Amenia supports survey of small Wassaic village park

Town Hall in Amenia on Route 22.
Archive photo
Town Hall in Amenia on Route 22.
AMENIA — Engaging in a variety of discussion topics, the Amenia Town Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21, agreed to hire a surveyor to define the boundaries of the small park in the center of Wassaic village.
The vote was unanimous to have surveyor Kirk Horton conduct the survey of the spot known locally as “Wassaic Pocket Park”” for a fee of $900.
Town Supervisor Leo Blackman noted that the surveyor’s fee is low because he indicated that he has done considerable surveying in the immediate area of the little park, so would have numerous existing points to measure from.
Reporting on discussion heard at the Wednesday, Nov. 20, meeting of the Water Committee concerning inaccessible meters, chairman Bill Flood sought Town Board approval for imposing a fine on property owners who have failed to allow access to repair non-functioning water meters.
The Town Board agreed that the Water District will make one more contact with the property owners, asking for access and notifying them of a pending fine. If no response is received, a fine of $500 will be levied, in accordance with water district policy.
Flood reported that an initial effort to access and repair non-working meters identified about 30 such meters within the water district. An initial mailing was successful in reducing the number to its current level of 19 meters, as homeowners responded and provided access.
“It’s much better if the meters are reading,” Nancy Nowak had said at the Water Committee meeting the previous night, commenting on her office’s responsibility for usage billing.
Flood reported that daily water usage within the district averages 225,000 to 250,000 gallons, although it fluctuates.
Discussion continued about the drafting of a local law to regulate any retail cannabis establishment.
Distances from schools, houses of worship, cemeteries, parks, and other public places where young people might frequent were again discussed, along with where the measurements are taken from, whether property line or doorway.
Town Board member Paul Winters indicated that state law dictates that measurements be taken doorway to doorway.
“The state law is pretty detailed,” Town Attorney Ian Lindars commented.
The town’s planning consultant has been reviewing the state law, comparing the town’s views on restrictions to the state’s statutes, seeking to clarify relationships between the two. The consultant has found that most area towns with retail cannabis establishments require a special permit in order to operate.
Resident Walter Dietrich spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, indicating that the town can impose stricter guidelines than those of the state, if the town wishes to.
“The whole idea of a dispensary should be put to a town vote,” Dietrich said, “rather than be decided by the Town Board.”
Before the close of the meeting, Winters responded to Dietrich’s comment, indicating that town residents have already given the authority to the Town Board to act on their behalf.
Dick Hermans in the Oblong Bookstore on Millerton's Main Street in 1985.
MILLERTON — To celebrate its golden milestone, Oblong Books is throwing a “good old-fashioned block party” this Saturday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on South Center Street in Millerton. The free, family-friendly event will feature live music, food trucks, raffles and entertainment for all ages.
While the festivities mark 50 years since the founding of Oblong Books, co-owner Suzanna Hermans sees the party as something more. “We want to celebrate our friends, neighbors and generations of customers who have kept us here for 50 years,” she said. “It’s a thank-you to the people of Millerton, in particular, without whom we’d never be here.”
A highlight of the event will be New Yorker cartoonists Liza Donnelly and Michael Maslin, who will create simple, impromptu drawings inside the main store.
Hermans is the daughter of Oblong co-founder Dick Hermans, who opened the store in 1975 with a vision of creating a welcoming space for lovers of good books and music. With a $10,000 loan, he and founding partner Holly Nelson opened their first 400-square-foot shop on Main Street — now home to Demitasse.
As the business grew, Oblong expanded into Harold’s Apparel – now Cottage+Camp – in 1981, and eventually purchased its current building, then an antiques store. The staff walked the books across the street by hand during the move. Oblong Jr., located next door in what was once a shoemaker’s storefront, came later, as did a second location in Rhinebeck.
Dick Hermans, left, and Suzanna Hermans pose for a picture together in the Oblong Bookstore on Millerton's Main Street.Photo provided
Today, Suzanna Hermans is a second-generation owner of Oblong Books. Her parents met at the bookstore, and she has fond memories of going to preschool in the mornings and spending afternoons roaming the shelves with her father, always with a book in hand. As soon as she could see over the counter, Hermans would assist customers, recalling how exciting it was to finally be old enough to take credit card payments. “My dad was smart enough not to push me into it and let me come back to it naturally,” she said of taking over the family business after college.
A lot can happen to a local business over the course of half a century. Navigating shifts in technology, consumer behavior and the broader economy, it’s no small feat that Oblong has not only endured but become an iconic fixture of the community. “Bookstores have had ups and downs over the years, and we’ve been there to see most of them,” Hermans said.
