History of Camp Smith with Vintage Photos, Saturday, 2 p.m. at Little Red Schoolhouse in Cortlandt Manor

Submitted by Bob Foley, Program Director, Van Cortlandtville Historical Society

In a premier presentation, Paul R. Martin III of Yorktown, a military historian, will present for the first time a program entitled The History of Camp Smith on Saturday, January 16th, at 2 p.m, at The Little Red Schoolhouse, 297 Locust Avenue, Cortlandt Manor, New York.  Sponsored by the Van Cortlandtville Historical Society, the event is open free to the public.

A noted professional historical artist, author, illustrator and art teacher, Mr. Martin will relate some of the long history of Camp Smith, the familiar facility on the hill overlooking the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge Road in the Annsville section of the Town of Cortlandt. He will narrate a PowerPoint slide presentation featuring vintage postcards, artifacts and rare photos depicting Camp Smith during the period of World War I, the interim years before and including World War II, and up through its recent history. Formerly known as “Camp Townsend,” he will explain when and why Camp Smith was first established, and by whom. And, what is it used for today?

Mr. Martin’s historical drawings and paintings have exhibited throughout the New York metropolitan area for the past 30 years. His original art and prints are on permanent display at the Robert E. Lee Civil War Research Center and Library, The Civil War Library and Museum of Philadelphia, The Pentagon, the U.S. Congressional Building, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and hundreds of private collections throughout the country.

Locally his artwork and artifact exhibits have graced the walls and display cases of the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak, The Field Library in Peekskill, the Yorktown Museum, the Mt. Kisco Library, and the New City Library. On the national level, major one-man exhibits of his artwork were at the Randolph County Community Arts Center in Elkins, West Virginia in 2006; the Union League Club of New York City and the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) Class of 1929 Art Gallery in Eisenhower Hall at West Pont in 2001; and at the Gettysburg Cyclorama Visitors Center Gallery in 2000.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Extremely active in historical organizations throughout Westchester and Rockland counties with lectures and exhibits, Mr. Martin currently serves as President of the Yorktown Historical Society and Vice President of the Lincoln Depot Museum Foundation in Peekskill. He is also Co-Chairman of the Yorktown Veterans Day Parade Committee and is on the board of the Lincoln Society in Peekskill. An active member of the 14th Air Force Association and the Army Air Forces Historical Association, he is also an active supporter and participant with the Hudson Valley Honor Flight program. He is Secretary of The Company of Military Historians (West Point Chapter), and President and Program Director of the Rockland County Civil War Roundtable.

Nationally, among Mr. Martin’s many historical endeavors are: Honorary Trustee of the North Carolina South Mountain Monument Fund; a member of the Civil War Preservation Trust and other Civil War battlefield foundations. He is also active with the National World War II Museum and the Pacific Aviation Museum. A Civil War and WW II re-enactor, he is currently restoring a 1942 Ford Jeep from WWII. In keeping with his commitment to preservation and memorialization, a portion of the retail sales of all of Mr. Martin’s prints of Civil War events are donated to preservation funds for that war; and portions of sales of his original prints depicting WWII go to the USO.

Mr. Martin has been an art teacher in the Pearl River School District since 1985. He is a graduate of Southampton College with a BA Degree in Art, and he earned his Masters in Art Degree in Drawing from Long Island University. Longtime Yorktown residents, he and his wife, Joanne, have a son and daughter attending college.

The Little Red Schoolhouse (venue for the Jan. 16th program) is located next to Old Saint Peter’s Church and cemetery at the north end of Locust Avenue on the hill just south of Oregon Road in the Town of Cortlandt. For more information, visit: www.vancort.net; or call (914) 736-7868.