Newburgh Free Library Local History Room

It’s that time of year when students start receiving their yearbooks so we thought it best to share an early example of a yearbook from the Newburgh Free Academy Class of 1897. Unlike our yearbooks today, it contained a history of the school district, written by Historian Edward Manning Ruttenber, reports of clubs and academic departments, and only one class photo! Our department maintains a collection of yearbooks from both NFA and St. Patrick’s High School from 1897 to the present day.

To schedule an appointment to view, or donate a yearbook to our collection, contact the Local History Department at: (845)563-3616 or e-mail us at: [email protected] today!

A BLAST FROM THE PAST! We're so excited about this year's Summer Reading Program "Unearth A Story", we thought to share this gem from our Local History Collection! Teller of Stories was a gift book presented to Mary Bradley Woodworth, who became our first dedicated Children's Librarian in 1938. Set to open the new children's room at 100 Grand Street during National Library Week that November, she was faced with two hurricanes less than a month into her first time on the job. Despite this, she was able to open the new Children's room ahead of schedule! Mary Bradley Woodworth would remain at the library until 1974, during which time she would touch the lives of many Newburghers through storytelling and literature. You can learn more about this remarkable librarian by contacting our Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or e-mailing us at [email protected]!

Most importantly, don't forget to register for Summer Reading Program here!: https://newburghlibrary.org/2026-summer-reading/

DID YOU KNOW? Our Local History collection includes items on microfilm AND microfiche? Both formats use film to store images that make up an entire book, or several months of newspapers, without taking up as much space! You may have used these formats while looking through our archive of the Newburgh Evening News, or Newburgh City Directories! Learn the differences between them and how you can use both to help solve your next historical mystery!

Contact our Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or [email protected] for more information on our microfilm collection!

SAVE THE DATE! Wednesday, June 17th at 6:00 PM, Join Sister Marilyn Tyson of Newburgh's African Methodist Episcopal (AMEZ) Church and learn more about its history and involvement in the abolitionist movement as it nears its 200th anniversary!

Click the link here to register today!: https://newburghlibrary.libcal.com/event/16887937

With summer around the corner we thought to share this timely postcard of three women enjoying the view at "Polly Pond", located in Downing Park, from our online collection at New York Heritage! Although the park was named after local architect Andrew Jackson Downing, the design and ex*****on of the park came from Downing's fellow architects Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead, who were hired by the City of Newburgh to design the park in 1889 and officially opened to the public in 1897. The building known as "The Polly" or "Shelter House" would not be constructed until 1934, approximately 30 years after this image was taken.

New York Heritage is a free, fully searchable database of historic photographs, postcards, and other documents that have been digitized from libraries and museums throughout New York State. You can view other items in our library's online collection by clicking on the image below!

For more information on this and other items in our collection, reach out to the Newburgh Free Library Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or [email protected] today!

Lake at Downing Park, Newburgh, N.Y. This hand colored postcard shows three women seated by a lake in Downing Park which is located in the heart of the City of Newburgh. Opened in 1897, the park was named after Newburgh native Andrew Jackson Downing, pioneer of the public park movement. In the 1840's Downing recruited Calvert Vaux in L...

Welcome to the social media home of the Newburgh Free Library Local History Department! We look forward to sharing stories, events, and information about our past with you here! [Photograph of the interior of the Newburgh Free Library at 120 Grand Street, c. 1970. Local History Department, Newburgh Free Library]