Gatehouse opens for the season on May 15

Central Valley — The Woodbury Historical Society Gatehouse Committee’s seasonal opening of the Gatehouse Historic Site and Learning Center is Sunday, May 15, at 2 p.m. The opening will include various exhibits centered around the theme, “Why They Came to the Mountains.” Officials said it’s a continuation of a theme presented last month at the Woodbury Senior Center by author and historian Ronnie Clark Coffey called “Before the Parks: Rural Life in Bear Mountain and Harriman in the 19 Century.” Also included will be displays on Woodbury families, including the Jones family, whose roots go back to the town’s earliest days. At one time, dairy farming occupied the majority of families in Woodbury, including the Joneses as well as the Seamans whose Sweet Clover Farm is now the site of Palaia Vineyards in Highland Mills. Historical documents have been donated to the society by the Seaman family, and some of that material comprising the “Seaman Collection” will be available for viewing. The open house is free and all WHS members and the public are invited. Call 928-6378 to learn more.