A nondescript Peekskill street paved with yellow brick was transformed by a sensitive, imaginative dreamer into the sparkling central thoroughfare of a fantasy world that has become a favorite of children of all ages – the land or Oz. In the process, L. Frank Baum, whose abbreviated enrollment in Peekskill Military Academy was less than stellar, integrated the Hudson River community into the literary and cultural heritage of the United States.
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Croton History
Yellow Brick Road Connects Peekskill, Oz
An article on Peekskill Historian John Curran's presentation about Peekskill's yellow brick road and L. Frank Baum, as published in the VanCortlandtville Historical Society's The Historical Key in December 2010.
Croton
Tidbits about Croton Dam
... from the archives of The Croton Historical Society.
Most of you have visited Croton Dam or at least driven by it and undoubtedly read some of the history surrounding its construction but here are some tidbits you might not know about its history.
Croton History
Croton’s History museum on the first floor of the Municipal Building is a great place. The Historical Society, located there, has books for sale on Croton’s history. Also another local group, Friends of History, also presents regular programs at the Croton Free Library. To pique your interest, here is an aerial map from 1925. There is no Route 9. 1. Shops on both sides of N. Riverside Ave.; 2. Upper Village; 3. Route 129 not in evidence; 4. Duck Pond; 5. Railroad turnaround (now HMB bridge). Click on the map to enlarge.
Croton History
Westchester County’s first drive-in movie theatre was opened in Croton in 1948. It was designed, owned and operated by Jerome Britchey. Eventually a miniature golf course and driving range were added to the complex. The theatre was built on farmland that was part of the original Van Cortlandt Manor. The theatre had room for 500 cars and ran two shows nightly. It closed in 1972.
Croton also had a 24 lane bowling alley on property adjacent to the theatre. The Starlight Lanes Bowling Center opened in 1959 and lasted about 20 years. The building now houses the NY Sports Club.
