Jim Logan
By day, Jim Logan is superintendent of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, a position that requires him to keep excellent company with the permanently quiet residents of one of America's most storied burial grounds. A fifth-generation Tarrytowner, Jim might reasonably expect this pedigree to lend him a certain air of historical gravitas—and in most towns, it would. But when your job regularly puts you in contact with families whose ancestors were already well-established here when the Dutch were still running things, five generations starts to feel like you just moved in. By night—and weekends, and probably lunch breaks—he's a historian with an unhealthy appetite for crumbling newspaper archives and forgotten local lore. After more than two decades of research, Jim has assembled a formidable collection of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown historical resources, which he mines for the stories that appear on Sleepy Hollow Country. If there's a ghost with a tale to tell, a legend with a plot hole, or a 19th-century scandal gathering dust in the archives, he'll find it.
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Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery doesn’t just hold the dead—it holds the stories that made Sleepy Hollow Country what it is. Perched on ninety rolling acres in the heart of the Hudson Valley, this burial ground has been accumulating legends, titans of industry, and literary ghosts since 1849. It’s the kind of place where you can visit Washington Irving in the morning, pay your respects to a Rockefeller by noon, and walk past enough American history to fill a semester-long course, all while autumn leaves crunch underfoot and the Pocantico River winds through the hills. The cemetery’s connection to Irving’s famous tale is more than literary tourism. This is where the author…
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Those Wild and Crazy Tarrytown Squirrels
Here in the pages of Sleepy Hollow Country we live and breathe the odd and unexplained. Today we tender a few offbeat stories on rather unusual behavior by a bunch of Tarrytown squirrels. Before we start it is only fair to point out our little furry friends aren’t the only critters to exhibit outlandish behavior in these parts. Goats, chickens, and even mosquitoes have had their moments. A student of literature, however, may recall a line from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” that suggests it is the human residents of the hollow who have a propensity to see marvelous visions: “They are given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs; are…
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The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow
Situated in the village of Sleepy Hollow, New York, the Old Dutch Church stands as a landmark of significant historical and cultural importance. As one of the oldest churches in the state, its timeworn stone walls and enduring architectural design have borne witness to centuries of change. Beyond its historical relevance, the church holds a unique place in American folklore as the very church and churchyard featured in Washington Irving’s renowned short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” This connection has solidified its status as both a historical monument and a symbol of the region’s rich narrative heritage. Early History of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow The precise age of…
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A Slice of Tarrytown Bakery History
Before the rise of supermarkets in the 1950s and 1960s, Main Streets across America looked very different than they do today. Small bakeries and other specialized food stores were much more common than now. Many also delivered to homes. While records are sparse, we’ve compiled a short compendium of historic Tarrytown bakeries. Today as we witness a resurgence of fresh, locally produced food, bakeries in particular have flourished. Find contemporary Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow bakeries at VisitSleepyHollow.com. Breitenbach’s Bakery John C. Breitenbach founded his eponymous bakery in New York City in the 1880s. It grew into a substantial operation with four retail stores and a wholesale business supplying goods to…
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The Bard of Tarrytown
The Bard of Tarrytown. The Poet of the Pines. The Tanyard Poet. The World’s Most Gifted Seer, Palmist and Medium. These were just some of the professional titles used by the tireless and shameless self-promoter John Henry Titus throughout his long life. He missed the chance to apply even more apt titles to himself: Spinner of Yarns, Teller of Tall Tales, Purveyor of Pablum. Hold on as we explore the life of John Henry Titus through a trail of newspaper advertisements, news articles, and self published books. Here in Sleepy Hollow Country we are all too familiar with out-of-towners sweeping in to school us simple, unsophisticated yokels. A fellow named…
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The Ghosts of Emily Shaw’s Inn
Emily Shaw’s Inn, once a popular restaurant, was located just 20 miles from Sleepy Hollow as the raven flies. Generations of Westchester County residents celebrated holidays and special occasions over the more than four decades Emily and her son John operated the venerable Pound Ridge establishment. The original part of the building was built as a residence around 1833, attributed to Alsop Hunt Lockwood. Eventually it served as a boarding house known as Dexter Lodge. By the early 1900s the population of this part of the county dropped precipitously as farming in the area fell into steep decline. By the 1930s the building, like many of its neighbors, was rundown…
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The Obstreperous Tarrytown Goats
In fairness to goats everywhere, Tarrytown goats are not unique in their obstreperousness. They are an unruly animal across the board. However, here in Sleepy Hollow Country we have more than our share of oddities, and our goats are no exception. Make that past tense. At the time of writing, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow restrict livestock within village limits. Here are three of our favorite tales of Tarrytown goats. Tarrytown Goat Sets Monetary Policy In the late 1800s the United States Congress hotly debated changes to monetary policy. At issue in the “money question” of the day was whether to base American currency on gold or on silver. Further, there…
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Sparta Cemetery
Sparta Cemetery, located in Ossining, New York, is a small yet historically significant burial ground that dates back to the early 18th century. It reflects the rich history and development of the region, offering insights into the lives of the people who lived in and around Ossining. Early History and Establishment The origins of Sparta Cemetery can be traced to the early 1700s, making it one of the oldest cemeteries in Westchester County. The land it occupies was once part of Philipsburg Manor, a colonial landholding of about 52,000 acres. Sparta was one of the earlier communities established in the area, and the cemetery served as the final resting place…
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The Last Tarrytown Castle
Carrollcliffe, standing at one of the highest points in the village, is the last surviving Tarrytown castle. There were once two castles here. Or maybe four depending on who you ask and how you choose to define a castle. Just north was Ericstan, a castellated villa by Alexander Jackson Davis that was demolished in 1944. To the west was Edgemont, the painted brick home of Julian Detmer, with decorative crenelations in the style of a castle. To the south is Lyndhurst, which is occasionally described as a castle although it is more accurately a Gothic Revival mansion. Carrollcliffe was constructed by Howard Carroll, Inspector General of New York state’s troops in…
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The Legendary Headless Horseman Bridge
“The bridge became more than ever an object of superstitious awe, and that may be the reason why the road has been altered of late years, so as to approach the church by the border of the mill-pond.” -“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, Washington Irving More than 200 years after publication of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“, the headless horseman bridge is one of the most popular destinations in Sleepy Hollow. Every October it is sought out by thousands of visitors from around the globe. Unfortunately, the original bridge where Ichabod Crane lost his race with the Headless Horseman no longer exists. The simple wooden span that crossed the Pocantico River…
