About Us

This page will link you to information if you want to contact us or use our facilities.  Please click on the appropriate information: 

• Contact Us

• Hours and Facilities

• Travel Directions

• Staff

Contact Us

If you cannot visit our facility, you may contact us:

Mail: 68 Marvin Ave., Brewster NY 10509-1515
Telephone: 845-808-1420
FAX: 845-278-4865 
E-mail: historian@putnamcountyny.gov

Please give us the subject of your research and the scope of your inquiry.  We will check our databases and indexes to see what relevant materials we may have that could help with your research.  As we are a government department, we may not spend a great deal of staff time on an individual’s private research or to search unindexed records.  (We will inform you of any charges for postage or photocopies.)

Although there are a great many genealogical resources here, we are not genealogists.  If you need to do extensive research here, but cannot come yourself, we can supply you with a list of genealogists who are familiar with Putnam County families.  You will have to negotiate their fees with them. 

We have compiled (and update annually) a Handbook for Putnam County History and Genealogy, which is available for $5.00, plus $2.00 postage.  The Handbook contains a bibliography of resources that are available here in Putnam County, including other libraries and repositories, local government historians, and historical societies and museums.  If you want a copy, please send a check payable to the Putnam County Historian along with your postal address.

For further help with boundary and place name changes of Putnam’s towns and villages, click here for TOWN LINKS (link this).    

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Hours and Facilities

The Historian’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm, except legal holidays.
 
The public is invited to use the Archives, Library, and Collection on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and on other weekdays by pre-arrangement.  Those wishing to do research are asked always to notify the County Historian’s Office in advance of their visit. 

FACILITIES AVAILABLE:

There is no charge for using the Library, Collection and County Archives.  Parking is free.

A computer is available for public use for searching the databases and for note taking.  There is no charge, but researchers should bring their own diskettes or flash drives.

Fees are charged for photocopying, ranging from 20¢ to 40¢ per page, depending on paper size. 
There is a $5.00 charge for scanning photos.  The charge for multiple scans will depend on how complicated the project is and how much staff time is required.

There is a microfilm-reader printer.  Photocopies of microfilm are 40¢ each.

The Office, Library and restroom are accessible to the disabled.

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Travel Directions

The Putnam County Historian’s Office & County Archives are located at 68 Marvin Avenue, Brewster, NY.  The telephone number is 845-278-7209.  Here’s how to get here:

FROM WEST & SOUTH via TACONIC & US 6:
Exit Taconic on US 6 going right (east).  US 6 east into Brewster.  Where US 6 bears left at RR station, go straight.  Take first left (Marvin Avenue) to Records Center.

FROM NORTH BY TACONIC/I-84: 
Take I-84 east to exit 20N; then take immediate exit 10; then US 202 & 6 to Brewster.  Right on US 6 over bridge at a traffic light and next left (Marvin Ave.) to Records Center on right.

FROM SOUTH BY SAW MILL & I-684:
 Saw Mill will merge with I-684.  Continue on I-684 to Exit 8 (Hardscrabble Rd.).  Go left and straight when Route NY 22 enters from the left.  Continue on 22 north through Croton Falls (US 202 east will join NY 22).  Take first left after reservoir (sign says to US 6 west) and second right (Marvin Avenue) to Records Center on left. 

FROM WEST & NORTH BY NY 301:
US 301 to Carmel & right on NY 52 at Courthouse.  Left on US 6 East in front of Reed Library.  Follow US 6 into Brewster.  Where 6 bears left at RR station, go straight.  Take first left (Marvin Avenue) to Records Center on left.

FROM EAST BY I-84 OR US 6: 
I-84 to Rte. 121 exit (US 6 & US 202 west).  Right on 121 and left on US 202 & 6 to a traffic light where US 6 goes right.  Go right over bridge at light & take first left (Marvin Ave.) to Records Center on right.

BY TRAIN:
The Historian’s Office can also be reached by train.  We are within walking distance from the Brewster station on the Harlem Line out of Grand Central Station.  There are taxis at the train station in Brewster.

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Staff

County Historian: Denis Castelli
Deputy Historian: Sallie Sypher*

The County Historian’s Office and the Archives are staffed by part-time personnel and volunteers:

Research/clerical assistants:
Tim Crawford
Christina Mucciolo
Catherine Wargas

Archivist: Reginald White

Volunteers:
Elizabeth Allison*
Robert Palmer*
Andrew Smith
Fred M. Sturzenbecher*

We welcome volunteers to work with the archives, the library, the maps and photographs and to assist in research. Call the office if you are interested.

*Persons whose names are marked with an asterisk volunteer through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Call Mary White at the Office for the Aging at (845) 621-0600 for more information.

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