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The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow
Nestled amidst the enchanting landscape of Sleepy Hollow, New York, lies a structure steeped in both history and folklore—the Old Dutch Church. As one of the oldest churches in the state, its weathered stones and stoic architecture have witnessed centuries of change, yet it remains an enduring symbol of the region’s rich cultural heritage. More to the point, this is the church and churchyard that appear in Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Early History of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow The precise age of the building is unknown, but it seems likely to place it between 1685 when the church ball was cast in…
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The Witch of West Nyack
“This neighborhood has the doubtful honor of having been the scene of the last trial for witchcraft held in New York State, possibly the last among a so-called civilized people.” -The History of Rockland County, by Frank Bertangue Green Think of witches and Salem, Massachusetts comes to mind. But Sleepy Hollow Country has its own including Hulda the Witch of Sleepy Hollow and Jane Kanniff, the alleged witch of West Nyack. In the hamlet of West Nyack, six miles from Sleepy Hollow as the raven flies, is a historic marker at the site of the last witch trial in New York State. Some versions of her story use the name…
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Ghosts of St. Barnabas Church
“Most longtime parishioners at Irvington’s Church of St. Barnabas cheerfully accept the idea that there are ghosts that haunt the venerable Episcopal Church and its Rectory.” –The Hudson Independent, October 2, 2011. St. Barnabas Church in Irvington, New York, an Episcopal congregation, traces its history to the mid-1850s when The Reverend John McVickar purchased a 30-acre property north of Main Street for a summer residence. This was in part due to his friendship with author Washington Irving whose own home, Sunnyside, was less than a mile away. Around 1852 McVickar set about improving his property and the spiritual well-being of the community by launching the construction of a chapel and…
