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SO MANY OF YOU WERE HERE IN 2021 TO THE DEDICATION OF REVOLUTIONARY ROCK.
AT THAT TIME, WE HAD COMPLETED THE HISTORICAL RESEARCH THANKS TO THE 84 PAGE PARSING OF THE SOURCES BY DR.
ERIC WEISSELBERG AND THE INTERPRETED PANELS WERE UP.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE INSTALLED 120 FEET OF BLUESTONE CURBS, THE PERMEABLE PAVING PLANTINGS MADE AND MATURED.
AND NOW FINALLY, THE BOULDER WITH A BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BRONZE PLAQUE.
THIS MARKER WAS DESIGNED TO DO THREE THINGS.
NAME THIS PLACE, REVOLUTIONARY WALK, EXPLORING THE BATTLE OF EDGAR'S LANE.
AND THANK THE MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY WHO MADE THIS TELLING OF THIS STORY POSSIBLE.
WE THANK THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, HUDSON RIVER, PATRIOTS CHAPTER FOR THEIR EARLY SEED.
THIS GAVE US THE CRED, WHICH HELPED TO BRING THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON BOARD.
CINDY REMAN, ARE YOU HERE, CINDY? GOOD TO MEET YOU.
THE REGION OF THE DAR CHAPTER IS WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU TO THEN HASTINGS TRUSTEE NIKKI ARMACOST FOR WORKING WITH THEN MAYOR PETER SOKI.
AND FOLLOWING THROUGH AS MAYOR NIKKI ARMACOST, BRINGING US OVER THE GOAL OVER THE GOAL LINE.
WE THANK THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER WITH THE SUPPORT OF THEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER, AND THEN COUNTY LEGISLATOR, MARY JANESKY.
AND NOW OUR NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER WITH HER MEMBER ITEM SUPPORT.
WE THANK THE DIANE DOBBS ALLEN CHARITABLE TRUST FOR HASTINGS ON HUDSON.
DIANE DOBBS ALLEN WAS A GREAT CIVIC HOUSTONIAN.
AS PRESIDENTS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN ONE OF THE EARLIEST WORKERS ON THE RIVER TOWNS ENTERPRISE, WE WERE DEEPLY HONORED TO RECEIVE A SERIES OF CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE HONOR GOING SUPPORT FOR THIS TRUST NAMED IN HER MEMORY.
THANK YOU DIANE DONAL AND CHARITABLE TRUST FOR HASTINGS.
WE THANK PAUL PERTON, NOT JUST FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BUT WHOSE HASTINGS HISTORICAL, UH, HISTORIAN ARTICLE LAID THE GROUND WITH FOR THIS REVOLUTIONARY WALK.
CONSTANCE KEHOE, NOT ONLY AS PRESIDENT OF WEST REVOLUTIONARY WESTCHESTER TWO 50, BUT FOR HER PERSONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
WE HONOR THE GENEROSITY OF DANIEL AND MELISSA REGA AND HASTINGS OWN BELOVED LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT, UNCLE LEFTIES.
DANNY, ARE YOU HERE, DAN? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND YOUR PARENTS ARE HERE TOO.
THIS MARKER IS THE COMPLETION OF REVOLUTIONARY WALK.
WE THANK NATALIE BERRY OF THE HISTOR HASTINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MY REVOLUTIONARY HASTINGS COLLEAGUES, NILES YEAGER, ANDREW BWIN, EILEEN CHARLES, JOHN FLACK, NEIL BOGAN, SUSAN MEGS, AND ALL THOSE WHO HELPED TO PUT THIS MARKER IN PLACE.
GABBY BWIN, WHO'S DESIGNED CONCEPTS STARTED MOMENTUM.
ANDY SIMONS AND HELENE BENEDETTI OF EMPHASIS DESIGN, WHO FINALIZED THE DESIGN AND SOURCED THE BRONZE CASTING AND SPECIALIZED MEDALLION WORK.
MALCOLM MCDOUGAL III, WHO PETIT A VERY ROUGH LOOKING HUNK OF METAL WHEN IT FIRST ARRIVED.
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER SUSAN HIL, WHO'S A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE DESIGNER WE'RE ENJOYING TODAY, HELPED US NARROW DOWN ZERO IN ON OUR BOULDER SELECTION.
PASQUEL CARINA OF CONEC WHO DONATED AND TRANSPORTED THE CAMBRIAN BOULDER HASTINGS DPW THROUGH VILLAGE MANAGER MARY BETH MURPHY ALLUDED THE ROCK, MARIO MONT AND SONS WHO LAID THE FOUNDATION AND PLACED THE BOULDER STONEGATE MASONRY, WHO DRESSED THE ROCK AND MOUNTED THE PLAQUE.
AMY AND BILL WEBER, THE GOOD NEIGHBORS WHO PROVIDE, WHO PROVIDE THE SITE WITH WATER AND ELECTRICITY.
YOU ALL MADE IT POSSIBLE TO TELL THE STORY
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OF THE BATTLE OF GERS LANE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS BRIEF, LOCAL, HORRIBLE ENGAGEMENT FIGURED INTO THE CONTEXT OF THE TIME.THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES TO TELL FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TENANT FARMERS, PETER POST ESS, THE UNNAMED ENSLAVED AFRICANS WHO LABOR HERE.
THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE HARVEST RAIDS THE STOCKBRIDGE MASSACRE, THE STOCKBRIDGE INDIANS CHIEF NIM, HIM WHITEHORSE HARRY LEE, HIS FIRST COMMAND, HIS FIRST VICTORY.
JOHAN EWALD THE HESSIANS ACCOUNT.
BUT AS TODAY'S VETERAN'S DAY, ONE STORY STANDS OUT THAT OF ENLISTED MAN, JOSEPH PLUM MARTIN, NOT ONLY WAS HE SEEMINGLY EVERYWHERE, BATTLES OF LONG ISLAND WHITE PLAINS CAMPED AT VALLEY FORGE BATTLES OF MONMOUTH YORKTOWN.
AND HE WAS HERE AND WROTE ABOUT, WROTE AN ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF EDGARS LANE.
HE HAD JUST OVERWINTERED AT VALLEY FORGE AND WAS PART OF THE CREATION OF A NEW CORE OF LIGHT INFANTRY MIXING, AS HE SAID, YANKEES, IRISHMEN, BUCK SKINS AND WHATNOT.
HE GAVE VOICE TO THE NEW INTERACTION OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVELED AT MOST ONLY 30 MILES FROM THEIR HOMES NORMALLY IN THEIR LIFETIME.
BUT MOST OF HIS WORK DEALT WITH THE COLD HUNGER AND SICKNESS HE SUFFERED LATER IN LIFE.
PLUM PLUM MARTIN WAS THE GREATEST ADVOCATE FOR ENLISTED MEN'S PENSIONS.
HE WROTE HIS MEMOIR TO BOLSTER REVOLUTIONARY WAR OF VETERANS CLAIMS. TODAY WE GIVE TRIBUTE TO HIM AND OUR VETERANS.
IT IS YOUR NAMES ON THIS PLAQUE, WHICH SO HELP ACTIVATE THIS PLACE.
BRING THIS HIS NOW I INTRODUCED MY EXTRAORDINARY COLLEAGUE ANDREW
I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY BUILT THIS PLACE.
CLOCK WAS TICKING FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
FRED NILES AND I WITH SEVERAL OTHER FRIENDS AND WORKING TO CREATE A PERMANENT INSTALLATION COMM COMMEMORATING THE BATTLE OF GER LAND.
AFTER 17 DRAFTS, THESE PANELS WERE DONE, 17 DRAFTS AND AFTER SEVERAL DESIGNS, SUSAN JANE SHILLS EMERGED AS A CLEAR WINNER.
WE WERE READY TO BUILD AND WE SET OURSELVES A SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021 WOULD BE THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF LAKES LANE, BUT WE NEEDED A CONTRACTING PARTNER.
BENNY CAME TO US BY A FRIEND OF NILES AND WITH NOTHING TO OFFER, BUT A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND A PASSION FOR HISTORY.
I CALLED BENNY TO GET A SENSE OF WHETHER OR NOT HE WOULD BE INTERESTED.
I STILL REMEMBER THAT CALL SO CLEARLY WE CONNECTED IMMEDIATELY TALKING ABOUT OUR LOVE FOR WHERE WE LIVE, LOVE OF HISTORY OF COUNTRY, THE VALUE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, THE VALUE OF COACHING COMMUNITY.
AND WITHOUT HESITATION, BENNY COMMITTED ON THE SPOT TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT WITH US.
HE WAS NEVER FOCUSED ON BUDGET.
HE WAS COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON MAKING OUR SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
AND SO BEGAN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
WE TALKED THROUGH THE DESIGN AND BENEFITED IMMENSELY FROM THIS COMBINATION OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND AESTHETIC SENSE.
WE VISITED THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN TO SEE HIS WORK AND LEARN ABOUT HIS PROCESS.
AND SOON THEREAFTER, HE ANTHONY DELLA CAMERA, AND I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING IT CORRECTLY.
WE UNCOVERED A 19TH CENTURY WATER CISTERN, 10 FEET UNDERGRAD AND PIECES OF THE HOUSE THAT ONCE STOOD HERE.
HE LANDSCAPED PLANTED THE FOUNDATIONS OF A NEW GARDEN.
AND IN THE END, BENNY MADE SURE THE SITE WAS READY FOR THE DEDICATION, EVEN THOUGH THE STONEWORK HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED YET.
AND THE RESULT IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED BENNY AND HIS CREW WOULD SHOW UP WITHOUT ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAINTAIN THE GARDEN, TURNING SOIL AND MULCHING, PLANTING BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.
THEY CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE SITE WITH LOVE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND GENEROSITY.
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BENNY PASSED AWAY FAR TOO YOUNG LAST SUMMER.WE REMEMBER HIM TODAY AS A GREAT NEIGHBOR, A TRUE PATRIOT, AND A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL.
AND I HAVE TO ADD A TRUE MITCH.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE HIS BROTHER, STEVEN WITH US TODAY, AS WELL AS HIS COLLEAGUE ANTHONY.
