Haverstraw Backstory

Sponsored by Arts Westchester

• Location: New York
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

Looking for a new way to explore off-the-beaten-path communities? Long Island Traditions interviews everyday people to give you an authentic look into communities of yesterday and today.

On this tour, you will meet Virginia "Ginny" Norfleet, a lifelong Haverstraw resident and community leader whose discovery while building a home for her mother, rewrote the history of her small town.

Learn how Haverstraw earned the title of "brick-making capital of the world" and the environmental impact that title brought to the village, as well as why we should question the written history.
Take a trip to "the Mudhole" where you'll uncover the history of the vibrant African American community that once flourished here. Finish the tour with a stop at the Haverstraw African American Memorial Park, where you'll learn about the park's inception as well as the Juneteenth celebration held here annually.

Ginny is using her voice to preserve these stories as the Executive Director of the Haverstraw African American Connection.

Tour Sponsor
This tour was brought to you by ArtsWestchester, a mission-driven organization that aims to create an equitable, vibrant, and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in this region, check out the Revolution on the Hudson or the Walk the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. To find more tours in the New York area (or wherever your travels may take you) visit TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story.