Week of February 7

February 6, 1875 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

SLIPPING ON THE ICE

[Image: Skating on the Hudson, undated photograph from Eugene F. Perry’s photograph album in the collection of Noel Haskell. The image appeared on the cover of South of the Mountains, vol. 46, no. 1, via NYHeritage.org.]

       Slipping and falling on the ice has become a popular amusement in our village. All classes engage in it, regardless of age, sex or color. The effects produced by it are like those produced by a first-class drama—sometimes bringing tears, sometimes laughter. In the case of two ladies who fell last week and broke their arms, the effect is serious and we sympathize with them; but when a military General tries to cover ten square feet of ice near the Reformed Church with six legal feet of body, even though there be crooks in that body, the effect, to say the least, must be discouraging. When a young surveyor attempts to ascertain the exact width of the sidewalk in front of Commercial Building by spreading himself out at full length on the ice without the wished-for result, we think he is pardonable if he does exclaim—“By George, I never hurt my liver more!” So long, however, as editors and printers don’t fall, we are willing that this amusement shall be continued until Spring; only we request especially that those who indulge in it will do so in the vicinity of this office.

February 5, 1925 – 100 YEARS AGO

Nyack Evening Journal

FAIL TO FIND ‘DROWNED’ BOY — South Nyack and Tarrytown Police in Vain Search for “Lost” River Skater  — REPORTED BY WOMAN — South Nyack Resident Thought She Saw Lad Drop through Ice on Other Side of Hudson  — Case Remains a Mystery

    Although the police of Tarrytown and South Nyack have conducted a thorough investigation, they have been unable to learn any details of a reported tragedy on the Hudson River between those two towns.

       Tuesday evening a South Nyack woman telephoned to the police that while looking through spyglasses she had seen a boy on skates disappear beneath the ice on the Tarrytown side of the river.

       Officer Roy Waters of South Nyack and representatives of the Tarrytown police department hurried out on the river with glasses, and walking as far out as they could, searched the open water carefully for a trace of the lad. So far there have been no reports of any boys missing from this vicinity.

February 5, 1975 – 50 YEARS AGO

The Journal News

POLICE BEAT — TESTIMONY GIVEN IN MURAL DEFACING

    A federal grand jury at the U.S. District courthouse in Manhattan heard testimony Tuesday about the defacement of a Nyack post office mural that occurred here last Dec. 24.

       Results of the testimony are not expected to be known until the end of this week, when deliberations have been completed, according to U.S. Postal Inspector Richard Hennessey.

       The identity of a Rockland County resident suspected in the case is known, but Hennessey refused to divulge his name because of the current grand jury deliberations.

       The case began here when a swastika, a symbol once used by Nazis but also used by American Indians, was burned into the face of the mural.

       The same mural, depicting Indians slaying white settlers, became the subject of wide controversy last year when local groups objected to its theme.

       Postal authorities have since ruled that the mural cannot be removed unless by act of Congress.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan for the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2025 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.