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Tonsil surgery, bicentennial fatigue, anniversary
Millerton News
Jun 30, 2026
The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.
July 4, 1935
About Millerton
Ethel Loan has resumed her duties at Strong’s drug store after a week’s absence because of a tonsil operation.
July 1, 1976
N. Y. Will Operate Rudd Pond
New York State will be running the show and footing the bills at the Taconic State Parks at Rudd Pond and Copake Falls this summer, a state parks official said this week.
The State legislature has restored $876,000 to the executive budget for the operation of park facilities, John H. Kennedy, assistant manager of the Taconic State Park Region, said Tuesday.
He added that the legislature alloted an additional $125,000, half of the original $250,000 request, for the park operation program. This means that a total of $1 million of the $1.8 million first cut from the budget, has been restored.
The Town of North East successfully took over the operation of Rudd Pond during the summer of 1975 after the State unexpectedly closed the park.
The park at Rudd Pond “will be a 7-day a week operation,” said Kennedy. Swimming facilities will be open there daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. though Labor Day, Sept 6. Camping facilities will be open through Oct. 31
There may be a fee reduction at a certain period of the day Kennedy said, although he could not say when this price cut may be initiated.
Vehicle use fees are presently $2 a day at Rudd Pond. A tent platform campsite costs $3.50 a day. An unimproved ground site or a trailer site costs $3 a day.
Millerton Welcomes Bicentennial But Blasts Its Commercialism
Patriotic spirits are high in Millerton this week as the nation marks its 200th anniversary on Sunday, July 4.
However, a majority of residents polled this week said that the commercial exploitation of the Bicentennial clouded its historical and personal significance.
Twelve out of 14 people told The News that they were excited about the once-in-a-lifetime event, but 8 out of 14 charged that the Bicentennial was too commercial and not enough emphasis had been placed on the historical principles on which the United States was founded.
“I think more emphasis should be on historical things than fireworks, yelling and screaming, parades and that kind of stuff,” said Millerton Mayor John Hermans. “People look forward to it as a day off rather than think what this country stands for. The commercialization is a lot of hogwash... People should think back to who did what to make this country a little better.”
July 5, 2001
Anniversary Festival Set
MILLERTON — The village of Millerton is getting ready to celebrate its 150th anniversary in less than a month. A committee of volunteers has been working for nearly a year and one of the organizers, Bill Krasowsky, said the hard work is now paying off.
The celebration is scheduled for the first two weekends in August and will offer activities over a nine-day period.
“It’s loosely modeled after the successful Railroad Days in nearby North Canaan, Conn.,” Mr. Krasowsky said. But, he pointed out, the festivities are designed to promote what is uniquely Millerton.
The anniversary celebration will begin with an oldies party at the gazebo in Railroad Plaza on Friday night, Aug. 3.
“Joe Loverro of WOQQ will broadcast his show live,” Mr. Krasowsky said. The festivities will conclude on Saturday, Aug. 11, with a firemen’s parade, community picnic, music, classic cars and fireworks.
In between, there will be some 50 activities including walking tours of historic places in town, sidewalk sales, a Civil War encampment, World War II exhibit, lots of music and contests for young and old.
Music will include a battle of the bands for teens, the Housatonics barbershop quartet, the Salisbury Band and American standards during a live broadcast of WQQ’s “Those Wonderful Years.”
Historical events of note, in addition to the walking tours, include an antique cannon firing, a program on Millerton’s Hall of Famer Eddie Collins and an appearance by Poughkeepsie Journal editor and former Millerton News editor Meg Downey who will present a history of Dutchess County.
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Thank you for helping meet the match
Millerton News
Jun 30, 2026
This spring, the board members of LJMN Media offered a $75,000 matching challenge in support of The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News.
Thanks to readers, donors, neighbors and friends across the region, we met that challenge.
Every gift made during the campaign was matched dollar for dollar by members of our Board of Directors, doubling its impact. We are grateful to everyone who gave and to the board members who made the match possible.
The money raised will help support the work already underway across the organization: improving how the news reaches readers; expanding reporting; strengthening arts and lifestyle coverage; supporting student journalism; and continuing to produce the local news our communities rely on.
That work depends on many kinds of support. Subscriptions, advertising and donations all help keep The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News strong as nonprofit newspapers.
