Artifacts at the Beekman Mill House

Please feel free to identify any of the artifacts that we have cataloged in this digital inventory: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8lsp67wzka2kska/AACsy2QKxntJiz8hRbKwiXV3a

Youth for Restoration's work on July 26, 27 and August 2, 3

Youth for Restoration, with the help of volunteers completed the following:

- Took all artifacts from the Upper level downstairs to the yard.
- Cleaned artifacts and construction materials.
- Separated everything into three groups: Artifacts, Construction Material, Garbage.
- Created a unique number/label for each artifact.
- Staged and photographed each artifact with its identifying number.
- Created a Digital Inventory of the artifacts. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8lsp67wzka2kska/AACsy2QKxntJiz8hRbKwiXV3a
- Removed all the rotten, dirty garbage that had collected over the years and got it ready for the Highway department to pick up.
- Swept, mopped, dusted the Upper level.
- Cleaned, adjusted windows and installed screens in them
- Assembled shelving at the Upper level.
- Tied each number label to the corresponding artifact.
- Shelved artifacts, and other useful materials in the Upper level.
- Assembled divider screens and screened around the construction materials.
- Cleaned first floor, windows, pictures, and office.
- Planted perennials in the trough in the front of the building.
- Cleaned outside message board, replaced papers signs, fixed lights and set the timer for lighting.
- Rebuilt rock wall leading to bridge.
- Created a flowerbed on the banks of Fishkill Creek with leftover rocks.

The Poughkeepsie Journal Covers Youth for Restoration

This article was printed in the Poughkeepsie Journal on July 28th, 2014, about Youth for Restoration's work on the Beekman Mill House.

Youth for Restoration at Beekman Community Day on July 19

Mill House Inventory of Artifacts Flyer

Hudson Valley Magazine features Youth for Restoration

Youth for Restoration's last project, the Apoquague Friends' Meeting Burial Ground, was featured in an article in the Hudson Valley Magazine in the June 2014 issue.

Beekman Mill House Fundraising

To fund all that Youth for Restoration has planned to do to the Beekman Mill House, fundraising needs to be done, and many volunteers are needed. Youth for Restoration has been going door-to-door, looking for support with this project, as well as running bake sales at local events in order to accumulate enough funds to do the Mill House justice. Though YFR has found support, more is needed to make this project a success this summer.

Our deepest gratitude to all our sponsors.

Beekman Town Board approves Youth for Restoration to work on the Beekman Mill House

Youth for Restoration was approved by the Beekman Town Board to work on the Mill House.

Below is the letter showing the Town Board's approval.

Applying for the National Register of Historic Places for the Beekman Mill House

After the visit from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreations, and Historic Preservation, Youth for Restoration submitted the Historic Resource Inventory Form to seek the Mill House's eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.

Below is the form that approves the Mill House's eligibility for applying.

Newspaper Articles on the Beekman Mill House from the 19th Century

The Newspaper articles below shows the Beekman Mill House's significance to the community during these times.

This clipping is from the Cold Springs New York Recorder between 1885-1889.

This clipping is from the New York Tribune from January of 1864.

Historic Resource Inventory Form

Youth for Restoration applied to be considered for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places for the Beekman Mill House.

This is the form that had to be submitted before Youth for Restoration could apply for the National Register of Historic Places. This was submitted on March 10.

NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation visit the Beekman Mill House on April 14.

On Monday, April 14, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation visited the Mill House. The Historic Preservation Specialist, Jennifer Betsworth, and the Historic Preservation Program Analyst, William Krattinger, came to the Mill House on behalf of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to examine its condition and the artifacts that were stored in the second floor of the building.

Mr. Krattinger, Cristian Soto, Viraj Kumar, Jordan Scocozza, Town Supervisor Zulauf (from left to right).

Town Supervisor Zulauf, Viraj Kumar, Jennifer Betsworth (Historic Preservation Specialist), William Krattinger (Historic Preservation Program Analyst) (from left to right).

Quotes from Our Esteemed Supporters

"There is no way that we have learned everything that we can from our history.  Much more needs to be preserved and explored.  Organizations like Youth for Restoration are the seeds that will grow into a life-long appreciation for the past and the lessons it can teach."

Marla Taylor 
Collections Manager

Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology

"New York State’s historic built environment exists as a visual example of our state’s dynamic role in our nation’s history.  The preservation of historic and cultural resources is the mission of the New York State Historic Preservation office (SHPO) and I am incredibly encouraged by Youth for Restoration’s role in engaging young people to actively participate in the preservation of sites important to our state and nation’s history.  The SHPO would like to extend our support of and services to their initiative, recognizing Youth for Restoration represents the next generation of preservationists in New York State to carry on this critical mission."       

Ruth Pierpont

Deputy Commissioner

NYS Historic Preservation Office

"Among other things, an abiding concern for our historical resources will define what we are today as aware, culturally sensitive human-beings. The worth of cultural lessons learnt from exploration, preservation and restoration of the relics of our heritage cannot be overstated. In this regard, an initiative such as “Youth for Restoration” is highly opportune and laudable; let’s nurture the faith that it spreads its branches and grows into a leafy tree casting its sheltering shadow over the larger missions of  historical and cultural preservation." 

