Historical Society of the Nyacks

10/29/2026

Ghost stories from a former cemetery superintendent When Luke Conroy moved into Oak Hill Cemetery’s superintendent’s house with his wife in 1989, he expected to live among the dead. He didn’t expect to hear them moving around upstairs. The first strange experience came shortly after they settl...

10/28/2026

In a new book, Nyack News & Views writer Mike Hays reveals the stories behind Upper Nyack’s wealthy Gilded Age “barons” and their estates.

10/24/2026

THIS SUNDAY!

🪦 Stories in Stone: Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour
Every stone tells a story. Join us for this 90 minute guided tour through the historic Oak Hill Cemetery.
📅 Sunday, October 25, 2026
⏰ 11 AM – 1 PM
📍 Oak Hill Cemetery
140 N Highland Ave, Nyack
$22.00
🔗 Register in IG bio link or here:
https://events.com/r/en_US/registration/stories-in-stone-oak-hill-cemetery-walking-tour-orangetown-october-1106513

10/24/2026

🎃 It Started in 1986: The Story Behind Nyack’s Halloween Parade
This weekend, Nyack will come alive for one of New York’s largest Halloween parades outside Greenwich Village.
👻 Pictured is the flyer from the very first parade and a child in costume in 1986. Discover how this beloved tradition began in a fascinating story by our very own Historical Society board member Mike Hayes.
🔗 Read the story in our bio or here: https://nyacknewsandviews.com/blog/2022/10/what-was-nyacks-first-halloween-parade-like/amp/

10/22/2026

Fact and Folklore Behind New York’s Last Witch Trial In 1816, according to local legend, a crowd of neighbors gathered in Clarksville, now West Nyack, to determine whether an elderly woman known as Naut Kanniff was a witch. They brought her to the Polhemus gristmill and seated her on one side of a...

10/15/2026

Nyack History A to Z Nyack’s First Meeting Place Still Welcomes the Community In 1813, a small group of Nyack residents set out to create the first building in their scattered community intended exclusively as a place for people to gather. William Palmer supplied the land and stone from his nearby...

10/13/2026

❤️ Thank You for Being Part of the Nyack Red Bandanna 9/11 Memorial Tour ❤️
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this meaningful journey through Nyack’s history as we honored the lives, courage, and legacies of Welles Crowther, Stacey Sennas McGowan, Harry Wanamaker Jr., Joe Stach Jr., Jon Albert, and Ross Dailey.
❤️ We are honored to preserve their stories so future generations will learn their names, remember their sacrifices, and Never Forget.

10/11/2026

🪦 Stories in Stone: Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour
Every stone tells a story. Join us for this 90 minute guided tour through the historic Oak Hill Cemetery.
📅 Sunday, October 25, 2026
⏰ 11 AM – 1 PM
📍 Oak Hill Cemetery
140 N Highland Ave, Nyack
$22.00
🔗 Register in IG bio link or here:
https://events.com/r/en_US/registration/stories-in-stone-oak-hill-cemetery-walking-tour-orangetown-october-1106513

10/08/2026

Nyack History A to Z For nearly a century, boarding the Nyack ferry meant stepping directly into the life of the Hudson River. Commuters and tourists stood beside carriage drivers, shopkeepers, politicians, wealthy estate owners, and eventually motorists as the boat pulled away from the Burd Street....