Briarcliff Manor Scarborough Historical Society

Briarcliff Manor Scarborough Historical Society Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Briarcliff Manor Scarborough Historical Society, 1 Library Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY.

Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas), Our thanks to you all for your interest in our wor...
12/25/2025

Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas), Our thanks to you all for your interest in our work throughout 2025.

From the BMSH Image Collection: Art Students at the Briarcliff Preparatory School ca. early 1930s
11/19/2025

From the BMSH Image Collection: Art Students at the Briarcliff Preparatory School ca. early 1930s

From the BMSHS Library. "The Fall of the house of Speyer. The Story of a Banking Dynasty". By George W. Liebmann.The d...
11/19/2025

From the BMSHS Library.

"The Fall of the house of Speyer. The Story of a Banking Dynasty". By George W. Liebmann.

The dramatic story of the last fifty years of the Speyer banking dynasty, a Jewish family of German descent, is surprisingly little-known today, yet at the turn of the 20th century, Speyer was the third largest investment banking firm in the United States, behind only Morgan and Kuhn, Loeb. It had branches in London, Frankfurt and New York, and the projects it financed included the Southern Pacific Railroad, the London Underground and the infrastructure of the new Cuban republic. Later, it was the first major banking firm to finance Germany's Weimar Republic, as well as providing League of Nations loans to Hungary, Greece and Bulgaria. Yet, the firm was doomed by the nationalist passions aroused by World War I. Its English partner was denaturalized and exiled; its American partner enjoyed reduced standing because of his connection to Germany; and the Frankfurt branch closed with the coming of the Third Reich, its German partner fleeing into exile. The firm was dissolved in 1939, a surprisingly anticlimactic end to one of the great international banking companies of modern times. George W. Liebmann here tells the story of the firm and the family - shedding new light on the protagonists of a remarkable dynasty, who came undone in the dramatic years of the early 20th century.

So, what's all this got to do with Briarcliff Manor? I'm sure many of you are familiar with the brick wall that runs along Scarborough and Holbrook Roads. You might not, however, know that behind the wall stood a large mansion (not the one on the cover of the book. That one was called "Villa Speyer" and stood in Frankfurt Germany). The mansion that stood in Briarcliff Manor was called Waldheim and belonged to the head of New York branch of the family: James Speyer.

The BMSHS website has more on the Speyers. See Waldheim and the Speyers of Scarborough-on-Hudson - Notebook Vol. 2018-6 (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/the-briarcliff-notebook/waldheim-and-the-speyers-of-scarborough-on-hudson-vol-16) and Waldheim and the Speyers (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/waldheim-and-the-speyers)

1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race pennant dated April 24, 1908. The race brought 300,000 spectators to Westchester County and...
11/19/2025

1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race pennant dated April 24, 1908. The race brought 300,000 spectators to Westchester County and around 100,000 to Briarcliff Manor (when the population of Briarcliff Manor was less than 1,000 and possibly as low as 300 or so).

For more information on the race please see: The 1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race. Notebook 2024-3 (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/the-briarcliff-notebook/the-1908-briarcliff-road-race)

Our thanks to Matt Goldman of the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department for finding this and obtaining it for us.

Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. (with accompanying Schedule and Zoning Map). As adopted by th...
11/19/2025

Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. (with accompanying Schedule and Zoning Map). As adopted by the Board of Trustees, Village of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. September 29, 1953

The Plasmon Saga. Notebook 2025-9 by Ian Cressman (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/the-briarcliff-notebook/the-plasmon...
11/19/2025

The Plasmon Saga. Notebook 2025-9 by Ian Cressman (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/the-briarcliff-notebook/the-plasmon-saga-notebook-2025-9)

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Industrial Revolution changed the nature of food production worldwide. As the advent of efficient farm tools and larger factories enabled more production of manufactured food, prices dropped, and many Americans found that they could access food more easily. But as the amount of food in households increased, society also found itself facing a new problem: food waste. Thus, the late 1800s and early 1900s also marked a period of scientific inquiry into strategies to diminish food waste. And by the end of the 19th century, while researching ways to reduce food waste, a Swiss (some sources say German) chemist called Seibold (some sources say Siebold) developed what he believed to be the world’s newfound superfood. Using skimmed milk waste and containing incredible nutritional value, Seibold’s discovery would eventually become known as “Plasmon.”