In the 1990s, the rise of big-box chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders contributed to a steep decline in independent bookstores across the country. According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the number of physical bookstores in the U.S. dropped from 13,136 in 1992 to just 6,448 by 2016.
The emergence of eBooks and Amazon further disrupted the industry. “They devalued books and taught consumers that books mean nothing,” Hermans said, adding, “Amazon will continue to be a challenge for us on a national scale.” Oblong has compensated for that by offering online purchasing and a digital storefront.
More recently, bookstores are facing the threat of censorship and efforts to limit access to books. “Today, things are crazy, and there are a lot of communities that are working very hard to ban books — including queer stories — from stores and libraries,” Hermans said. “We’re seeing a lot of freedom of speech and freedom to read issues as our next challenge, but I hope we’re shielded from that here in Millerton.”
Through it all, Hermans said it has been the support of the local community that helps Oblong weather these industry-wide changes.
“One thing that spans the whole length of it is our incredible staff that has worked for us over these last 50 years,” Hermans said. Since its founding, Oblong has employed more than 200 people — many of whom have stayed for five to 40 years. “Folks tend to stay a long time, which is an incredible testament to their admiration for bookselling,” she said. “But we also work really hard to be a great place to work.”
Even a casual walk through the store reveals the passion of its booksellers. Handwritten staff recommendations known as “shelf talkers” and colorful hand-drawn displays embody the charm and personality of an independent bookstore while a diverse, up-to-the-minute selection reflects the store’s commitment to a high-quality bookstore experience.
“Our staff picks are truly special,” Hermans said. With 24 booksellers across the two locations, each with their own distinct tastes, the result is a diverse and unique collection of recommendations. Hermans said the store’s “shelf talkers” are among Oblong’s most popular features. Some recommendations sell 20, 50 or even 100 copies — books that are often overlooked elsewhere.
Over the decades, Oblong has also become a destination for top-tier literary events featuring celebrity authors, local favorites and emerging voices. “We love our authors,” Hermans said. “We’ve built up a reputation that you can send your best-touring authors here to the Hudson Valley and they’re going to sell their books at our events.”
She adds that there is an “incredible depth” of literary talent in the region. Oblong now participates in approximately 150 events per year, an impressive number for an independent bookstore.
Though much has changed, the heart of Oblong Books remains the same: books, music and community. Originally called Oblong Books and Records, a section for vinyl and CDs can still be found in each location — a nod to the store’s musical roots.
“A lot of our shoppers are hardcore music lovers and people who like the novelty of buying a record or an LP,” Hermans said, noting that while music doesn’t drive profits, it remains part of the store’s identity. Her mother is a musician, and her father, “in all of his spare time,” she jokes, is a DJ for a folk radio show on WKZE.
Fifty years in, Oblong remains a cultural cornerstone of the Hudson Valley — not just a store, but a gathering place, a literary sanctuary and a celebration of the written word.
Dick Hermans is a member of the board of LJMN Media, publisher of The Millerton News.
Opulent furnishings and decoration ranging from Asian statues and paintings to Gulf Oil gas station signs adorn the mansion at the Hitchcock Estate.
MILLBROOK — After decades of infamy and just over a year on the market, Millbrook’s Hitchcock Estate continues to exist in relative mystery.
After a notorious few years in the 1960s, little has been heard about the estate recently — a stealthy departure from its past. The appearance of last year’s listing provided the first glimpse inside the property in nearly a decade.
However, correct details about what had become of the house in recent years remained difficult to find. It remained clear, though, that the Hitchcock Estate was no ordinary house for sale.
Billy Hitchcock and his brother Tommy purchased the 2,087-acre property, which is roughly one-seventh the size of Manhattan, in 1963. Psychedelic pioneer Timothy Leary famously came to live in the house after being introduced to Billy through his sister Peggy Hitchcock.
There are so many rooms in the main house that some of the smaller ones lack a clearly-defined purpose.Photo by Charlie Greenberg
Following Leary’s time in the estate’s main house, it fell into disrepair and was boarded up. After undergoing some restoration by historian John Foreman, Tommy finished repairing the house to a liveable but not modernized state.
“My brother did a wonderful job fixing the big house and putting it back together,” Billy Hitchcock said. Tommy handled the maintenance of the estate and lived on it part time. However, upon his death in 2023, there was nobody to coordinate the property’s extensive maintenance needs, prompting the Hitchcock family to list the estate for sale, Billy said.