Riyaz Latif

Visiting Lecturer in South Asia Studies

Wellesley College 

Our Reasons for Joining Youth for Restoration

When it comes to the concept of history, I have always believed in the idea that it is important, and that it should not be forgotten. If people forget history, whether it is in a local or national frame of reference, then they lack the necessary skills to accomplish future problems, and the knowledge needed to avoid certain mistakes. For this reason, as well as the desire to aid my community for other ethical, scholastic and personal purposes, is why the Mill House Project, and my membership in the Youth for Restoration non-profit group are important to me.

- Cristian Soto

            I joined Youth for Restoration because I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to be apart of a group that would help to improve and restore the old historical structures and areas in the town of Beekman. I am proud of my town and I look forward to improving and preserving history, where it is needed.

- Lauren Macdonald

            I joined Youth for Restoration because I want to keep the town of Beekman’s historical sites intact so that future generations can admire our heritage.  I have lived in Beekman all my life and it means a lot to me that it stays clean. I love being in this group because it helps to unite the community. Kids, teens, and adults will be working together to clean up our town. Being in this group gives me the satisfaction of helping our community and bringing us all together.

- Lauren Neville

            I joined the group Youth for Restoration because I want to support my wonderful community. The community that I live in has helped me to develop throughout my childhood and become the person that I am today. Youth for Restoration is a wonderful organization that helps to restore the history that has made up the town of Beekman. It is very important that we do not forget the important people in our town’s history and remember what they have done to make Beekman such a great town and community.

- Jordan Scocozza

            I love my community and everyone in it. I have ridden my bike to the Beekman Mill House every summer with my friends to hang out by the stream. It is a great part of Beekman history, and it should stay that way for generations to come so that the children can enjoy swimming in the stream like I have. Therefore, I decided to join Youth for Restoration. This non-profit group is completely dedicated to preserve the gems of our town, which are major landmarks of Dutchess County. This year our goal is to come together and give back to the community by restoring the Mill House.

- Eric Layden

The Poughkeepsie Journal Covers Youth for Restoration

This picture was printed in the Poughkeepsie Journal on November 21st, 2012, showing Sophia Creanza, Viraj Kumar, and Antonio Creanza (from left to right) working on the clean-up of the Apoquague Friends' Cemetery.

Apoquague Friends' Meeting Burial Ground

For many years, every day on my way to school and back, I used to drive by this run-down cemetery right by my neighborhood. Cemeteries are always very interesting from a historical perspective, and this one seemed very ancient and clearly neglected, and I slowly started to wonder about its origins. Who had been buried there? And how long ago? I decided to look into it, and found that the cemetery was actually the Apoquague Friends' Burial Ground, an old Quaker cemetery. I sought out the town historian, and explored the cemetery myself, and after reading about the Beekman land grant, I found that the Apoquague Friends' Cemetery was established when the town was founded. The Apoquague Friends' Meeting Burial Ground has been around for over 200 years, and contains some of the first settlers of the Beekman land grant.

If the condition of this cemetery was improved the dynamics of our town could improve as well. I knew that projects like this would create a strong sense of community in the area and could improve the awareness of local historic sites.

The task of restoring the Apoquague Friends' Meeting Burial Ground originally began with a smaller group of individuals. We grew in size until a group of approximately forty people joined our cause.

For the first two meetings, the focus was on clearing the grounds of shrubbery, which grew during the time that the cemetery was neglected. The next step for us was to create awareness for our project. We were able to find many people eager to volunteer from Arlington High School. We first contacted and met with the Principal who was able to get us in contact with Arlington's Volunteer Club. We also went door-to-door to houses in the area, and contacted local businesses to see if they could help us. The businesses were very helpful, donating lots of refreshments and supplies for the volunteers.  Even the highway department helped us out by offering to pick up our trash bags on site and mulch a rotten felled tree for recycling.

From planning to completion, the project took us about 6 months. Most of the time was spent preparing the project by finding volunteers, collecting tools for the job, and meeting with the Town Historian, Mr. Thom Usher, and the Town Supervisor, Mr. Matt Kennedy.

The first and hardest part about our project was spreading the word about our mission in order to find volunteers. After preparing our clean-up we had to take on the actual task of cleaning the cemetery up. Once we had finished, after 4 weekends of hard work, we had removed a rotten tree and about a hundred full size garbage bags filled with shrubbery.  The rock wall surrounding the cemetery was reset, stone by stone.

In the wake of the success of this project, a few of the other volunteers and I realized that we could take this same idea further and restore even more precious historic landmarks.  It was then and there the idea to form Youth for Restoration was conceived.

- Viraj Kumar

 

Youth for Restoration

Youth for Restoration is a youth-lead group located in the Hudson Valley, New York. We look to preserve and restore local historic sites.

Last year our mission was to clean up the Apoguague Friends' Meeting Burial Ground, at the corner of Noble Hill Dr. and Pleasant Ridge Rd. We worked on removing shrubbery, rotten trees, rebuilding the rock wall, and standing up the fallen headstones.

Our purpose in life is to preserve local historic sites to acknowledge the accomplishments of our town through donations from the community and local businesses. These businesses provided refreshments for the volunteers.

We are a group of 6 individuals who come together to restore local historic sites in the Hudson Valley area. We each are responsible for certain aspects of our current task (such as materials, fundraising, etc.) We plan and organize the projects, depending on volunteers to join us for the actual completion of the projects. We think that these projects are a great way for the community to come together and commemorate our area's history.