| The town of Southeast is located
approximately fifty miles north of New York City in Putnam County. It is bordered by the
towns of Patterson to the North and Carmel to the West, Westchester County to the South
and Connecticut to the East. Within the Town’s borders lies the Village of Brewster
whose history is interwoven with that of Southeast. In the early part of
the eighteenth century, families from Cape Cod and Long Island began settling along the
East Branch of the Croton River, in the area that would later become Southeast. The river
valley provided a rich fertile soil ideal for farming. However, it wasn’t until
border disputes between Connecticut and New York were resolved that villages and towns
began to truly grow.
The Croton River furnished power mills and small factories, fostering
the development of several small towns: Milltown, Sodom (Southeast Center), De Forest
Corners and Doanesburg. Agricultural and cottage industries formed the basis of the local
economy. Crops and other products were transported across the county to Peekskill and then
by sloop to New York City. During the Revolutionary War, the lower Hudson Valley was known
as America’s "bread-basket."
During he 1830s, many of the farmers in the area began to invest in a
new and unique business venture: traveling menageries and circuses. Southeast would become
known as the "Cradle of the American Circus," as many important early shows were
based here. Animals were kept in local barns with winter quarters at one time on Starr
Ridge Road. In 1849, the Harlem Line Railroad reached Southeast, connecting the town to
New York City and bringing everlasting change. |
Walter Brewster, a local
architect and builder, foresaw the economic opportunities that the railroad could bring to
Southeast. He purchased 164 acres of farmland and constructed passenger and freight depots
for the railroad company, thus insuring that the train would stop on his property, soon
referred to as "Brewster’s Station." In 1881, a second railroad, the Putnam
Line, reached the area and the Town of Southeast became known as the "Hub of the
Harlem Valley." The new Putnam line was the fastest route between New York and
Boston. The railroad helped foster two local industries. One of these industries, iron
mining, had previously been hindered by the expense of transporting iron ore to the blast
furnaces where steel was produced. The largest and most prosperous mine in Southeast was
the Tilly Foster Mine. In 1879, at its height of operations, the mine employed
approximately 300 workers yielding 7,000 tons of iron per month. The mine closed in 1897
after a disastrous collapse. It is known world wide for the extensive range of rocks and
minerals found at its site.
At the same time the Tilly Foster Mine was in operation, the dairy industry blossomed
in Southeast. In 1864, John Gail Borden constructed a milk condensory at the present day
juncture of Routes 6 and 22. The factory was the largest and most advanced plant at the
time. Over 200 dairy farmers supplied 20,000 gallons of mil to the factory each day. While
Southeast prospered in the later part of the nineteenth century, its economic and physical
landscape would change dramatically by the turn of the twentieth century with the
construction of the Croton Reservoir System. |
Much of the best farmland was
flooded and many properties were condemned in order to protect the purity of the
watershed. Of the eleven dams and reservoirs built on the Croton River, four of them were
in Southeast. These water systems would leave an indelible mark on the town economy and
landscape. Courtesy of The Southeast Museum, housed in the 1896 Old
Town Hall building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places - "The
history of the Town of Southeast is indeed rich and full, And, while there may be few
visible traces of the Town’s past: Farm and dairy industries, the cradle of the
American circus, iron mining, a transportation hub for two major railroads and the
extensive Croton Reservoir system; this history can still be explored at the Southeast
Museum."
The Southeast Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and
presenting the history of the Town of Southeast. If you would like more information on the
Town of Southeast, please visit the Southeast Museum located at 67 Main Street, Brewster,
NY 10509 or call them at (914) 279-7500 |
