Croton Historical Society

09/02/2026

08/31/2026

Louise Bryant and John Reed lived at 106 South Mt. Airy Road, in a house they purchased in late 1916.

08/19/2026

Did you know that Philip Van Cortlandt, the Patriot son of Pierre van Cortlandt, had a cousin with the same name who fought for the British during the Revolutionary War?

To commemorate America's 250th, explore the conflicting paths of patriot Philip Van Cortlandt and his loyalist cousin, Philip Van Cortlandt.

08/18/2026

Louise Bryant, Crystal Eastman, Inez Milholland and Ida Rauh—who are highlighted in this Women's Suffrage Map of Greenwich Village—all lived in Croton at various points in their lives.

07/31/2026

Photographs by Bud Haley of the Lions Club Swim Meet at Silver Lake in August, 1943. At the time Silver Lake was much larger than it is today.

For more photos see Joel Gingold’s article on our website: https://www.crotonhistoricalsociety.org/blog/2025/7/12/silver-lake

07/20/2026

Step back in time and experience history firsthand as part of Croton's America250 Celebration.

Join local historian Duane Jackson on Saturday, August 1, at 10:00 am at Van Cortlandt Manor for a Revolutionary War Reenactment Showcase. Costumed interpreters will portray soldiers from the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and 2nd New York Regiment, bringing this significant milestone in our nation's history to life.

Learn about the pivotal role of the First Rhode Island Regiment, local Revolutionary War battles, daily life as a Continental soldier, and enjoy a live musket firing demonstration, followed by a Q&A.

This is a FREE event, and no registration is required. We hope you'll join us for this engaging look at our nation's history!

07/16/2026

Joel Gingold’s remembrance of Silver Lake in the 1940s and 50s, when it was larger and swimming to the Third Rock was a rite of passage for kids in Croton.

Joel Gingold’s remembrance of Silver Lake in the 1940s and 60s, when it was larger and swimming to the Third Rock was a rite of passage for kids in Croton.

07/15/2026

In July 1776, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Van Cortlandt was feeling aggrieved. Despite his faithful service for more than a year in the Continental Army, he was still only a lieutenant colonel, while others around him were promoted. Even today, it can be frustrating watching colleagues being promoted over your head, but in the 18th century it was an even more serious matter. In a letter written at Ticonderoga on July 15, 1776—250 years ago today—Van Cortlandt explained why.

Van Cortlandt’s letter was written to Robert R. Livingston, a friend and New York delegate to the Continental Congress. He begins with an explanation: “I am informed of Sundry Gentlemen (who were Capts in the Second and Third N. Y. Regts last Year) applying for Regts… And that Some of them have Succeeded… Those Gentlemen were [commanded] by me formerly and now Order’d to this place where I must in my present Situation be Commanded by [them].”

The 18th-century concept of military seniority dictated that relative rank should be maintained when it came to promotions. Captains being promoted directly to the rank of colonel while Van Cortlandt remained only a lieutenant colonel broke these rules. As most officers would, he took this as a slight to his honor. Failing to promote him implied an insult to his character, especially as most other field officers who had served in the New York Line in 1775 had been promoted. He asks Congress, “If they thought me fit to Command these Genlemen last Year, why not this?”

Van Cortlandt is polite in his letter and “Apologize[s] for the Trouble” his request to bring his case before Congress may cause. However, he makes the stakes clear: “I shall be under the Disagreeable Necessaty of Resigning my Command if I am Superceeded, Even Degraded without Assigning any Reason.” While it took several months, Congress did satisfy Van Cortlandt’s honor; on November 21, he was promoted. He served as colonel of the 2nd New York Regiment for the rest of the war and even received a brevet promotion to brigadier general in 1783.

Learn about this letter (object ID MS.2086) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/30091