PINE PLAINS — Dyan Wapnick, president of the Little Nine Partners Historical Society, is reluctant to call herself a playwright, but after penning Widow’s Weeds — a compelling and true story about a Revolutionary War widow — she’s embracing the creative process and watching her words come to life on stage.
The play will be performed for one-day only at the Stissing Center on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 4 p.m.
Widow’s Weeds is based on the true story of Mary Ingalls, an 84-year-old Revolutionary War widow who, in 1842, fought to receive her late husband’s military pension using only her memories and oral testimony.
Wapnick was inspired to write Widow’s Weeds after a descendant of Mary and Elihu Ingalls, who were married in Pine Plains in the late 1700s, donated family research to the historical society. When the opportunity to apply for a Dutchess County Department of History grant arose, she saw a chance to bring their little-known story to life on stage.
After extensive research and conversations with descendants of Mary and Elihu Ingalls, Wapnick says telling their story carries a sense of vindication. “These widows went through so much just to be recognized,” she says. “As a widow myself, I could relate to Mary — there was a real kinship.” Wapnick believes the play is important not only for the Ingalls family, but also “to highlight a forgotten segment of history.”
Grace Dietrich, left, Dean Temple, and James Elvin, right, running lines on stage at the Stissing Center on Thursday, Aug. 28. Widow’s Weeds is being directed by Robert C. Lyons.Photo by Aly Morrissey
As a historian, Wapnick says “it was important to keep the story as accurate as possible.” She says it was a unique challenge to stay true to the facts while crafting a narrative compelling enough for the stage. There are moments where she allowed creative choices to take the lead, stepping slightly away from strict historical accuracy in service of the story.
For example, though she had access to the depositions from the late 1800s, the language was “dry, rambling and dated.” Wapnick says she edited the dialogue to add color and modernize it, while keeping the original essence.
Additionally, a funeral scene is styled like a medieval wake. “The inspiration is drawn from a different historical time period,” Wapnick says, “but the mood just felt right.”
Though Widow’s Weeds is her first play, Wapnick is no stranger to writing. She researches and pens the monologues for Pine Plains’ annual cemetery tours and even has an unpublished novel. “But a play is exciting in a completely different way,” she says.
With rehearsals well underway, Wapnick credits New York City playwright and director Robert C. Lyons with bringing the production to life on stage. A Pine Plains resident and seasoned director, Lyons has included Wapnick in the creative process throughout rehearsals. “Robert is a fantastic director — he keeps things moving and has brought this so far in a short time,” says Wapnick.
Widow’s Weeds was made possible in part by a $9,475 grant from the Dutchess County Department of History. The Rev250 grant — a $100,000 initiative funded by the Dutchess County Legislature — supports public programming that explores the enduring impact of the American Revolution on local communities, in honor of its 250th anniversary.
Rooted in history and guided by Wapnick’s pen, a love story, a ghost story, and a fight for women’s rights intertwine in this remarkable true account. The performance is free and open to the public, though reservations are required through the Stissing Center website.
Family members of Army PFC Charles R. Johnson attended a May 29 ceremony at Nine Partners Cemetery dedicating a permanent marker recognizing Johnson’s Medal of Honor for valor during the Korean War.
The honor was presented by President Joseph Biden at a White House ceremony in early January and carried special meaning in Millbrook. In late May, local and county officials, a military honor guard, and Johnson’s friends and family gathered at Nine Partners Cemetery for a ceremony honoring his bravery and dedicating a permanent plaque and flag markers.
Charles R. Johnson, a Korean war veteran who died in combat in 1953, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Friday, Jan. 3. Photo provided
Later in the year, Grace Church was filled to capacity as clergy, parishioners and community members gathered for the dedication of a new stained-glass window on the church’s west façade, marking a rare and historic moment for the congregation.
Voters also approved a Capital Budget proposal in May by a wide margin, authorizing more than $38 million for long-needed repairs and renovations to Millbrook Central School District buildings. The project is now proceeding through the schematic design phase.
At the Millbrook Library, a new native pollinator garden was dedicated in early October on the site of a 1953 memorial garden planted by the Millbrook Garden Club in honor of the Flagler family. The family, which has ties to the area, traces its roots to Henry Flagler, a co-founder of Standard Oil and one of the most influential American industrialists in the 19th Century.
