Talking Beacon history
In its manufacturing heyday, Beacon was home to around 35 hat factories
When you live in a city as historic as Beacon, NY, it’s reassuring to know there are dedicated historians capturing every detail of its evolution. From Beacon’s earliest permanent European settler, Madam Catheryna Rombout Brett, in the early 1700s to the modern day, the Beacon Historical Society (BHS) has methodically and expertly uncovered fascinating stories, discovered and restored artifacts, photos, artwork, and more to ensure we understand how Beacon became the beloved Hudson Valley city it is today.
This week, we had the pleasure of meeting with long-time BHS president Denise Doring VanBuren to ask her some burning questions we have about the organization.
If you’ve ever been to a BHS event presented by Denise, you’ll know how charming, funny, and knowledgeable she is about Beacon history. She’s the consummate storyteller, and you’ll definitely come away from a BHS event with local insight you’ll want to pass onto neighbors and friends.
Denise is one busy woman (she’s also Honorary President General of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and co-chair of the nation’s new World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.), so we are super-fortunate and grateful that she spent time with us to help shine a light on Beacon’s rich and fascinating history.
Denise Doring VanBuren, President and Diane Lapis, Trustee and Director of Special Projects, Beacon Historical Society
A lucky encounter
How did you become involved with the Beacon Historical Society (BHS)?
Way back in 1988, when Beacon was celebrating its 75th anniversary, I was working for the Local Cable News program here and produced an hour-long documentary about the city’s anniversary as part of the commemoration. I fell in love with the Beacon folks and with Beacon’s story – as well as making wonderful friends at BHS. I became a member in 1988 and am serving my seventh term as president (though they are nonconsecutive). I have also been re-elected to serve in 2025 to 2026.
We understand Beacon was far from its renaissance when BHS was founded in 1976, so it’s interesting that the community created such an important organization during such a challenging time. Can you tell us what led to the BHS’s founding?
Yes, the American Bicentennial! That is so interesting because we now sit on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, of course.
Honoring Beacons of History
BHS recently honored the Berisha family and Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BVAC) at its annual Beacons of History event. Tell us more.
This is our 8th annual awards event – and it is a friend and fundraiser that helps us collect enough to literally pay the rent at our headquarters. We have a long list of both community groups and individuals whom we consider each year. In this case, we wanted to recognize that BVAC volunteers have been serving Beacon selflessly for 65+ years – providing more than 100,000 calls to their neighbors in need.
Ken Berisha (co-owner of Brothers Trattoria) and his family recently purchased several of our historic Main Street buildings and have chosen to keep them in their original scale and appearance (in contrast to many other developers who are razing our structures and replacing them with multi-story buildings that alter the scale and feel of our streetscapes). Kenny is also an immigrant – someone who chose Beacon as the place to build his American Dream. Kenny represents the generations of our ancestors who came here to invest, to give back, and to build a future.
We have a small, dedicated committee that administers the awards event each year. The hardest part is selecting honorees from the long list of worthy organizations and local citizens who contribute to our unique sense of community.
Newburgh-Beacon Ferry memorabilia
Everything you need to know about Beacon, NY
You edited the book titled “Beacon’s Memory Keeper and Storyteller: Robert J. Murphy,” which was clearly a labor of love. We know Robert Murphy was such an important contributor to BHS. Can you tell us about him and why every Beacon home should have a copy of this book?
Bob was a walking encyclopedia of Beacon knowledge who wrote our monthly newsletter for 38 years and served as the BHS president for 20 years. He was a native son who essentially devoted his entire life to researching and sharing the history of Beacon. Sadly, we lost Bob to an aggressive cancer in 2020 – leaving the rest of us to attempt to continue his high standard of celebrating Beacon’s history. This book is a compilation of his newsletters comprised of 540 pages and more than 1,000 photographs that tell the fascinating chapters of Beacon’s story in short, easy-to-digest segments.
Whether you are a native or a newcomer, you should have a copy of this book. You’ll discover the Mount Beacon Incline Railway and our storied Newburgh Beacon Ferry. You’ll also read the history of our citizens, streets, and institutions, and you’ll find the secrets that meld together to make this such a magical place to call home. There’s no other municipality that has the same sense of pride and community as Beacon does.
A surprising donation
What’s the most surprising gift the BHS has received in your time as its president?
We’ve been collecting things for nearly 50 years and have thousands of items in our collection. Because we were the Hat Capital of New York State, our hats are very special to us. But so are the dozens of other products once made here: lawnmowers, blankets, rubber goods, cracker/cookie boxes, leather clothing, knives, bows/arrows, bricks, insecticides and so many other products. Perhaps the most SURPRISING is a boot jack stolen from the Andersonville Prison during the Civil War—one of our returning prisoners (a Fishkill Landing man) took it as he was released from the notorious prison. He later testified in Washington, D.C. regarding the atrocities that occurred there.
