Europe has many fine rivers, but I don’t think they compare to our beautiful Hudson River. I am amazed at its beauty every time I have a chance to walk along the paths close to it. If you are crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge and look north you will see the Tarrytown lighthouse and beyond. On the other side you can see Irvington and on a clear night even the George Washington Bridge. Our office in Irvington covers the towns of Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Irvington, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry and Ardsley, and many of the homes in these towns have river views.

Henry Hudson was looking for a shortcut to Asia, but found a shortcut to Albany instead. He returned under the English flag with a new ship and unfortunately his ship was ice bound. His plan was to continue exploring in the spring. However his rebellious crew had other plans. They set Henry, his son, and some crew off in a small boat. They were never heard from again…Poor Henry.

The Hudson of the 19th century was prominent in the arts. In literature some famous authors such as James Fenimore Cooper, William Cullen Bryant and Washington Irvington (author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) were reliant on the lore of the Hudson Valley. Painters of the Hudson River School, which include Thomas Cole, Frederic Church and Albert Bierstadt painted wonderful scenery of the river.

Some of the wealthiest New Yorkers built their summer homes along the river. J.P. Morgan,Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and others loved the beauty and relaxation of the river.

This year is the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s momentous voyage. There are many celebrations to commemorate this historic event:

• River Day, organized by boat and yacht clubs, includes a fleet of boats that will assemble and head north behind several flagships including a replica of Henry Hudson’s famous Half Moon. This will take place on June 6th.



• Macy’s has commissioned the New York Pops to write a new score and play it with fireworks on July 4th.



• On September 1st, a fleet of Dutch flat bottomed boats from Amsterdam is scheduled to sail into NY harbour as part of a great Naval Parade…it will be a great sight to see.



• On September 25th the concourse at Empire State Plaza in Albany will have a stamp exposition and include a stamp commemorating the 400th anniversary.

Posted By: Barbara Eisert

Think about Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. This is the burial place for many illustrious people, among them is Andrew Carnegie, Samuel Gompers, Walter Chrysler, William Rockefeller, Elizabeth Arden, Brooke Astor, Leona Helmsley, and Washington Irvington.

Washington Irving the author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, has many of the characters in his stories buried near him. Of course they have fictious names in his stories. The setting for some of his stories is Sleepy Hollow.

Leona Hemsley’s mausoleum is a large structure with beautiful stained glass windows, and Andrew Carnegie’s burial site is a simple, hard to find marker.

The grounds are beautiful. Dogwoods are about to bloom, and are really glorious. The cemetery gates open M-F 8am-4:30, Saturday and Sunday 8:30-4:30.

If you are visiting this weekend, come to my open house on Sunday April 26, time 1-3 at 9 Hemlock Drive in Sleepy Hollow Manor. I will tell you about some wonderful walks, and wonderful properties in this area. Also there is a book fair at the Warner Library, where you can find books on almost every subject.

Posted By: Barbara Eisert