The Historical Society of
Rockland County
The Historical Society of Rockland County is CLOSED from Thursday, November 27, to Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Our office reopens at 10 am on Wednesday, December 3.
We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
A Brief History of Rockland County
Rockland County is the smallest county in New York State outside the five boroughs of New York City. It is bounded by the Hudson River on the east, the State of New Jersey on the south, and the Ramapo Mountains to the north and west. Although the county consists of only 176 square miles, it is a land rich in history.
To a newcomer, Rockland County may appear to be border-to-border housing developments built over the past forty years, but its historical roots go back almost four hundred years—more than ten thousand years if you include Native American history. Records indicate that the first residents were the Indians of the Delaware or Lenape Nation, who were scattered throughout the county in small bands. ...
2025 Annual Appeal
Rockland is rich in history.
Our mission is to save and to share it.
For information about donating by check, click here.
Please consider making a generous donation to the Annual Appeal!
New Exhibition
Holidays on the Farm
The 49th Annual Holiday Exhibition
In this holiday exhibition, we continue the history of agriculture in Rockland County theme, with a festive spin!
Now Playing: November Podcast
Crossroads of
Rockland History
The Ramapo Pass
Clare Sheridan revisits an earlier episode featuring Rockland County Historian
Craig Long
during which we discussed the importance of the Ramapo Pass in the American Revolution.
Upcoming Events
Rockland County Local History Event Calendar
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12pm HSRC: Exhibition - Home Grown: A History of Farming in Rockland County
1pm O'town Museum: Exhibition Opening: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
7pm Genealogical Society of RC: Monthly Meeting
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12pm HSRC: Annual History Luncheon: Protecting the Ramapo Pass
31
10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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1pm O'town Museum: Exhibition Opening: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
8
1pm HS-Nyacks: "Caroline Lexow: A Life of Purpose" Exhibition:
9
1pm HSRC: RevWar250 Lecture: "'They Absolutely Did Not Murmur': The Hudson Valley Takes Up Arms for King George"
1pm O'town Museum: Exhibition Opening: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
15
1pm HS-Nyacks: "Caroline Lexow: A Life of Purpose" Exhibition:
16
1pm O'town Museum: Exhibition Opening: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
17
18
10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
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7pm HS-Nyacks: Regular Meeting
21
10am O'town Museum Exhibition: "1776/1976: From Democracy to Disco: Orangetown and the Bicentennial"
22
1pm HS-Nyacks: "Caroline Lexow: A Life of Purpose" Exhibition:
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1pm HS-Nyacks: "Caroline Lexow: A Life of Purpose" Exhibition:
30
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10:30am HSRC: St. Nicholas Day
1pm HS-Nyacks: "Caroline Lexow: A Life of Purpose" Exhibition:
Press Room
South of the Mountains
Dive into a world of captivating stories, insightful discussions, and endless entertainment.
Issues of South of the Mountains from 1957 to 2013 are available in fully searchable PDF form online via the New York Heritage portal.
Collections
The Historical Society of Rockland County's collection comprises approximately 3,650 objects that date from the early eighteenth century to the present.
Podcasts
Crossroads of
Rockland History
Host Clare Sheridan welcomes guests every month to explore, celebrate and learn about the rich history of Rockland County and New York's Lower Hudson Valley.
