the Women’s Army Corps as the only remaining separate female unit.
But in reality, even women’s efforts during the Korean War and Vietnam were often little recognized and hard-earned. It is literally within my lifetime that women’s involvement has really increased. In 1976, two years after I was born just up the road at Vassar Brothers Hospital, the first group of women was admitted to join the military academies’ Classes of 1980.
“Women Continued to Blaze Trails Despite the Obstacles Such As Combat Limitations”
Women continued to blaze trails despite the obstacles such as combat limitations, which often limited their career progression. Mostly, women simply wanted to do what they were trained to do and serve beside their fellow troops. No one stopped LTC Eileen Collins and LT Celeste Hayes as they flew assault teams and wounded troops in and out of Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury in 1983, or CPT Linda Bray, who, at 29 years old in 1989, became the first woman to command American soldiers in battle, when she led a company of MPs during the invasion of Panama.
Women Were Banned From Combat Roles Until Recently
It was during the 1991 Gulf War that many Americans began to recognize the volume of women in uniform. Having come a long way from a few hundred troops, often in disguise, to over 40,000 women in uniform, we were no longer relegated to “safe” administrative and medical roles. Despite officially being banned from combat roles until just two years ago, we were still flying aircraft, serving on staff at the front lines and in some cases working right in the middle of combat operations.
SGT Leigh Ann Hester, who earned the Silver Star (the third-highest decoration for valor) for her role as a Military Police team leader during a convoy ambush in Iraq in 2005, and 19-year-old Army SPC and Medic Monica Lin Brown, who also earned the Silver Star for running through gunfire to shield wounded soldiers during a roadside attack in Afghanistan in 2007, are testaments to not only the amazing women I have the honor of serving with, but also great examples of why in 2013 Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta lifted the ban on women serving in combat, which became effective in 2016.
LTC Caroline Pogge’s Own Story
In reality, we have been serving in combat for decades, often by capitalizing on technical loopholes. Don’t tell my mother, or maybe more importantly don’t tell the Army, but in reality, when I crossed the berm from Kuwait into Iraq in the first week of April 2003, I was technically not allowed to participate in combat. But as a Civil Affairs soldier attached to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, my role took me through tank battles, leapfrogging elements of the 101st and 82nd Airborne, to finally settling into Baghdad on 17 April before ground combat was officially declared over.
In reality, I was looking forward to crossing the berm. Not because of a desire to go to war, or a drive to prove myself. But honestly I just wanted to leave Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, where someone was preying on female soldiers during SCUD attacks. Yes, while we were preparing to move north into armed conflict, I needed an escort to go to the latrine after dark because of a series of assaults on female soldiers.
Once in Iraq, my driver, SGT Betty Navarro and I, would notice the minute the locals “spotted us.” I frequently had to overcome additional cultural obstacles to achieve my mission, as often curious Iraqis would be surprised that a “woman could be in charge.” But being a female also had its advantage as frequently the ladies would welcome us into their community and offer us access unavailable to our fellow male troops.
Thankfully, I believe the military is much easier to serve in today for women than it was even 40 years ago. We are paid based on the same pay scale as men. We are now afforded the opportunity to serve in any role across the service, and have the same chances to succeed as our male counterparts.
“I Still Get Frustrated When Someone Sees My Veteran Tag On My Car And Asks If My Husband Served.”
I can only imagine the path the ladies before me had traveled and the obstacles they had to overcome which enabled me to stand before you today. From the days of Deborah Sampson hiding her gender in order to fight for her country, we have come a long way. It’s still a male-dominated profession, and I still get frustrated when someone sees my veteran tag on my car and asks if my husband served. But at least I can offer a smile and simply reply, “I don’t know. I haven’t met him yet.”
Let me close by asking one thing from all of you. They say one of the greatest things we can offer the next generation is inspiration. I hope you look around this crowd, and across our community at the many veterans who have served during peace and conflict over the past century and see countless reasons to be inspired. See the veteran who was drafted and sent to a place they may not even know to fight for justice, freedom and democracy. See the veteran who chose to join the ranks and found themselves standing watch to protect our way of life in far-away places. And see the veteran who today finds themselves in places like Afghanistan, Djibouti or Poland working to secure a lasting peace through the stabilization of democracies and economic freedom around the world. All these veterans are an inspiration and represent the best of what we can offer as Americans.
While President Theodore Roosevelt was addressing Civil War veterans in 1906, his description still rings true: “Veterans by their lives, by the records of their deeds, teach us in more practical fashion than it can be taught by any preaching, for they teach us by practice that the ultimate analysis of the greatness of a nation is to be measured not by the output of its industrial products, not by its material prosperity, not by the products of the farm, factory or business house, but by the products of its citizenship, by the men and women that that nation produces.”
By this measure alone, America is a great nation! Thank you to the many veterans in attendance here and particularly those standing watch today in posts around the world. It is an honor to serve with you. I wish everyone a happy Veterans Day, and may God Bless America.
What Is A Civil Affairs Specialty?
