VILLAGES OF THE TOWN.
Hopewell.—This village is in the western portion of the town, not far from the Shawangunk River. The name was taken from the old Hopewell church, which was an offshoot from the Goodwill Presbyterian congregation at Montgomery, where the Congregational section had been squeezed out, as it were. They were thus in need of hope at the time, and thus the name "Hopewell" was suggested by some of the more thoughtful members, and it was very promptly adopted for the church name, as it afterward was also for the little village which gathered about it. It does not appear that any important business or mercantile trade was ever conducted there, however. It is merely a fertile farm section where the residents have gathered to make their homes. The postal facilities for these people are at Thompson's Ridge, a station on the Crawford branch of the Erie Railway.
Bullville.—This is in the southwestern portion of the town near the Wallkill line. It was named in honor of Thomas Bull, who lived there many years and engaged in various business enterprises, and in fact founded the place. While the name of the hamlet is not especially felicitous, nor even euphonious, the location is attractive and pleasing, it being upon high ground with a fine view of the surrounding landscape. A fine commodious Methodist church was built there many years ago and there is a most attractive cluster of fine dwellings. In 1880 a hotel was conducted by Silas Dickerson and a general store by Charles Roe. There were also a creamery, two blacksmith shops, a flour and feed store, a coal yard and even a distillery. The place is seven miles west of Montgomery village.
Searsville.—This was formerly known as Searsburgh. It is another small village, near the center of the town, on the Dwaarskill. It was named for, and practically founded by, Benjamin Sears, already mentioned at some length. He built the mills there at an early date, and his more distant neighbors soon gathered about him and built their homes there. It was formerly a trading point of some importance, but the advent of the railway brought other neighboring hamlets into greater prominence and left this place somewhat isolated. But in 1880 there were a hotel, two blacksmith and wagon shops, a grist mill and a saw mill still in operation. There is also a post-office. The location being central, the town meetings were usually held there in past years, and the general official business was transacted there.
Thompson's Ridge.—A short distance west of Searsville, on the Crawford Branch Railway, is this hamlet, as before stated. In former years it was mainly composed of the Thompson family, for which it was originally named. Daniel Thompson, the railway superintendent, lived near there. The station is quite an important one both for its passenger business and the large shipments of milk which are made from it. A small store, the post-office, and the various railway structures make up the business part of the hamlet. It is in the midst of the finest farming section of Orange County, the farms of the Thompson family and others in that neighborhood being the most productive in the county.
Collaburg.—This is in the southern section of the town, and the name is now printed "Collabar" on the modern map of the county. The locality is somewhat thickly settled. It was formerly an important point on the Newburgh and Cochecton turnpike, with a hotel and many other buildings of a varied character. But the new railway did not touch the place and travel was soon diverted to other points, which stopped all further development there.
Pine Bush.—This is located near the Shawangunk River, in the northern part of the town, near the Ulster County line, and it is a thriving business village, the most important in the town. It is the northern terminus of the Crawford Branch Railway, and its post-office serves a large section of country on both sides of the river in that region. The village site is generally level and attractive, upon the high bank of the stream at that point, and the land environment comprises a most fertile farming section. The old grist mill there belongs to the Revolutionary period, and the Shawangunk Mountains rise in rugged, frowning peaks which overlook the valley and form a background of rare beauty. The heights of the Hudson River are seen in the distant horizon toward the east and north, and there is a rare combination of upland, valley, mountain and stream, forest slopes and well tilled farms which charms the beholder and forms a most attractive and beautiful landscape. Summer visitors are attracted here in large numbers, and they find much to admire and enjoy.
Among the early tradesmen here was James Thompson, who opened a store in 1824. He was succeeded by Hezekiah Watkins, Tarbosch & Weller, Louis Wisner, Elijah Smith and George Oakley. Dr. Ewan came in 1830, and built a hotel and also conducted a drug store. Abraham Mould began a tannery plant in 1825, but after a few years he was killed by James Mitchell in a violent personal quarrel, for which Mitchell was finally acquitted on the ground of self defense.
The old Ellenville and Newburgh plank road—a wicked production of a benighted period—passed through Pine Bush. This, however, marked the beginning of the modern growth of the place. There were then only three or four dwelling houses. In 1880 there were in addition to the various railway structures, two hotels, several stores, many shops of various kinds, a restaurant, grist mill and saw mill, meat market, photograph gallery, livery stable, distillery, marble works, and a great variety of other business enterprises. The post-office was originally known as Crawford, and Arthur Slott was probably the first postmaster. The name of the village was bestowed on account of the dense growth of pine trees which formerly covered that entire tract of land. The opening of the railway was of course a great event for Pine Bush and had much to do with its subsequent development and progress. Mr. A. R. Taylor, a leading business man, came from Ulsterville in 1848 and proved a most progressive citizen, opening many new stores and taking an active part in all village improvements. He was a civil engineer and was credited with having driven the first stake in Chicago during an engagement in the west many years ago, which if true is a well merited distinction.
SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN.