Garnerville, New York

History

Around 1760, Cornelius Osborn built a grist mill at a waterfall on the Minisceongo Creek; this later became the site of the Calico Works. In 1828, a rolling mill and a nail factory were established a bit upstream on the site of a former grist mill by John I. and George Suffern. From 1850 to 1858, John I. Suffern manufactured coarse wrapping paper at that location.

Also in 1828, Scotsman John Glass purchased forty-five acres south of the Minisceongo for a calico print works. On June 7, 1831, Glass was loading goods to be shipped to New York City on board the General Jackson, docked at Grassy Point, New York. The steamboat's boiler exploded, killing fourteen people, including Glass. In 1838 the property was purchased by James and Thomas Garner and Charles Wells. The Garner print works prospered; buildings were enlarged and extended. The works employed about 800 people, and a village sprang up around the factory, to be called "Garnerville". In 1853 the Rockland Print Works Company was incorporated for the purpose of "Printing and Dyeing Woolen, Cotton, and Linen Goods."

During the Civil War, the Rockland Print Works made uniforms for the Union Army. The Garnerville Railroad was a spur that ran from the print works to the New Jersey and New York Railroad at Miner's Creek.

In 1840, Resolve Waldron and Charles Benson established a chemical factory for the manufacture of pyroligneous acid, much used in calico printing. The business closed in 1843, but was revived the following year by William Knight at a location near Cedar Pond.

The Garnerville post office was established in June 1875; John D. Norris was US postmaster for the hamlet.

Historical markers

• Calico Hill - 31 West Railroad Avenue
• Garner Works - 55 West Railroad Avenue

Landmarks and places of interest

• Garner Mansion Site - Railroad Avenue
• King's Daughters Public Library - 10 W. Ramapo Road
• Garnerville Arts and Industrial Center - 55 W. Railroad Avenue. This is a not-for-profit art center with over 14000 sqft of unique performance and exhibition space. The center is in a landmark pre-Civil War factory complex.

Notable people

• Héctor L. Soto (1946-2023) - Vietnam War veteran (Sergeant), member of the Haverstraw Police Department for 36 years, and Town Councilman. The town of Haverstraw rename a portion of Route 202 as the Hector L. Soto Memorial Highway.

References

References

1. [https://books.google.com/books?id=XCUVAAAAYAAJ&q=Garnerville%2C+New+York Green, Frank Bertangue. "Garnerville", ''The History of Rockland County'', A.S. Barnes, 1886, pp. 386-387] {{PD-notice}}
2. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ladKAQAAMAAJ&dq=History+of+Garnerville%2C+New+York&pg=PA631 ''Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of New York for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1902''', Part 2, Weed, Parsons and Company, 1903, p. 630]{{PD-notice}}
3. [https://rocklandnews.com/soto-route-202-haverstraw/ Senate Votes to Rename Section of Route 202 in Honor of Hector L. Soto]
4. [https://www.townofhaverstraw.org/soto.html Héctor Soto - Town Councilman]
5. [https://www.gmholtfuneral.com/obituary/hector-soto Hector L. Soto of Garnerville, New York. 1946 - 2023. Obituary]