You may have wondered what “civil affairs” meant as Caroline mentioned it. We did too! Here’s how Caroline describes it:
“Civil affairs is a military specialty like infantry or military police. Essentially, we're the middlemen between the military and civilian populations, attempting to minimize the impact of conflict on the civilians and the interference of civilians in military operations. Post-conflict, we work with civilian populations in an attempt to get basic services back up and running. Pre-conflict, we attempt to identify gaps or areas of potential concern that could offer violent extremist actors to exploit the population and cause instability.“
November’s Second Saturday was as exciting as ever, with new works being hung around town and exhibitions opening in galleries and unusual places. This Second Saturday, I wrote in my calendar specifically (as opposed to falling into the serendipitous approach of going where the wind or free bus will take me) to go to Stanley Lindwasser’s opening of his 2018 collection of paintings at Oak Vino Wine Bar.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
This is a man who has painted almost every day, ever since his teacher told him he was good at finger-painting. Stanley is 71 years old now, and had a career as a painter. “But I never became famous,” Stanley told me at his show’s opening. Stanley’s mantra was family first, and with several children in his family, that can keep someone comfortably quiet in their production.
To pay the bills, he was a full-time teacher. Teaching took him to different environments including a homeless shelter for teenagers at Harlem Hospital, schools for emotionally disturbed children, and a psychiatric facility, according to Alison Rooney’s article in the Highlands Current this weekend.
Stanley is mesmerized by color and texture and feelings. The physical act of painting seems to produce the synapses that inspire where his brush goes and how it explores, which was my impression after reading the Chronogram article that describes Stanley’s artistic style.
Currently, he is also inspired by the expansiveness he feels in his backyard overlooking the Hudson River. While speaking with me at his opening, I asked him if anything around him inspired him when he is away from painting. “The density,” he told me. Stanley lives along the Hudson River and gets to sit with the sunsets each afternoon into evening. “We are able to see so much more of the sky here than when we lived in Hoboken, N.J..” Stanley and his wife Helen moved to Beacon two years ago from their brownstone.
Stanley gets out to walk his little dogs - you might see him this winter with his big fur hat on. But he doesn’t get out to exhibit his work much. I’m now most curious about the other decades - decades! - of his work that he has rolled up in various storage facilities. You can see a few previous years of his paintings at his website. His paintings - select pieces from 2018 and not even all of them, will be hanging at Oak Vino through January and are for sale.
Glad to have him rooted in Beacon, and hanging on these walls.
Editorial Disclosure: We have worked with Stanley and Helen to help them complete Stanley’s website, via our design agency and parent company Katie James, Inc., as well as through our sister company Tin Shingle in consulting with them in how to get the word out. This article is one we wanted to bring to you regardless of the client connection, as we have gotten to know Stanley and Helen over the years in Beacon.
The Veterans Memorial Building at 413 Main St., Beacon, NY. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
The Veterans Day Ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 11, 2018 at the Veterans Memorial Building at 413 Main St., Beacon, NY at 11 am. The ceremonies begin when veterans gather outside on the front porch of the building. The guest speaker will be Lt. Colonel Caroline Pogge, according to a calendar posting at Dutchess Tourism. Over the years, the amount of people who attend this event has grown.
This spring, during a Memorial Day service at the same location, the presenting veterans acknowledged how appreciative they were of the turnout during that day, feeling the support from the community. City Council Member John Rembert, who is a veteran, also acknowledged this during the June 4th, 2018 City Council Meeting: “The veterans really appreciated it. It meant a lot to all of us.”
So get your hat and gloves on, and head over to these services. It will be a time to share a moment with your neighbors. Bring a to-go cup of coffee and nibble on a chocolate croissant as you walk down.
Veterans Day Ceremony Day: Sunday, November 11, 2018 Time: 11 am Location: Veterans Memorial Building, 413 Main St., Beacon, NY From the Dutchess Tourism Website: ”The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 666 will be sponsoring Veterans Day ceremonies on the front porch of the Veterans Memorial Building. The public and all veterans are cordially invited and encouraged to attend. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held inside the bingo hall of Veterans Memorial Building. Guest Speaker: Lt. Colonel Caroline Pogge” Information >
Mount Beacon Eight Ceremony Day: Sunday, November 11, 2018 Time: 12:30 pm Location: Fishkill Veterans Park, Route 52, south of I-84, on the north side of Route 52 between the Fishkill Town Police Department and the Fishkill Town Recreation Center. A ceremony will be held to remember the service members who died in a plane crash into Mount Beacon. That plane crash happened on November 11, 1945, 30 minutes after leaving Wright Caldwell Airport in Caldwell, NJ. The men were en route back to the Quonset Air Naval Base in Quonset, RI when their Navy Beechcraft Twin Engine Transport plane crashed near the northwest ridge of Mount Beacon in the Town of Fishkill, NY. Learn About the Mount Beacon Eight in A Little Beacon Blog’s Article >
WHERE: 291 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508 The Telephone Building First Floor, First Door WHEN: Saturday, November 10 TIME: 11 am to 9 pm One day only! Come for shopping PLUS video games in the morning, Pokémon giveaways in the afternoon, trivia at 6 pm! Door prizes and giveaways ALL DAY!
If you want to hear the original Mario Bros. video-game music - and play it on an old-school controller - then you will love this Pop-Up Shop! Inspired by vintage ‘90s, Amanda (pictured here, sporting her jean jacket she customized last night) and her crew have outdone themselves in the setup of the shop in a tiny amount of time.
Find mini-blue holiday trees, ornaments, the real Rambo on a gym bag, and even an NSYNC kids-size mini backpack. Oh, don't worry, Britney, we haven’t forgotten about you - you've got a quote on a bottle opener: "Hit me baby one more time" that could hang on a wall.
PS: If you love this stuff, you will also love one of Beacon's newest shops, The Underground Beacon, further down Main Street toward the mountain, at 462 Main Street. Just hail the free Beacon blue bus from anywhere and let it whisk you down there! See where else you can shop in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide.
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