At a time when many local papers are shrinking or disappearing, this community continues to show that local journalism matters. We do not take that for granted.
Thank you for helping us meet this year’s challenge, and for continuing to support trusted, independent local news in Northwest Connecticut and eastern Dutchess County.
— James H. Clark, CEO/Publisher
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Let's hear it — July 2, 2026
Millerton News
Jun 30, 2026
This Week
As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th Independence Day, the country finds itself divided on many issues. The Fourth of July has long been a day to celebrate the nation, but it can also be a time to reflect on what patriotism means in today’s America.
Are you feeling patriotic for this year’s 250th Fourth of July? How do you plan to celebrate or observe the holiday?
Send your responses to social@lakevillejournal.com by Monday, July 6 at 10 a.m. or comment on Facebook or Instagram.
We’ll publish a selection in next week’s paper.
Last Week’s Question
What are you looking forward to this summer?
“I just went to the Jacob’s Pillow Gala which was lovely and I’m super looking forward to their spate of programming that’s happening this year. I love seeing dance, but I also love going to all the theater that’s in the Berkshires as well.”
— Erica Steiner, Sharon
“I’m looking forward to getting really good drinks everywhere, like lemonade. Especially at Harney and Sons.”
— Annabelle Muzaurieta, Sharon
“Our whole family is going to get together and we’re going to go to Cape Cod. There’s 17 of us and we’ll spend a couple of weeks making good food and swimming.”
— Patty Pickard
“I’m sure we will be traveling to see family and friends and going kayaking and biking. Just enjoying the good weather. Swimming, of course!”
— Jim Raymond
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Letters to the editor — Thursday, July 2
Millerton News
Jun 30, 2026
Let Us Vote for We the People
Now is the time that tries our souls. As we celebrate our Declaration of Independence in 1776, let us commit ourselves to the ideals declared 250 years ago by voting for We the People and our Common Good and by declaring our independence from the current wannabe-king. Let us campaign and vote
FOR the full promise of our Declaration of Independence;
FOR equality and the rights to Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness of all people of all races, colors, faiths, genders, and ethnic origins;
FOR government of the people, by the people, for the people, NOT government of the rich, by the privileged, for the select few;
FOR our communities and the Common Good in our cities, suburbs, and rural countryside, including affordable healthcare, quality schools and colleges, food security, libraries, local police, fire protection, disaster relief, postal service, transportation and communications infrastructure;
FOR the rule of law, freedom of the press, and academic freedom;
FOR fair taxation of all, NOT tax breaks for the rich;
FOR affordable food, housing, and drugs;
FOR health regulations based on science;
FOR peace, NOT capricious wars of choice;
FOR performance of solemn treaty obligations, NOT whimsical repudiation;
FOR professional diplomats and scientists to conduct international negotiations, NOT amateur in-laws and business friends;
FOR legislation prohibiting payouts to convicted criminals from an “anti-weaponization” settlement fund;
FOR sensible tariffs, NOT tariff yo-yo;
FOR ethics and truth, NOT corruption and falsehoods;
FOR intelligent modesty, NOT dumb arrogance;
FOR responsible political parties, NOT personal cults;
FOR developing and regulating AI to be positive and safe for society, NOT a threat to civilization;
FOR humane public administration of detention centers and prisons, NOT private profiteering and cost cutting through inhumane treatment;
FOR legislation to remove presidential immunity from criminal prosecution;
FOR legislation to prohibit portraits of living persons on passports, currency, and securities and to prohibit monuments to and statues and posters of living current and former presidents in any location other than a presidential library;
FOR the integration of legal immigrants into American society, NOT deportation;
FOR prohibitions on members of Congress from trading securities and on government officials from using inside information for personal gain;
FOR legislation to require IRS audit of the tax returns of the president, his immediate family, and their businesses;
FOR a well-trained and fully funded military loyal to the Constitution and the people, not to any individual;
FOR limiting the use of the military to operations outside the country which are authorized by Congress, NOT for using the military for domestic control of the people or interference with elections;
FOR the support of veterans and their families;
FOR funding public radio and television;
FOR public monuments to celebrate our values and ideals, NOT gaudy personal vanity projects;
FOR protecting our natural resources, environment, water, air, and climate;
AND FINALLY, FOR celebrating the ideals in our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and committing to a new birth of freedom to realize those ideals for all people.
