Grassy Point, New York facts for kids
Grassy Point was once a small community, or hamlet, located on the west side of the Hudson River. It was part of the Town of Stony Point in Rockland County, New York. You could find it north of West Haverstraw and south of the main Stony Point area. It was also known as North Haverstraw for a short time.
History of Grassy Point
Grassy Point is a short piece of land that sticks out into the Hudson River. In 1798, a rich lawyer from New York, William Denning Sr., bought this land. He later sold a small part of it to another lawyer, William Smith. Smith built a large house there and called it "Rosa Villa."
After Denning passed away, the land changed hands a few times. In 1830, Dr. Lawrence Proudfoot built the first steamboat landing at Grassy Point. Because the water was deep there, steamboats traveling up and down the river would stop at this spot. Dr. Proudfoot also ran the first hotel in a double house near the steamboat dock. He even had a small store and bar, which is where the first post office opened.
The first post office at Grassy Point started on July 30, 1834. James De La Montanya was the first postmaster. A few weeks later, on August 21, 1834, the post office name changed to North Haverstraw. But it didn't stay that way for long! On September 10, 1836, it changed back to Grassy Point. The post office closed in 1845 but reopened on April 14, 1871, with Alfred M. Wiles as postmaster.
In June 1831, a steamboat called the General Jackson had an accident at Grassy Point. It was later rebuilt and sold.
Over time, more businesses came to Grassy Point. In 1845, O. C. Gerow opened a general store. In 1848, James Creney opened another hotel. The first lumber yard was started by Walter Fleet and others. John I. Wiles, a blacksmith and wheelwright, moved to Grassy Point in 1845 and opened his own shop. By 1871, a factory called a foundry was built. It made machines for flour mills, sawmills, and even for making bricks.
The brick industry was very important in this area. Many boats were needed to carry bricks from the county. So, in 1883, George L. Wicks started a shipyard at Grassy Point. This yard had a "marine railway," which was like a ramp to pull boats out of the water for repairs.
In 1889, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church was built. Local people helped build it, using bricks from nearby brickyards. Grassy Point grew into a larger community with a general store, a foundry, two hotels, a firehouse, a school, and a bakery.
The main business in Grassy Point was making bricks. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, brickyards stretched along the Hudson River. This area, especially the village of Haverstraw, was known as the "Brickmaking Capital of the World." Grassy Point was a big part of this important industry.
Penny Bridge
Around 1875, as the brick industry grew, people realized they needed a bridge to connect Grassy Point to Stony Point and the rest of the land. The Penny Bridge was built where two creeks, Minisceongo and Cedar Pond, met the Hudson River.
This bridge was special because it had a movable part. Barges and sloops (types of boats) used to pass through this area to get to the factories. So, the middle part of the bridge could actually turn! It was so well-balanced that one person could turn it with a wrench. When a boat needed to pass, the bridge would rotate sideways, allowing the boat to go through.
The bridge got its name, "Penny Bridge," because people had to pay one penny to cross it by land. The Penny Bridge was taken down in 1951. Today, a plaque marks where it used to be.
Grassy Point was a key spot for shipping both goods and people. Famous steamboats like the Chrystenah and Emeline used it well into the 1900s. The Rockland Iron Works, another important business, was also located here.
Notable Person
- James "Jim" Aloysius Farley (1888 – 1976) – He was a very important person in American politics. He served as the 53rd United States Postmaster General, which means he was in charge of the entire postal service for the country.
