Op-Ed: Create Colonial Orangetown - A Living Museum For Our Area

Orangetown, with its colonial period origins and historical sites, is an excellent candidate for a living museum dedicated to showcasing its revolutionary period history. The outdoor museum would be a source of pride and profits as a heritage tourism site.

According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, visiting historic sites is the third most popular vacation activity for United States travelers. A recent visit by the American Friends of Lafayette to Tappan certainly confirms the potential of heritage tourism here. Over 80 of them visited DeWint House in June, and then enjoyed a sumptuous meal at Old '76 House, in rooms filled with period artifacts.

"Heritage tourism creates jobs and business opportunities, helps protect resources, and often improves the quality of life for local residents. " (Source: Heritage Tourism, Advisory Council On Historic Preservation, www.achp.gov/heritage_tourism)

The benefits of historical tourism do not stop there. The profile of the heritage tourism traveler reveals that he/she is slightly older than other tourists, tends to be well-educated, and is respectful of the places toured. These visitors are unlikely to cause disturbances at historic sites or in the neighboring communities.

The creation of Colonial Orangetown would be a long-term project, perhaps taking over ten years. However, the project could be developed in stages to allow for grants and funding to support each one. Visitation to the public could be opened after the completion of the first stage.

A real plus for Orangetown is that it already owns land that would make an excellent site for the outdoor museum: the former Rockland Psychiatric Center. Its proximity to Tappan and its historic district, and to the Orangetown Historical Museum, would make it not only a convenient choice, but a compelling one, as it would create a colonial corridor.

The resulting park could include elements of colonial farms and villages, artisan shops, candle and brick makers, crop gardens, and a few sheep, chickens, and horses to provide an authentic look and sound. Open horse-drawn carriages or trolleys could convey visitors to Tappan's historic district. An eventual education center could be used to display artifacts and conduct history presentations. If equipped with a kitchen, it could be rented out for weddings and conferences to generate revenue. Additionally, it could host classes and events of all sorts.

Colonial Orangetown could be open year-round for reenactments of historical events and festivals; for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas special events with a colonial twist; for open-air concerts and for theatrical performances such as "Hamilton."

A summer colonial camp could provide children with a feeling for what life was like in 1776 and teach them how to grow crops, care for farm animals, make toys, and more.

In the fall and spring, scheduled busloads of third and fourth graders could see and hear re-enactors discussing the Orangetown Resolutions and speak to General Washington and his troops at their 1782 encampment.

The possibilities are limitless.

What do you think? Should the Town consider creating Colonial Orangetown?

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