Sign marking the Rushmore Memorial Library

as a state historic site will be dedicated Saturday Highland Mills - Members of the Woodbury Historical Society will gather with the community this Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m., to dedicate a new historical marker in front of the Rushmore Memorial Library in Highland Mills. The sign, provided by the Town of Woodbury, marks the Rushmore building as a state historic site as well as placing it on the National Historic Register. This status for the pudding stone structure built in 1923 was granted earlier this year after being sought for more than a quarter century. The Rushmore building, which was the town’s original library, is named after the same family for which Mount Rushmore in South Dakota is named. Charles Rushmore, who lived with his family in Highland Mills in the early 1900’s, was a young lawyer with a New York City firm. He was sent to South Dakota to inspect some mines that a client of his firm’s was planning to buy. Rushmore uncovered some fraudulent activities and, in doing so, saved the client a great deal of money it had planned to invest. Later, the governor named the great stone mountain, “Mount Rushmore,” in appreciation to Charles Rushmore for his excellent work. This Saturday’s 2 p.m. dedication ceremony will be followed by a small reception in the Rushmore building in memory of the Rushmore family as the original benefactors of the library, and also in memory and honor of all those who have worked to create and maintain the Woodbury Historical Society since its founding in 1984. The building is located on Route 32 and Weygant Hill adjacent to the Highland Mills Post Office. For more information, call 845-928-6770.