Get involved
A Tallix Foundry sculpture commemorating the Korean War
With Giving Tuesday and the holidays fast approaching, what are the three most valuable ways for people to support BHS?
First and foremost: become a member! You can easily do it on our website under the Support tab. For just $25 annually, you’ll receive our monthly newsletter, invitations to special events, and the satisfaction of helping us preserve the history that makes this such a great place to live.
Secondly, please consider donating Beacon-related historical items to our collection. We appreciate receiving scanned photos, products made here, commemorative ephemera, and/or anything else that helps us better tell Beacon’s story. Simply email us to start a conversation about your item (beaconhistorical@gmail.com). We love to learn more about local families, veterans, businesses, churches, scout troops, etc. If you’ve got a Beacon story to tell, we want to know more about it.
And third: Be enthusiastic about Beacon’s history! Our community is changing so much. And while that it’s obviously a positive thing, we want to ensure that all the wonderful new people who are discovering Beacon also discover why it is so special, i.e., our shared history! Follow us on our Social Media, especially Facebook where we share lots of historical items and information about BHS.
Of course: as a non-profit organization that’s completely dependent upon volunteers, we also always appreciate your donations of both time and financial support. We have begun a new Beacon Historical Society Endowment Fund that we hope will help our future financial needs. Contributions are tax deductible and are recognized at our headquarters.
Gifts for the Holidays
With the Holidays approaching, what would you recommend as the perfect gift for an avid or budding Beacon historian?
Please stop by our headquarters at 61 Leonard Street on Thursdays 10AM to noon and Saturdays 1PM to 3PM to visit our gift shop where we have our book titles, commemorative t-shirts, Beacon items, and other interesting things for sale. When combined with a 2025 BHS membership, they make a great gift!
Bridges of Beacon exhibition
Can you tell us about “Bridges of Beacon,” the latest BHS exhibition?
Ours is a city blessed with a creek, a railroad, and a river. But crossing them hasn’t always been easy! Over the last 200+ years, Beacon’s bridges have evolved from stones and logs to steel and concrete. Come enjoy our newest exhibit, "Bridges of Beacon,” to learn more about the advanced engineering and manufacturing that enabled bridges to become strong (and long!) enough to span larger distances and hold more weight.
Included in this exhibition are the Newburgh-Beacon, East Main Street, Churchill, Wolcott Avenue, Long Dock Park/Beekman Road, and Dennings Point bridges, all currently in use for cars and pedestrians. Also included are the historic Tioronda and Bridge Street/Groveville bridges, which are closed to public use but await refurbishment. Two former railroad bridges at Sucker Falls and Rocky Glen also give a glimpse of early railroading.
Looking forward
A rescued Beacon rail station sign finds a new home at 61 Leonard Street
What can we look forward to from BHS in 2025?
We are most excited about the delivery of one of the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows that BHS has purchased from St. Andrew’s Church (the Church is selling them to create an endowment fund that will finance operational needs). The windows, which are incredibly rare and unique, are being sold to bidders around the world. We thought it was important to save at least one to retain a small part of this significant collection here in Beacon.
We’ll also have our 10 monthly meetings (we do not gather in January or February due to weather concerns), new exhibits, our annual ferry ride across the Hudson, and our 9th annual awards event in November 2025.
Up close & personal
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’m fortunate to have had a wonderful life with a great (exceptionally handsome!) husband, three outstanding sons, two terrific stepchildren, and now two incredibly adorable (and brilliant!) grandsons. Along the way, I’ve served as a television news reporter/anchor, a corporate executive for 25 years at Central Hudson, the elected President General of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and now as the co-chair of the nation’s new World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C..
That’s in addition to serving as president of the BHS. How can one person be so lucky? I’ve tried to live every day to the fullest and to be grateful for the many blessings I’ve been given. My advice to any young person is to “go for it” because life is very short, and tomorrow is never promised!
Are there any quotes that you live by?
Never settle for mediocrity! And my mother’s adage: “If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well.”
With Thanksgiving approaching, what are you most grateful for?
Health and happiness for myself and for those I love.
What’s your favorite season in Beacon and why?
Like all true Beaconites, I tell the seasons by the mountain. I guess I love her best in springtime.
Which brings you more joy, sunrise or sunset?
I am a morning person – so, I will have to pick sunrise!
Beacon is lucky to sit between the mighty Hudson River and Mount Beacon. Which is your favorite and why?
Impossible to answer – like trying to pick a favorite child!
Finally, if you live within the Beacon City School District and your home or business is in a building that is 100 years or older, you’re eligible to buy one of BHS’s new Historic Property Plaques. The oval plaques are 6x8 inches and come in aluminum ($250+$20.94 sales tax = $270.94); or bronze ($395+$33.08 sales tax = $428.08). You can email BHS for more information.
Until next time…
The Beacon Beacon 🧡