Feb 22, 2205, Alice (A) by Maria (M)
M: Alice, how long have you lived in the neighborhood?
A: Three and a half years in High Falls [before that, Rifton].
M: And what do you love about Rosendale?
A: I love the atmosphere. I love the vibes and the people. And we experienced a very welcoming neighborhood when we got here.
M: And why is that important to you?
A: I think that’s how people should live. I think that’s how neighbors should be to each other.
M:What concerns you about Rosendale? Are there any things that you think need to be nurtured, protected?
A: Well, as we drive through Rosendale every day, my husband and I, we think if only that canal path could be used by everybody. What a blessing that would be. Similar to the trestle over the Rondout. And we can see the locks that used to be, and we could see how High Falls and Lawrenceville and Rosendale could all be tied together in a positive way. And we can see that some people do actually mow the tow path. But in other places, the briars and the various things block the way. And we also know that there are some people who are very disinterested in having it go past their house. But we still think it would be a wonderful thing. If you could walk from Rosendale to Stone Ridge or to High Falls where the aqueduct used to go across, it could be such a wonderful thing.
M: You know, actually a number of people bring that up. So it’s kind of exciting. So that kind of falls into a category of an idea for Rosendale. And why would you think that would be important? What do you think that would do for the community?
A: I think that would foster neighborliness. And it also fosters health to be walking outside. And if you could walk to the library, if you could walk to the little shops and the restaurants, I think it would have a really positive effect on folks.
M: Do you have any stories about Rosendale you’d like to share that really kind of you feel shares something about the community?
A: Well, I used to live in Rifton and Rifton has a different feel. But what I have always thought was what a nice place it would be to live in Rosendale. And we would go to the street festivals and the pickle fest. And we would help with the parking and with our kids and people like Billy Liggan and Bill Brooks. And various other people who live in Rosendale would ask for help.
And it made a warm relationship of mutual help. And another thing was the trestle, when it was being made first into a bungee jumping. Which got brought to a halt, and then it was made into a walking bridge and our kids, my husband and the boys helped with that. And it was a very communal effort, it also brought a communal respect and friendship and love.
M: So you have been in the neighborhood for a lot longer than three and a half years.
A: Yeah, I guess so. And we also knew many families in this area. We didn’t even realize how many families in this area before we moved to High Falls. But we always lived in Rifton. Although we lived in a lot of other places, but periodically we would come back to here. So I can remember Rosendale since I was a little girl.
M: Rifton, was that the first place the [Bruderhof] community, the first foothold in the United States? Is that right?
A:Yeah. Back in 1954 or so. But if you live up on that little hill, you’re not so immersed in the people. As we are here. Not at all. Even though we want to be.
M: Yeah, the outreach that you all do is pretty amazing. Because it is hard. That’s been one of the hardest things about this project, is getting people to go talk to other people. And it seems so easy, but you know.
M: Is there anything else that you want to share that you think is important for us to know?
A:Yep. I got Kirk’s ideas too. So this place is full of history. And we’ve read various books about the area. That people have read historians.
A: There used to be a bridge across the Rondout. Down by it’s Lawrenceville, I guess it’s Burr’s Crossing. There was a bridge there. And that’s where the little kids went to school in Rosendale. And the big buttresses of that bridge are still there. I wish we could have a walking bridge across, Burr’s crossing.
M: Oh, cool. What a great idea.
A: Now I don’t know if the people who live at the bottom there and there’s a Tea House of the August moon is like an Airbnb or something. But I don’t know if they would like to have people walking there, but it would be so cool. If people could go across that bridge and Burr’s crossing and down to Mountain Road down to St. Peter’s.
M: Great idea.
A:But it probably cost a million dollars.
M: Well, a million dollars isn’t what it used to be. Anything else?
A: The library. They do so much for so many people. For free. It’s just there’s such a wonderful library. And we’ve been part of that library for many years. But they wanted to move into the Bell Tower. they were about to buy it and somebody made a big stink. That library needs more room. They just do, and they do so much for the neighborhood and for the elderly. And bird walks and chess club and you name it. It’s so beautiful. But if only they could have that bell tower.
