Join Patrick Raftery, Associate Director of the Westchester County Historical Society, Terence Brosnan, Director of Cable Access for the Town of Greenburgh, and Frank De Ligio, host of Jazz Conversations and Opera Talk, as we celebrate the Irish of Westchester County.
Though the Irish came to New York City, those who settled in Westchester County found work, community, and a more rural environment than Manhattan. Many of them came north when the Bronx was still part of Westchester and planted roots there, or in Yonkers or New Rochelle or further north. Some helped build the railroads that became commuter lines, as well as the reservoirs and aqueducts that provided the city's water. Many were firefighters, police, healthcare providers, politicians, and civil servants who enjoyed the music of the old country in the pubs and church halls that sprang up wherever they congregated.
In the summer of 1781, George Washington and the French General Rochambeau spent six critical weeks at the Philipsburg Encampment—a vast joint military camp in today’s Greenburgh where the French and American armies finally united and operated side-by-side for the first time—and at Rochambeau’s headquarters at today’s Odell House in Westchester. There, through what became known as the Grande Reconnaissance, the allies tested British defenses, built mutual trust, and made the bold strategic decision that led to Yorktown and victory in the American Revolution.
Drawing on newly uncovered French sources and her forthcoming book, Dr. Iris de Rode will take the audience inside this turning point—where diplomacy, intelligence, and Enlightenment ideals met the realities of war.
The talk will be accompanied by exclusive clips from Ken Burns’s new documentary series, in which Dr. de Rode appears.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
We all go through tough times. Knowing how to support someone (or ask for help yourself) can make a life-changing difference. Please join us for an evening of hope and connection and learn about readily available local resources to support you or someone you care about in times of distress.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free national resource that you can call, text or chat 24/7 for confidential emotional support if you're thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or are experiencing emotional distress. Tonight, a local 988 crisis counselor will share how this resource has supported the Westchester community in the three years since its inception and what to expect when you connect to 988.
Plus, hear from local mental health professionals about:
How to communicate with people in your life who may be experiencing distress or suicidal ideation.
Training opportunities to help you recognize signs of distress in others and cultivate skills to have a supportive conversation.
Come curious! Ask questions, meet and connect with real folks from a variety of Westchester support resources. Participating resource organizations include:
Greater Mental Health of New York
Hartsdale-Greenburgh Rotary
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Westchester
St. Vincent's Hospital Westchester - home of Westchester's 988 Call Center and Crisis Prevention and Response Team
S.P.E.A.K.- a Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans & Kin
Westchester County Suicide Prevention Coalition
Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS)
REAL people, real support, right here in Westchester! Adults and teens welcome.
This event is brought to the community by the Westchester County Suicide Prevention Coalition of which Greenburgh Public Library is an engaged member.
In the '30's and '40's, if you wanted to see the up-and-coming band of the year, you went to Glen Island. Glenn Miller almost quit the business before he got this gig. Other big bands who hit the big time here were Ozzie Nelson, Les Brown, Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsey, and Claude Thornhill. The Thornhill band, with Lee Konitz on alto and Gil Evans arranging, led to the Birth of the Cool recordings of Miles Davis in '49. In the Big Band Era, Glen Island Casino was The Place! And before? In the 19th Century, the island was a theme park with a German Castle (still standing) and a natural history museum. Was it the first theme park ever?
Presented by Barbara Davis, Executive Director of the Westchester County Historical Society and New Rochelle City Historian, Patrick Raftery, Associate Director and Librarian of the Westchester County Historical Society, and Frank De Ligio of Jazz Conversations.
Sponsored by the Greenburgh Public Library, New Rochelle Public Library, Mamaroneck Public Library, & Mount Kisco Public Library
