Exhibit Marks 125 Years For Rockland Bar Association

From Rockland County Bar Association: On December 28, 1893 a small group of Rockland County lawyers met at the St. George Hotel in Nyack with the purpose of creating a Bar Association. That was the first meeting of the Rockland County Bar Association, 125 years ago. The Bar Association has been going strong ever since.

To commemorate the history and contributions of the profession of law in Rockland County, the Bar Association will hold an Exhibition at the Historical Society of Rockland County, September 13 through October 28, 2018.

Guided by a long series of talented and committed officers, board members and members, for 125 years the Bar Association has been providing services to attorneys and to the public. The Association offers professional development programs for attorneys, and a free Lawyer Referral Service to the public.
In 2016 the Association established the Natalie Couch Award, named in honor of Rockland County native Natalie Couch who was the first woman to practice law in Rockland County and the first woman to vote in the County in 1918.

In 2017 the Bar Association brought the High School Mock Trial program back to Rockland County with five participating high schools. The Association plans to continue this program in 2018 with additional high schools participating.

Among the many items on display at the Historical Exhibition are the original lock and key to the old 19th Century Rockland County jail demolished in 1930, and the original Minutes book from 1893 of the first meeting of the Bar Association.

The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its mission is to acquire, preserve, and exhibit objects, buildings, and sites that reflect the history of Rockland County and the Lower Hudson Valley and to research, document, promote, and publicize the county's rich historical heritage for the people of Rockland. The HSRC's headquarters at 20 Zukor Road, New City, NY, consist of a four-acre site featuring the 7,200 square foot History Center; the historic Jacob Blauvelt House; and the post-and-beam Historic Barn and Carriage House.

Image via Rockland County BAR Association