Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives

The Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives was founded in 1992 in order to acquire, preserve and exhibit objects which reflect primarily the history of the Town of Orangetown. The Museum’s additional but not lesser mission is to document, research, promote and publicize the rich historical heritage of the town for the people of Orangetown.

The Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives is administered by the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County

Supervisor Thom Kleiner,
Councilwoman, Nancy Low-Hogan & Marie Manning, Councilmen, Michael Maturo & Dennis Troy

Museum Director, Mary Cardenas
Museum Curator, Elizabeth Skrabonja
Buildings Manager, Giuliano Premus

The Museum in housed in two distinct buildings, bearing Dutch Sandstone features indicative of the area. The Historic Salyer House was the Museum’s first home, housed its first exhibitions and will open a permanent local history exhibit in the Fall of 2008. The DePew House houses the Museum’s offices and research facilities, administers the education programs and will feature changing exhibitions starting in the Spring of 2008.

196 Blaisdell Road
Orangeburg, NY 10962
(845) 398-1302

Probably constructed around the time of the Revolutionary War by Isaac DePew, the house is a sandstone and frame homestead that was maintained by the original family until 1881. After this time it was owned by the Blauvelt and Morrell families and by 1929 the homestead and farm was purchased by the State of New York as part of the Rockland Psychiatric Hospital’s 638 acre facility. It was acquired by the Town of Orangetown and by 2004 the museum began renovation. It is a typical Dutch sandstone house with a gambrel roof, the structure was given a modern addition in the 1930’s that will serve the museum with additional exhibition space. A wheelchair access ramp has been constructed with a side porch, new windows and a new roof have been added. The electrical and plumbing systems have been upgraded, the exterior painted and some professional landscaping has been done. Some of the museum’s collections that had been housed in the Salyer House are now located at the DePew House. This includes art, artifacts, photographs, books and works on paper. The DePew House opened in the Fall of 2007 with an exhibition specifically designed for the South Orangetown School District called Who Was Here? an historic journey into the lives of four individuals from Orangetown's past. Student artwork based on this exhibition was displayed at the Tappan Library in February of 2008. Upcoming exhibitions at the DePew House are: Spring 2009, The Hudson, A Maritime Memoir, and Spring 2010, Our Lives in Their Hands: Fire, Police & Emergency Services of Orangetown.

196 Blue Hill Road
Pearl River, NY 10965

The Salyer House was built in the last quarter of the 18th century. It was the home of Michael and Elizabeth Salyer and their four daughters, Elizabeth, Mary, Sara and Rachel. Daughter Mary Salyer inherited the house in 1810 on a 9.20 acre lot. Mary and her husband David Bogert kept the property until 1825, when it was sold to James and Charity DeClark. After a number of subsequent owners the property was sold to the United Water Company in 1966. Families who worked for the United Water Company lived in the house until it was donated to the Town of Orangetown in September of 1992 to be used as a museum for the town. Many volunteers worked on restoring the interior and exterior of the house, which opened as a museum with its first exhibit in October 1996. The Salyer House has been under renovation during the summer/fall of 2007 receiving a new roof and French drain system. It will reopen with three permanent history exhibits in the Fall of 2008: A Spy in our Midst; Maj. John Andre, Orangetown’s Dutch Sandstone Houses, & At Home in Orangetown.

In 2003 the Salyer House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is the nation’s official list of properties worthy of preservation. Listing on the National Register recognizes the importance of the Salyer House to the history of our country and affords it a measure of protection.