Ossining's Historical Roadside Markers

The New York State Historic Marker program started in 1926 as a way to commemorate historic sites during the sesquicentennial of the American Revolution. The program lasted for only 13 years before funding ran out. Nearly 3,000 blue and gold markers were placed over those years on roads throughout the state and now it is up to municipalities, historical societies other private organizations and even individuals to put up the money and erect them. Several of these markers have been install in the Greater Ossining Area by New York State Department of Education, The New York Department of Correctional Services and the Town of Ossining.

Additionally, there are two missing historical markers. These read as follows:

“Robert Havell 1739-1878, World Famous Engraver of Audubon’s “Birds of America” Lived Many Years in His house At Farther End of this Street.” It was  located at the North East corner of Havell Street and US 9, in the Village of Ossining.

Apparently at some time in the late 1950s this marker was broken and shipped to the NYS Highway Department ‘s sign-painting shop in Poughkeepsie, NY for repair but for some reason, it was never repaired or returned despite letters of inquiry from the Ossining Historical Society and others.

“St. Mary’s Church. The Bell In This Church Was Taken at Tabasco, 1847 During the Mexican War and was Presented by Commodore Mathew C. Perry.” Supposedly this marker was located at the entrance to the church on the east side of Route 9 in Scarborough Manor. Apparently. Commodore Perry lived in the Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown area at a place he called, “The Moorings” at about the time St Mary’s was constructed circa 1849. Shortly after returning from the Mexican-American War he gave the bell to the church. In early November of 1910, his son-in-law, August Belmont, the financier, gave a modern, larger bell to St. Mary’s and the old bell from Mexico was taken down and inside the church with a small plaque that read, “Captured at Tabasco, Mexico in 1847. Presented by Commodore M.C. Perry.”

Further inquiries regarding the missing historical markers are in progress and when complete the results will be published at a later time

In addition, the Historic Preservation Commission of the Village of Ossining is actively working on a project called, “The Museum of the Streets.” This open air museum will be operational in late 2014. It consists of a series of numbered panels with archival photos and descriptive text of several buildings and other structures in Ossining’s Downtown Historic District to  enable people to take self-guided walking tours of this area.