AND WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS HUMBLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION TO THEM AND THE ENTIRE BULL MONTE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT MAN.
UH, AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MAYOR ARMACOST.
IT REALLY IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THIS UNVEILING TODAY.
THE VILLAGE HAS BEEN A PARTNER IN THIS PROJECT FROM THE OUTSET AND WAS THE VERY FIRST FUNDER I THOUGHT.
ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY WE HAVE TO VY WITH THAT, WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
UM, SO WE'VE TAKEN A SPECIAL INTEREST IN PROGRESS OVER THE YEARS.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I REMEMBER RISOTTO DINNERS AT MY HOUSE BRAINSTORMING WITH FRED WAY BEFORE THERE WAS EVEN A COMMITTEE IN PLACE, UH, WHEN THIS WAS JUST A CONCEPT ON A NAPKIN.
SO I REALLY AM DELIGHTED TO WITNESS THE CULMINATION OF ALL THAT EFFORT.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR IS A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL NEW GATEWAY TO OUR VILLAGE, AND IT'S A TRUE NATURAL ASSET THAT WILL ALSO SERVE TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT A FASCINATING MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY.
IT WILL BE A TREASURED RESOURCE FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS AS THEY EXPLAIN TO OUR CHILDREN WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN HASTINGS ALMOST 250 YEARS AGO.
AND AS I SAID BACK IN 2021, IT WAS SOMEWHAT OF A RELIEF FOR ME TO KNOW THAT THE, UH, THE ENEMIES THAT WERE VANQUISHED WERE HESSIANS AND NOT BRITISH ON THAT FUL DAY.
UM, THIS PROJECT HAS REALLY BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED.
AND I'D LIKE TO ADD MY THANKS TO THE CORE TEAM, ESPECIALLY EILEEN AND FRED, CHARLES GABBY AND ANDREW BWIN, NILE YEAGER, NATALIE BARRY, AND ALL THE GENEROUS DONORS WITHOUT WHICH NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE.
UM, ALSO THANKS TO THE VILLAGE TRUSTEES, TOM DRAKE, MORGAN FLEISIG, DOUGLAS ALLGOOD, AND SAMANTHA MERTON, AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO SERVED DURING THE TIME THIS PROJECT WAS HATCHING.
AND THANKS TO MARY BETH MURPHY, OUR VILLAGE MANAGER, LISA O'REILLY AND OUR PARKS AND DPW TEAM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, UH, SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WEREN'T PAST PART OF THE LONG LIST THAT FRED MENTIONED EARLIER.
BUT WE HAVE DAVID HERE WHO IS OUR COUNTY LEGISLATOR.
WE HAVE PAUL FINER, WHO IS OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR.
WE HAVE ELLEN HENDRICKS, WHO ALSO IS ON THE TOWN BOARD.
WE HAVE MALIKA WHO IS A NEW TRUSTEE.
UH, I HOPE YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS TIME ON THE BOARD.
UM, AND I THINK, I THINK THAT IS, IS THAT ALL THE ELECTED I, MARY JANE WAS MENTIONED BEFORE.
UM, SO BUT WE LOVE YOU AND WE MENTION YOU AGAIN
SO, UM, VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO'S LISTED ON THE PLAQUE.
UM, UH, AND I ALSO WANTED TO ADD MY CONDOLENCES AND TO SAY THAT BENNY WAS REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON AND THIS GORGEOUS LANDSCAPING, WHICH WAS HIS CREATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ALL TREASURE.
BE PEACE, BENNY, WE ALL LOVED YOU AND YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED HERE ALWAYS.
AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, ON THIS 11TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025, I'M THRILLED TO DEDICATE OR REDEDICATE, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S DEDICATE OR REDEDICATE REVOLUTIONARY WALK, EXPLORING THE BATTLE OF EDGAR'S LANE.
AND WE CAN UNVEIL THE REVOLUTIONARY WALK BRONZE MARKER IN THIS PARK TO BE ENJOYED BY THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
SO, OKAY, SO I'M IN BETWEEN, UM, YOU AND GOING INSIDE
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IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT WE REMEMBER WHAT TAKES PLACE ON THE GROUND UNDER OUR, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE USE APPROPRIATE MISAPPROPRIATE, BUT FOR MANY OF US, IT'S, IT HAPPENED RIGHT UNDER OUR HOME FOUNDATIONS, UNDER, UNDER OUR DOWNTOWNS, AND UNDER WHAT IS NOW A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PARK.
LET'S ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS THEY REALLY FOUGHT FOR AND WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO KEEP FROM WHAT THEY DID.
AND A PARK LIKE THIS WILL BE A GREAT PLACE TO CUT THROUGH.
IT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL THANKS TO THE LANDSCAPING.
THANK YOU BENNY AND ALL WHO WORKED WITH HIM.
BUT IT WILL ALSO REMEMBER, HELP US REMEMBER SOMETHING WHICH IS SO OFTEN LOST TODAY, REAL HISTORY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYONE.
WHERE'S FRED ANDREW? OKAY, YOU IN C FRED? DO A 3, 2, 1.