Nyack, New York

Setting

Nyack is one of five southeastern Rockland County villages and hamlets that constitute "The Nyacks" – Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Upper Nyack and West Nyack. Named after the Native Americans who resided there before European colonization, the village consists mostly of low-rise buildings lying on the hilly terrain that meets the western shore of the Hudson River. Adjacent South Nyack is the western terminus of the Tappan Zee Bridge, connected across the Hudson River to Tarrytown in Westchester County by U.S. Interstate 87, an important commuter artery.

The village is approximately 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) in area, over 50% of which falls within the Hudson River. It is in the Nyack School District.

History

Native American stone relics and oyster middens found along the shore of the Hudson indicate today's Nyack was a favorite pre-Colonial fishing spot. The first Europeans settled in there in 1675, calling the general area "Tappan".

Harman Douwenszen is thought to be the first white settler. He came to America as a toddler and grew up in Bergen, New Jersey. In the State Archives in Albany there is a 1687 letter on file petitioning Governor Dongan to buy a strip of land in the west hills of Tappan (today Nyack), in which he had lived on for 12 years. His partition was granted and he bought the land from the Native Americans. He called his farm New Orania (Oranje in Dutch). This section of Nyack became known as Orangetown in 1683. The Tappan Register of 1707 claimed it was pronounced Nay-ack. Nyack became part of Rockland County in 1798. Harman's younger brother Theius changed the family name from Douwse (Frisian dialect for first son) to Talma proper Dutch for first son. His children became Talman and eventually Tallmans. The New Orania farm became the Tallman homestead, at the northeast corner of what is now Broadway and Tallman Place. The building was demolished in 1914.

Letter dated 8/31/1687 on file at New York State Archives at Albany:

The humble Peticon of Harman Dowse of Tappan Neare Ye River Side, Alias New Orania farm ... your peticonr is a farmer that hath nothing wot comes by his hard labour but by God's Blessing out ye Produce and ye ground, and hath a family to provide for.

On the north wall of the Key Bank building at South Broadway and Burd Street in Nyack is a plaque installed in 1938 that reads:

The Tappan Indians, from time immemorial, occupied these lands fronting the river shore. Here, in summer they lived upon fish and oysters. In Algonkian dialect spoken by them they called this location NAY-ACK which means the fishing place. The first settlement of white people within the limits of the present Rockland County, New York, took place in 1675 when Harmen Dowesen (Tallman), a young Dutchman of Bergen, New Jersey relocated here.

The Tallmans erected a mill upon a stream which still is known as Mill Brook. Abraham Lydecker purchased land from the Tallmans when there were but seven homes in Nyack in 1813. Nyack became an incorporated village in 1872 according to the same plaque on the Midland Trust Building.

Three major industries once thrived in Nyack: sandstone quarrying for New York City buildings (ca. 1800–1840); boat building—sloops, steamboats, then pleasure craft and World War I and II submarine chasers (ca. 1915–1948); and shoe manufacturing (ca. 1828–1900). Following the extension of the Northern Railroad of New Jersey into the community in the mid-19th century, rapid growth ensued. Because town government was no longer seen as an effective way to deal with the community's needs, village incorporation was discussed. Fearing higher taxes, those in what would have become the northern part of Nyack village formed their own municipal corporation first, named Upper Nyack. Nyack village was incorporated, although without this northern portion. Residents in the southern part of Nyack village, however, soon became dissatisfied with the notion of paying taxes that more heavily benefited the rest of the village. After succeeding in dissolving Nyack's corporation, the southern portion of the former village incorporated as the village of South Nyack. The area between Upper Nyack and South Nyack was reincorporated thereafter, again as Nyack.

Throughout the 18th century and 19th centuries, Nyack was known for its shipbuilding and was the commercial center of Rockland County. In the 19th century, a number of factories manufactured shoes. The Erie Railroad connected with Jersey City, New Jersey, where ferries took passengers to Chambers Street, New York City, until it was discontinued in 1966. With the completion of the Tappan Zee Bridge in December 1955, connecting South Nyack with Tarrytown in Westchester County, the population increased and Nyack's commercial sector expanded.

In the 1980s, the village underwent a major urban revitalization project to commercialize the downtown area and to expand its economy. The Helen Hayes Theatre was built, and the downtown area became home to many new business establishments.

In 1991 the landmark court case Stambovsky v. Ackley ruled that a house at 1 LaVeta Place on the Hudson River was legally haunted and that the owner (but not the real estate agent) was required to disclose that to prospective buyers. The owner, Helen Ackley, earlier had organized haunted house tours and was party to an article about it in Reader's Digest. After Ackley sold the house to another buyer there were no subsequent reports of hauntings.

On August 10, 2010, Highland Hose Company No. 5, a two-story brick firehouse located at 288 Main Street, celebrated 100 years at the firehouse. The firehouse was built in 1910 – fifteen years after Highland Hose was founded. The company's 1949 Ahrens-Fox fire engine was polished to bright, gleaming red and is still in use after more than 50 years.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) (51.88%) is water.

Nyack is on the west bank of the Hudson River, north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. The village is also home to Hook Mountain and has hilly terrains especially along the shore of the river.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,737 people, 3,188 households, and 1,511 families residing in the village. The population density was 8,749.1 people per square mile (3,378.1/km²). There were 3,288 housing units at an average density of 4,270.0 per square mile (1,648.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 63.81% White, 26.33% African American, 0.21% Native American, 2.42% Asian, 0.01% Pacific

Islander, 2.66% from other races, and 4.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.56% of the population.

There were 3,188 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.0% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.6% were non-families. 42.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the village, the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $54,890, and the median income for a family was $69,146. Men had a median income of $50,043 versus $35,202 for women. The per capita income for the village was $32,699. About 2.2% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Nyack is located along the New York State Thruway, in its concurrent section with Interstate 87 and Interstate 287, just to the north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Other important arterial roadways include U.S. Route 9W and New York State Route 59.

Nyack was formerly served by the Northern Branch of the Erie Railroad, with service to Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City. Passenger service was discontinued in 1966, and the rail line has been converted into a walking path. As a result, Nyack no longer has direct passenger rail service.

Today, Nyack is served by Tappan ZEExpress, which is operated by Transport of Rockland. Tappan ZEExpress buses connect Nyack to rail stations in Tarrytown, White Plains, Spring Valley, and Suffern. Nyack is also served by Rockland Coaches buses (operated by Coach USA) to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal in New York City.

Landmarks and places of interest

Historical markers

Education

Nyack Public Schools serves Nyack. Nyack High School is the village's high school. Nyack is also home to Nyack College, a Christian liberal arts college and one of the four colleges in the United States affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance church.

Notable people