The Dover Oak: 300 years strong

The 300 year-old Dover Oak in Pawling, Eastern Dutchess County, New York is 22 feet in circumference and 114 feet tall.
Jennifer Almquist
The 300 year-old Dover Oak in Pawling, Eastern Dutchess County, New York is 22 feet in circumference and 114 feet tall.
Twelve stalwart middle schoolers, and their intrepid teachers hike annually through a four-mile section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Eastern Dutchess County, NY. As they wind their way down the path from a sunny apple-tree filled meadow, they come upon the massive 300-year-old Dover Oak. Since the early 1700s, when the Algonquin tribe still walked the land, its life was contained in an acorn. This Eastern White Oak (Quercus alba), the largest on the length of the Appalachian Trail, the 2,180-mile footpath from Georgia to Maine, has been growing strong and steady. A witness to three centuries of its local history, this ancient survivor has withstood the march of time.
It was a sapling in 1778 when General George Washington blockaded Fredericksburgh, New York, with his 13,000 troops (to keep the British in New York City) and established his Headquarters in the house of John Kane in Pawling, a few miles from the Dover Oak. Surely during our Civil War in the 1860s, the now larger oak gave shelter to Union soldiers in NY’s Fifth Regiment. Then in 1916 when W.E.B. Du Bois and other activists met in the historic Amenia Conferences at Troutbeck, whose purpose was to advance the standing of black citizens in America, (culminating in the NAACP), travelers exclaimed at the breadth of the limbs of the Dover Oak. How does a tree survive de-forestation, being chopped up for firewood, disease, air pollution, drought, and now the impact of climate change?
Your journey on the Appalachian Trail begins at the Great Swamp, New York State’s third largest freshwater wetlands. A bridge allows you to cross the Swamp River, and the hardest part of the trek begins as you head up through the woods. Reaching the top of Corbin Hill, your pathway opens onto the sunny farmland following the perimeter of the fields. Carefully walk down the fieldstone steps, then crane your neck to see the massive limbs of a huge, 114-foot tree reaching skywards above you. You have reached the Dover Oak on West Dover Road in Pawling. This magnificent landmark is on the New York State’s Big Tree Registry as the largest Eastern White Oak.
Jennifer Almquist
To stand near it is overwhelming. Embracing the 20-foot circumference is like hugging an elephant. The sunlight filters down endless convolutions of gnarly bark. You might see a gossamer spiderweb undulating in the wind, catching rainbows from the sun. Squirrels and chipmunks gather on its branches. The base of the trunk resembles the foot of a giant elephant. The surrounding soil is tamped down by the feet of many pilgrims who pay homage to this wonder of nature and survival.
Tom Fahsbender, Director of Experiential Education at the Washington (CT) Montessori School and math and science teacher, has been bringing groups of his middle school students on hiking and backpacking trips on various sections of the Appalachian Trail for the past twenty years. “The trail from the AT train stop on Route 22 to Telephone Pioneers shelter is a favorite of my students, mainly because of the Dover Oak. We generally have about 8 to 10 kids, and the hike is rigorous. After we trek up the hill, over the crest and then slog down through some consistently muddy sections, we climb down a few stone steps and suddenly we are confronted by this glorious, monstrous tree. At this point in the hike the kids are pretty tired, but they get so excited being in the presence of this ancient oak. We spend time talking about its age and all the things that it’s seen, we join hands to measure its circumference and pace out the vast reach of its branches, but mostly the students just like being with the tree. They touch its bark and try to find creatures in the crevices or up in the branches. It is, in the truest sense, awesome.”
Tom Fahsbender
The LED sign in front of Amenia's Town Hall on Route 22 warns passing motorists of the current temporary burn ban, in effect from Oct. 2 to Oct. 15.
A statewide burn ban is in effect as of Thursday, Oct. 2, the New York State Governor's office announced in a press release.
The temporary ban is in effect until at least Oct. 15, and the statement released by the governor's office said the restrictions will be re-evaluated prior to the Oct. 15 deadline.
Lighting fires for brush or debris disposal and large, uncontained fires for cooking or other purposes are banned until at least Oct. 15 under the statewide order. Backyard fire pits, contained camp fires no larger than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter, and small, contained cooking fires are still permitted under the burn ban.
New York State has faced dry conditions all autumn, triggering drought watches and warnings across most of the state.
Dutchess County, along with the other counties in the Catskills region, are under a drought watch according to the Department of Environmental Conservation's drought condition map.
Dutchess County is currently under a "high" fire danger rating, according to the DEC.
LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Barbara Meyers DelPrete, 84, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11:00a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 76 Sharon Rd., Lakeville.
A complete obituary will appear in next week’s Lakeville Journal.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com.
Volunteers were hard at work putting the finishing touches on the crucial creepy decorations for the Haunted Fortress of Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 28.