Follow the link above and read the Notebook to find out about the connection between Plasmon and Briarcliff Manor.

Mike Basset has compiled an amazing selection of "Notes from Village Board Meetings" related to the Fire Department.This...
11/19/2025

Mike Basset has compiled an amazing selection of "Notes from Village Board Meetings" related to the Fire Department.

This mammoth undertaking covers Board Meetings from 12/08/02 (that's right December 8, 1902!) to 10/06/77.

Also included is a copy of the first meeting of the Briarcliff Steamer Company held February 25, 1902.

The BMSHS thanks Mike for all of his efforts

Our colleague, Marc Cheshire, Croton-on-Hudson Village Historian recently drew our attention to this issue of AutoMobili...
11/19/2025

Our colleague, Marc Cheshire, Croton-on-Hudson Village Historian recently drew our attention to this issue of AutoMobilia. It's the January/February 2025 issue and it contains an interesting six-page article on the 1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race by Dale LaFollette, well-known automotive photographer. .

For more information on the Briarcliff Trophy please see: The 1908 Briarcliff Trophy Race. Notebook 2024-3 (https://www.briarcliffhistory.org/the-briarcliff-notebook/the-1908-briarcliff-road-race)

Briarcliff Manor residents will probably recognize the building in the background. It's still there on the corner of Pleasantville Road and North State Road

11/07/2025

BMSHS Center Closing to Visitors During Library Building Renovation.

You're probably aware that the Briarcliff Manor Library Building (where the BMSHS is located) is closed for renovations. So far, we've been continuing operations, but at times it can be noisy and dusty. The most reliable way to get to us is to go down the steps to the Recreation Department. If you manage to get to us and need to use a rest room, your only option is to walk up to the ground floor and through the building site because the elevator is not working.

This time of year, is usually a slow period for visitors and of late we've noticed a definite decrease in visitors who often drop by after a visit to the library.

Consequently, we've decided to close the Historical Center to visitors for the duration of the renovation. We'll let you know when we're back to normal.

Please note that this does not mean that we will cease operations. A lot of our work (e.g. updating the website, preparing and distributing our newsletter, responding to phone calls and email etc.) can be done remotely. We will shortly have finished our series of presentations for 2025, and future presentations will not take place until 2026 by which time (hopefully) the renovations will have finished.

At times we will be physically at the Center. It will just be closed to visitors.

During this period, you can contact us by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 914 473 5925 (if no-one answers please leave a message).

Thank you for your patience.

We hope you will be able to join us for this seventh and final presentation of 2025.
10/30/2025

We hope you will be able to join us for this seventh and final presentation of 2025.

Join historian Mike Virgintino and learn about Freedomland U.S.A., an early 1960s theme park dedicated to American histo...
09/19/2025

Join historian Mike Virgintino and learn about Freedomland U.S.A., an early 1960s theme park dedicated to American history that was located in the Baychester section of the northeast Bronx. Co-op City has occupied the site for more than 50 years.

After he left the Disney company, C.V. Wood began to build theme parks across the country. His New York park became known as the "Disneyland of the East." Seven themed areas presented epic moments in American history from the Chicago Fire to the San Francisco earthquake to cowboys to 1960s contemporary history focused on the space race. Unfortunately, the park was plagued from the start by city and state politics, union demands, cost overruns and financial chicanery. Unknown to the public, the park served as a placeholder for the property until the required variances were obtained to develop the marshland with modern housing.

Through a well-researched narrative, personal and newspaper accounts, interviews, and exclusive photos, the journalist and author presents the definitive history about Freedomland from creation to its razing, focusing on the people behind its creation along with the executives, entertainers and sponsors. Unlike Disneyland, the story about Freedomland does not have a happily ever after, but those who recall the park and theme park fans will not want to miss this captivating tale about America's park.

Every attendee will receive an actual entrance turnstile token from Freedomland as a keepsake provided by the Frank R. Adamo Freedomland U.S.A. Collection.

The presentation will take place on Saturday, 18 October 2025 from 2:00pm-4:00pm in the Parish Hall of the Briarcliff Congregational Church: 25 South State Road, Briarcliff Manor.

Address

1 Library Road
Briarcliff Manor, NY
10510

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+19149414393

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Briarcliff Manor Scarborough Historical Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Briarcliff Manor Scarborough Historical Society:

Shortcuts

Share