We can do it!
G. A. Mudge
Sharon, Conn.
Zoning and data centers
The majority of Americans, regardless of political leaning, are resisting the building of more data centers. These centers require massive amounts of electricity to power the servers, sucking up millions of gallons of water daily to cool them. Facilities operate 24-hours a day and generate a persistent low-frequency buzzing from the cooling units and exhaust from the diesel generators when they are in use.
Towns can use their zoning laws to block the use of large sites from becoming data centers. Zoning should be used to protect schools, hospitals, and environmentally sensitive nature centers, with limited drinking water supplies.
The world’s largest data centers are owned by Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure for cloud computing and AI, Google Cloud for global network, and Meta and Apple for their social platforms. They say they need the data centers to stay ahead of China with AI innovation. Telecommunications providers like AT&T, Verizon and Telehouse also own massive data centers for networking, hosting and cloud services to businesses.
Connecticut has about 50 data centers but no mega-sized centers, located across the state. Wallingford with 10, and Norwich with 16 have the most data centers.
Connecticut’s data centers are heavily regulated by the Connecticut Siting Council, for their location and environmental impacts, but towns can determine whether data centers can be built using their zoning regulations. Some towns like Morris have enacted temporary moratoriums.
Connecticut has a controversial Data Center Tax Incentive Program to attract high-tech investments, giving tax breaks to these companies.
The Tech companies do not need a free ride; they should pay for their electricity costs and pay taxes as all other businesses do. Regulations are needed particularly for the enormous water usage and chemical treatments required for cooling, which can impact local watersheds and well-water.
There is also the problem of constant noise and pollution these cooling systems create.
Lizbeth Piel
Sharon, Conn.
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Historical Society explores legacy of early Millbrook founder Philip Hart
Leila Hawken
Jun 30, 2026
Farmer, merchant, landowner and mill owner Philip Hart and his wide-reaching legacy were brought to life during a talk at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, June 27. Researcher Kathy Moyer, left, presented the illustrated talk that was followed by tea at the 1800s multi-generational home of the Hart family, now the home of Nan Greenwood, right, who hosted the tea and tour.
Photo By Leila Hawken
MILLBROOK — Early Millbrook founder Philip Hart, whose successful mill on Harts Village Road helped give the community its name, was the focus of a presentation sponsored by the Millbrook Historical Society at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, June 27.
Historian and genealogist Kathy Moyer presented “The Illustrious Family of Philip Hart and Hart House,” tracing the Hart family’s history in Millbrook and the generations of descendants who went on to build wealth, influence and philanthropic legacies.
Hart built the Federal-style Hart House in 1800 for himself, his wife, Susana Akin, and their 11 children who survived to adulthood. The home remained in the Hart family for eight generations until 1954. Nan and David Greenwood purchased and restored the property in 1984, and David Greenwood later served for many years as town historian.
Born in Rhode Island, Hart later moved west in search of economic opportunity and found it in what would become Millbrook. Although described as a “Worldly Baptist,” he married Akin, a local Quaker, and the couple remained together for 55 years.
Moyer described Hart as a farmer, merchant, major landowner, mill operator and clothier, producing broadcloth that was smoother and less itchy than traditional homespun fabric.
“He was a fun guy to be around,” Moyer said, adding that Hart became known as the “Father of the Inland Industrial Revolution” because of his role in shaping the region’s early economy.
One of Hart’s lasting contributions came in 1804 when he helped improve the Dutchess Turnpike — today’s Route 44 — by having the roadway near his mill surfaced with crushed stone, creating a smoother route for commerce that benefited both travelers and his business.
While some Hart descendants remained local, others became prominent figures in New York. Moyer said family members helped shape the development of Troy during its rise as one of America’s wealthiest cities and later founded major banks, helped establish the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and became leaders of New York society during the Gilded Age. Several built homes in Brooklyn Heights along Remsen Street and Pierrepont Place, overlooking the East River.
Closer to home, the family’s Quaker heritage led to its long association with the Nine Partners Boarding School, where Hart’s children were educated.
Moyer has retired from serving as Associate Director of Development, Historian and Archivist at Oakwood Friends School, which traces its roots to the Nine Partners school.
After the talk, historical society members were invited to tea and a tour of the Hart House, hosted by Nan Greenwood.
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