STANFORD — Greg Arent led a devoted team of volunteers on Sunday, Sept. 28, in a final push to prepare Stanford’s Haunted Fortress for opening day.
Final touches included cleaning the bottomless pit, scrubbing the pirate ship, raking the graveyard and dressing the dolls. By 2 p.m., about 20 volunteers had assembled to creepify the beloved local landmark.
Many of the volunteers have been coming back for years, Arent said, dedicating time and valuable skills to the town-owned haunted house that was constructed by the artist Peter Wing.
Arent has been building sets in his free time for forty years, but he started out volunteering with the Haunted Fortress in 2014 when his children wanted to get involved, he said. At that time he would help out one or two days a year. That grew into a leadership position over the course of a decade.
On Sunday, Arent was touring the decrepit grounds checking light bulbs, soundtracks and other set details to contribute to that perfect spooky ambience.
Nathan Miller
When it’s all said and done, the Fortress will be ready to welcome visitors starting on Friday, Oct. 3, with shows running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Haunted Fortress is entirely staffed by volunteers, Arent said, including the actors that don costumes to scare visitors. Anybody aged 6 and up can volunteer to act in the horror show, and families often will volunteer to take over a scene.
“I love it because every scene is different every night,” Arent said. “Sure there are going to be vampires in this scene, but this family is going to do it different from these three kids from Bard, who are going to do it different from these three middle school kids.”
The sets themselves were all built from recycled material to be as creepy and decrepit as possible, Arent said. Concrete culverts adorn the sides of a bridge over a stream, stacked vertically with a cone on top to elicit a fortress’s spires. Reclaimed lumber bolted to a fence evokes a dark and scary forest blocking any escape. A rusting tractor with a steel box welded above the seat sits on a set of rails with two cars attached to it, mimicking a wrecked train with it’s inner mechanisms exposed and blowing steam on passersby.
This year the Haunted Fortress is following a haunted circus theme featuring clowns and other carnival staples alongside the classic settings of the Fortress.
The team of volunteers is dedicated and numerous, and the Stanford Highway Department lends a hand too, Arent said, but there’s always a need for skilled labor at the local attraction.
And the group appreciates all the help they can get. “Whatever you’re interested in and capable of doing,” Arent said.
The haunted pirate ship marks the spot where groups of visitors are paired with their ghastly guides for the remainder of the Haunted Fortress tour in Stanford.Nathan Miller
From left, Jim Milton, Spencer Parks and William J. Clark stand with Joseph Olenik on their first day working under him as the head of Public Works on Monday, Sept. 29.
MILLERTON — The Village announced a leadership change at the Highway Department on Friday following the resignation of Superintendent Peter Dellaghelfa. Police Chief Joseph Olenik will step into the role, effective immediately, officials said.
Olenik will continue to serve as Police Chief.
The decision was made Friday, Sept. 26, during an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees following Dellaghelfa’s resignation.
Mayor Jenn Najdek said the “amicable split” with Dellaghelfa was part of an ongoing annual employee review process, adding that turnover is not uncommon in small municipalities. She expressed her gratitude for Dellaghelfa’s service over the last four years.
The Board went into Executive Session on Aug. 26 and Sept. 9 for “matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person,” but village officials could not comment on the specifics of those discussions.
The leadership shift will allow the Village to “better respond to the changing needs of our residents and community,” announced the Board in a press release shared with The News. “The Mayor and Board are excited to see Joe expand his impact on Millerton and we’re confident this change will bring lasting improvements to operations, communications and community engagement.”
Police Chief Olenik, who will continue his leadership role within the Millerton Police Department, said he is looking forward to the added responsibilities.
“I am excited to help move the department forward and rebuild it after the devastating fire,” Olenik said. “I am also looking forward to working with the dedicated staff and helping the residents of Millerton by making needed changes and repairs.”
Though Olenik will assume additional responsibilities as he leads the Highway Department, the Millerton Police Department will continue to operate separately — but with the same shared goals of supporting the village community.
William J. Clark installs the leaf container he and his colleagues built. Leaves from the Village will be delivered to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting.Aly Morrissey
Mayor Najdek added that Olenik has extensive supervisory and administrative experience that, given the imminent need to rebuild the Highway Department building, will be critical. In addition to managing the upcoming construction, his first orders of business will include making sure the village is on track for leaf pick-up and snow removal, working to ensure the right equipment and personnel are in place.
Olenik held his first meeting with the Village Highway Department on Monday, Sept. 29 and discussed a new leaf container — built by Millerton’s Highway Department — that will support efforts to collect leaves. The leaves will then be turned over to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting. While the team configuration — which includes Jim Milton, William J. Clark, and Spencer Parks — will be new, Olenik said they are not strangers. “They’ve always helped me out and I’m looking forward to working with them more closely.”
The Board said in a statement the Village is in good hands moving forward. “Joe’s leadership style — hands-on, structured, and community-focused — makes him well suited to guide this department through the transition.”