Monsey Memories: Haverstraw History

Yitzy Fried 

Today, the town of Haverstraw is one of Rockland County’s growing Jewish communities—and today we take a look back at the making of Haverstraw and some of its early history.  

In 1609 Henry Hudson, an Englishman employed by the Dutch East India Company, sailed his ship, the Half Moon, up the river that would bear his name in a vain search for the legendary Northwest passage. He sailed as far as what is now Albany and on the return trip the Half Moon anchored in what is now Haverstraw Bay, the widest point in the river. The ship had scarcely anchored when "the people of the mountains" flocked aboard. Most were friendly but one was shot and killed by a sailor for stealing some items from the ship. This incident created difficulties for future settlers but Hudson's journey claimed the whole Hudson Valley for the Dutch.

The name of Haverstraw is one of the oldest in the geography of North America. The word is Dutch and it first appeared on a map in 1616. It was originally written, Haverstroo, and means "Oat Straw", descriptive of the waving straw of the river meadows.

The precinct of Haverstraw was created in 1719 when it was separated from Orangetown. Haverstraw then included the present-day Towns of Clarkstown, Ramapo and Stony Point. Haverstraw became a town in 1788. Clarkstown and Ramapo became separate towns in 1791 and Stony Point became a town in 1865.

The location of Haverstraw was important to the defense of the colonies in the Revolutionary War because of its place on the banks of the Hudson, the main artery of trade between New York City and Albany and the dividing line between New England and other colonies.

The Shore Guard was organized in Haverstraw to repel British or Tory landings along the Hudson. The Shore Guard lit signal fires on top of High Tor to warn neighboring communities of danger.

In 1780 Haverstraw played a major role in a plot, which if it had succeeded could have changed the course of the Revolutionary War. American General Benedict Arnold, a hero of the battle of Saratoga, had persuaded George Washington to give him command of the fort at West Point. Washington was unaware that Arnold was involved in treasonable negotiations with the British.

During the night of September 19th and 20th, the English Emissary, Major John Andre, was rowed from the sloop-of-war, Vulture, to a beach below the Long Cove in the Town of Haverstraw. The negotiations to sell the plans to West Point were not completed by dawn and Arnold and Andre traveled to the home of Joshua Het Smith on the grounds of what is now Helen Hayes Hospital. The house became known as Treason House and was unfortunately torn down in the late 1920's.

The plot was foiled by Andre's capture in Tarrytown on his way back to British lines. Arnold fled to the British. The captured Andre traveled through Haverstraw once more on his way to his trial and subsequent execution in Tappan.