While the Hitchcock Estate is best known for its role in the psychedelic awakening, that period reflects only a small part of the broader segments of American society between which the estate serves as a nexus.
The estate has attracted numerous illustrious occupants throughout its history. The estate’s builder, Charles F. Dieterich, was a German-born industrialist who made his fortune in the acetylene gas business, building the estate to remind him of his native Bavaria; Charles Mingus wrote the song “Peggy’s Blue Skylight” about Peggy Hitchcock after visiting.
Old and new money, creators of and rebels against the establishment each have passed through the estate, leaving psychedelic artwork and Gulf Oil memorabilia testament to past times behind the open landscapes and ornate architecture.
Some of the smaller bedrooms in the main house are quite liveable and ordinary. TommyHitchcock III’s restoration efforts are visible in the newly-painted walls and trim.Photo by Charlie Greenberg
Often overshadowed by his involvement with Leary is Billy Hitchcock’s prominent lineage. Billy’s mother, Margaret Mellon Hitchcock, was the daughter of Gulf Oil founder William Larimer Mellon and the great-granddaughter of Mellon fortune founder Thomas Mellon.
Billy’s father, Tommy Hitchcock Jr. was referred to in 1956 by the New York Times as the greatest polo player in the history of the sport. Tommy Jr. was also F. Scott Fitzgerald’s inspiration for the character of Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby.
“My father was a pilot in the First World War. He was shot down by the Germans and escaped all by the time he was 19,” Billy said.
In World War II, too old to be a combat pilot, Billy said, Tommy Jr. was a test pilot for fighter planes when he was killed in an aircraft test.
The Hitchcock Estate has its own parallel history with that of the Village of Millbrook, with the scope of events and personalities it attracted seemingly beyond those that unfold on the other side of Route 44. But the estate today has a much quieter appeal about it.
Entering the estate from its far less conspicuous and more frequently used entrance on Valley Farm Road, it is not difficult to see what appealed to prominent people throughout the years looking for a getaway that existed apart from the rest of the world and their substantial places in it.
The main estate house on the Hitchcock estate in Millbrook was constructed in the late 19th century by German acetylene gas magnate Charles Dieterich.
At 14,000 square feet, the main house at the Hitchcock Estate was comparatively modest when architect James E. Ware added onto an existing farmhouse on several occasions to create the Bavarian-inspired building in the late 19th century. At 34 rooms, however, the scale of the house, and indeed the entire property, is not something that is commonly seen in Millbrook today.
Large estates built around distinctive mansions were a more typical sight in Millbrook at the time the Hitchcock Estate was built, but years of structure fires and property subdivision have made them increasingly rare. Regardless, the estate was unmatched in scale even at the time of its building.
The Bavarian influences on the main house and property’s smaller buildings, stone walls and patios give the property a surreal feeling of being in an abandoned fairy tale. Few people see the property today beyond the farmers and caretakers who keep it up — Billy Hitchcock, now in his eighties, lives in Texas and other members do not visit often, he said.
Tommy Hitchcock III’s restoration work is evident. Freshly painted, the main house looks quite tidy with the exception of some overgrown trees around the veranda. Windows broken during the Leary years have been replaced, though the house’s more ornate leaded glass windows remained intact.
It is a one-mile drive, without leaving the Hitchcock property, from the main house to The Bungalow, a second mansion on the property constructed by architect Addison Mizner in 1912. At 10,000 square feet, The Bungalow is not as intimate as the name suggests. It was designed by Addison Mizner of Palm Beach, Florida fame and was the home of Tommy and Billy Hitchcock when they were in residence.
“We all love the property,” Billy Hitchcock said. “We’re sorry to be letting it go after 60 years.” Given the estate’s large size — 900 acres larger than the Village of Millbrook — Hitchcock understands the interest the community has in its sale. “It’s hard to say where this is going to come out,” Hitchcock said, though he is committed to selling the property to someone who understands its value to the community.
Granted, there few more knowledgeable than Mr. Hitchcock about the ways something personal to a small number of influential people can in turn become important to countless others beyond the inner circle.
A large group of Millerton and North East residents turned out for the Tuesday, July 29, meeting, causing a last-minute venue change to the NorthEast-Millerton Library annex on Century Boulevard.
MILLERTON — At their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 29, the Village Board of Trustees addressed two key issues that could affect village governance and planning. The meeting drew a crowd of more than 50 people, prompting a last-minute venue change to the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex to accommodate the turnout.