Early October also marked the grand opening of the first phase of Bennett Park, developed on the former Bennett College campus. The event drew residents, donors and planning professionals, with a forest-green ribbon cut beneath a tent on the park’s Great Lawn. The phase created Millbrook’s largest public green space, a major undertaking led by the nonprofit Millbrook Community Partnership.
Millbrook board advanced plan for Thorne Building community center By Nathan Miller
Planning also moved forward on a multi-million-dollar proposal to renovate the historic Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue into a comprehensive arts space, with the Planning Board expected to consider the application in early 2026. The building, which was constructed in the early 20th century and served as a public school, has fallen into disrepair and has largely been vacant for 20 years.
Community spirit was on full display during the long-planned Community Day in September, as residents welcomed visitors from across the region for a day of activities, parades, contests and celebration.
That sense of engagement continued through Millbrook Listens, a year-long effort inviting residents to share their vision for the village’s future, with volunteers gathering input at events throughout the year. Volunteers in colorful T-shirts have appeared at community events ready to listen to any and all ideas.
In the November elections, Washington Democrats won both board seats. Democrats Maxine Verne and Susan Mancuso won the two Town Council seats, defeating Republicans Nicholas Galente and Douglas Giles. Supervisor Gary Ciferri, a Republican, was unopposed.
In 2025, the historic weigh station on South Main Street was approved for reuse as Pine Plains’ first retail cannabis dispensary.
Representatives from LaBella Associates, an architectural firm that frequently works with municipalities, presented draft drawings of the proposed Town Hall in October.
Eastern Region Vice President Pasquale Marchese led the presentation, sharing proposed floor plans and a conceptual sketch of the building’s exterior.
Marchese proposed a single-story structure with a basement for additional storage. Under the current concept, each department of town government would have its own office, arranged in a horseshoe-like configuration around a large central room that would serve as both a courtroom and a board meeting space.
The building and zoning departments would be clustered in one corner of the building, with a dedicated entrance designed to shorten the distance the public must walk to conduct business with those offices.
The proposed design encompasses approximately 6,000 square feet, significantly larger than the existing Town Hall, which contains 2,468 square feet of floor area. The current Town Hall, located at 3284 Route 199, was built in 1970 and houses town government offices, including the courthouse and police department.
LaBella Associates representative Pasquale Marchese said designers aimed to ensure the proposed new Town Hall would fit the character of downtown Pine Plains. Photo provided
The plans presented by LaBella AssociatesSource: The Town of Pine Plains
Town officials also undertook a sidewalk safety audit in 2025, which identified 385 hazards. In September, Town Board members indicated they would work with a grant writer to seek funding for repairs.
Meanwhile, the Pine Plains Planning Board spent much of the year reviewing two major development proposals: a 50,000-square-foot lumber mill proposed by The Hudson Company and the town’s first retail cannabis dispensary.
The Hudson Company has operated for years in a rented Pine Plains location, but representatives said the business had outgrown its current space and sought to build a new facility to accommodate construction operations, a showroom and office space.
After eight months of site plan review and public hearings, the Planning Board approved the mill at its December meeting. The new facility will be located at 2246 Route 83 along South Main Street, south of the Stewart’s Shops gas station.
And Upstate Pines — a dispensary based in Red Hook, New York — also received approval to open a cannabis shop at 7723 S. Main St.
The dispensary will be located at the site of the historic weigh station building, where farmers used to gather to weigh their crops and livestock for sale. The proposal includes tentative plans to adapt other aging buildings on the property for future uses, such as a grocery store or an ice cream parlor.
A grocery store may soon be sorely needed in Pine Plains, as Peck’s Market all but closed over the past year.
Shelves grew increasingly bare, hours became inconsistent and sparse, and the store quietly shuttered in late September, with no public comment from owners Don and Charlene Peck.
Concerns have since emerged about the impact the loss may have on nearby businesses.
Source: Dutchess County Board of Elections
Pine Plains also saw an exceptionally close race for town supervisor. Incumbent Republican Brian Walsh was re-elected after the contest triggered a recount.
The Dutchess County Board of Elections later certified the results, confirming that Walsh defeated Democratic challenger Kevin Walsh by a margin of eight votes.