While much of the evening focused on public feedback regarding a proposal from village and Town of North East residents concerning cooperation between the Millerton Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, trustees also discussed several additional items with long-term implications.
One of those was a public hearing on “Local Law X,” a proposal that would allow members of the village’s Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals to reside anywhere in Dutchess County rather than within the village limits. The goal, according to board members, is to widen the pool of qualified candidates at a time when interest in these volunteer roles has been low.
Both boards have had vacancies for over six months. Mayor Najdek noted that with the village’s small population, there’s a limited number of potential applicants. She also clarified that, per legal counsel, the board could not limit eligibility to just the Town of North East. “It is not legal to only open it up to the town,” Najdek said. “You have to open it up to the entire county.”
Newly appointed Zoning Board Chair Kelly Kilmer addressed public concerns during the hearing, citing confusion circulating on Facebook. “This does not apply to the village board,” she said, explaining that the change would affect only appointed members of the planning and zoning boards. “It is very crucial that we get people on these boards.”
Kilmer acknowledged concerns about non-residents having influence over village matters but emphasized that limited participation has forced the board’s hand. “Unless village residents step up to the plate and want to have a say in what’s happening, this law has to go into effect,” she said. “Currently we only have four members on our zoning board. So we could have a tie at any point in a vote, and that’s not good. When people are trying to plan things to upgrade the village — whether it be their home, their business, or whatever — we need people who are going to be here and engaged in the village.”
One resident was in favor, urging people to think of the town and village as one community working toward the same goals, rather than separate entities. “We have to think that even though we might live in the town, we might also have businesses in the village, and we have to work together.”
Not everyone was in favor of the change. Ray Nelson, a village resident and architect, expressed skepticism. “It’s a shame we can’t get someone in the village to step up,” he said, adding, “I’m not particularly excited about this idea. Someone from outside might not understand the issues in the village or the nuances of our community.”
As of now, the Zoning Board of Appeals has one open seat. The Planning Board has one vacancy and is expected to have a second seat open in September 2025. Those interested in learning more or applying should contact Village Clerk Lisa Cope at clerk@villageofmillerton-ny.gov
While Local Law X will open up the pool of applicants, the appointments are made by the mayor’s office and candidates would be fairly vetted prior to being invited to join a board.
A motion to adopt Local Law X passed unanimously by roll‑call vote.
In other business, the board unanimously voted to pursue a state designation as a Pro-Housing Community, following in the Town of North East’s footsteps. The certification, granted by New York State Homes and Community Renewal, recognizes municipalities that actively support housing growth and reduce development barriers. Trustees authorized Mayor Najdek to submit a letter of intent — the first formal step in the application process.
The board also voted unanimously in a roll-call vote to finalize two inter-municipal agreements with the Town of North East. The first was for a shared court officer, which the town approved with a 3% increase over last year. The second was for the joint parks and recreation program. While the village had requested a 3% increase for that contract as well, the town approved it with no increase, citing the cancellation of this year’s summer camp due to projected construction of the new community park. Both agreements will be revisited in September to allow more time for negotiation ahead of next year.
In other routine business, the board approved meeting minutes, voted on vouchers and village bills, and heard department and mayoral updates. During public comment, members of Townscape raised the issue of moving forward with tree replacements along South Center Street and Main Street.
Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park is now scheduled to begin in 2026 after the Village of Millerton's 175th anniversary celebration next summer.
MILLERTON – During her mayor’s update at the Tuesday, July 29, trustees meeting, a visibly dejected Mayor Najdek shared a significant delay in the timeline for the community park project — specifically the long-awaited swimming pool.
“I’m sure you’ve all seen that construction has not started,” she began. After meeting recently with project engineers, Najdek said she was told that construction would not be feasible before April 2026.
“With that in mind, it was my recommendation that we wait until after the 175th celebration so that we actually have a physical place to host it,” she said. Najdek, who has championed the park project for years, acknowledged the frustration and added, “It will never be ready in time for our celebration regardless of how hard we push any permitting agencies, so we’ll be waiting on that.” The celebration of the Village’s anniversary is scheduled to take place from July 11-19, 2026.
Originally slated to begin this past spring, construction of the park has now been pushed back more than a year, largely due to a slow permitting process related to wetlands on the property, according to Najdek. Roughly a month ago, she warned of potential delays, though at the time, there was hope the setback would be measured in months — not a full year.
Najdek did not elaborate on the reason for the year-long delay during the meeting, but in July she noted that both the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation were still reviewing the project in connection to septic system placement and wetland buffer regulations.