Welcome to the Rhinebeck History
1834
April 23
Rhinebeck is incorporated as Rhinebeck Flatts
Source: "The Rhinebeck Advertiser", February 23, 1984
May
Mayor John T Schryver is elected for the new town.
Source: "The Rhinebeck Advertiser", February 23, 1984
1860
No date
The Starr Institute starts being built as a tribute to Starr Miller
by his widow Mary
Source: "The Rhinebeck Advertiser", February 23, 1984
1880
June 17
The Long dock ice house of the Knickerbocker ice company was burned.
Watchmen were hired to watch the other ice houses along the river.
Source: June 4, 1880, "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1889
August 3
US Vice-president Levi P MORTON meets ex-Senator James ARKELL, of Canajoharie, in Rhinebeck
for an important conference at Rhinecliff.
Source: Pittsburg dispatch., August 04, 1889
1893
January 2
A tall (6'4"), thin woman in black is seen around Rhinebeck by many residents,
at night, (including: John Hudson
(Chestnut street), William W SNELL, David ACKERT, Thomas SINCLAIR, James TRASTER,
Nathaniel POST, Mrs KERN, Charlie MARTIN (mail carrier), Robert SHRIVER,
and Florence WELCH (school teacher). The woman in black was reported to be in different
areas of town and would stretch out her hands from under a black veil and would
hiss at residents. According to James TRASTER, he passed by and she disappeared.
Robert SHRIVER shot 3 times at her and she ran across the meadow.
Source: Rock Island daily Argus., January 02, 1893, Page 4, Image 4
1897
July 7
The corner stone for the Church of the Messiah is laid.
Source: June 25, 1897 "Red Hook Journal"
1898
April
John Jacob ASTOR commissions and has a large stain glass window placed in the
Church of the Messiah in Rhinebeck
Source: April 10, 1898, "The Brooklyn Daily Eagle"
1900
January 10
Miss Augusta VAN KEUREN (teacher, age 22) goes missing.
Source:"The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
April 8
Rhinebeck town announces that a road between Rhinebeck and Rhinecliff for
electric automobiles will be started.
Source:New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), April 08, 1900, Page 9
November
Miss Augusta VAN KEUREN (teacher, age 22) is seen in Brooklyn by a former classmate.
Source:"The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
1901
March 23
It is announced that Thomas THOMPSON's will left financial support of poor seamstresses
and shopgirls in Rhinebeck. Money was divided between Rhinebeck and Brattleboro,VT
Source:New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), March 24, 1901
1902
April
Rhinebeck received about a two minute mud storm; not rain but mud.
Source: April 1922 "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
June 18
Henry Germond's horse blood vessel bursts when Vincent ASTOR's car drive by.
Vincent gives Henry $300 for the replacement. The horse died the next day.
Source: The Brownsville daily herald., June 18, 1902
1903
February 24
Rhinebeck can already count 26 snow storms for the winter.
Source: February 24, 1923 "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1906
November 27
Percy KING dies in Rhinebeck
Source: Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), November 27, 1906, Page 12
1907
July 27
The Rhinebeck Gazette announces that it will not have to run on gasoline and steam
engines. They are being replaced by electricity.
1909
April 30
Herbert R CLARK is found not guilty to burglary and fire charges against
him for Rhinebeck residences.
Source: The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.), April 30, 1909
October 28
A New York Central Railroad train rear section (eight cars) was thrown from the
tracks because of a broken rail. James KRAKOSKIE, 21 y, was hurled through a
window and crushed to death. Others were hurt. The accident happened south
of the Rhinebeck station.
Source: The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.), October 28, 1909
1910
September 22
Opposition to a house for 100 "incorrigible colored children" will be located
near Willam Starr MILLER house.
Source: New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), September 23, 1910, Page 7
October 15
It is announced that a house for "incorrigible colored children" will be located
in Rhinebeck. The property was the former John D LOWN's farm. The financiers are
: Levi P MORTON, John Jacob ASTOR, Col. F. H. OLIN, William Starr MILLER, and
R.R. BUCKLEY
Source: The broad ax. (Salt Lake City, Utah), October 15, 1910
1911
March
John QUICK is the first Rhinebeck resident to get a motorized truck.
1912
May 3
Col. John Jacob ASTOR's body is recovered from the "Titanic" location and
returned to Rhinebeck for burial in the family mausoleum when it is built.
In the interm, his body is moved to the Armstrong family vault.
Source:The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]), May 03, 1912, LAST EDITION, Page 9
July 8
Vincent ASTOR gives Rhinebeck a new ballpark.
Source: The day book. (Chicago, Ill.), December 26, 1912, Image 6
September 23
Henry Beekman ARMSTRONG gives his estate to Rhinebeck in his will. He is a
cousin to Col. John Jacob ASTOR.
Source: The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.), September 24, 1912
1913
July 10
Vincent ASTOR plans to build a children's home as a tribute to his late father,
John Jacob. who died on the Titanic.
Source: The day book. (Chicago, Ill.), July 10, 1913, Image 26
December 20 (week)
Madeline Talmadge Force ASTOR dedicates a memorial window in honor of her
husband Col John Jacob ASTOR in the Church of the Messiah.
Source: December 20, 1913, "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1916
August 7
A man was shot on Vincent ASTOR's property and was believed to be breaking into
mansions of wealthy residents (H.E. MONTGOMERY and W Starr MILLER).
Source: The day book. (Chicago, Ill.), August 07, 1916, LAST EDITION, Image 30
1920
May 16
Levi P MORTON
dies in Rhinebeck at his residence named "Elleslie" (southwest
part of town near the Hudson River).
He was former vice-president of the United States (under Benjamin Harrison)
and former (31st) Governor of New York. He was 96 years old.
(May 16, 1824 - May 16, 1920).
He died of Bronchial Pneumonia
Funeral services held at the Church of the Messiah.
Burial: Rhinebeck Cemetery beside his wife.
Source: The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.), May 19, 1920, Section One Pages 1 to 16, Image 5
1921
July 27
At 3:30pm, the first cement is poured for the road between Rhinebeck and Rhinecliff
by the Kennedy Brothers.
Source: July 30, 1921 "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1924
June 7
Rhinebeck announces that the car speed limit will be raised from
15mph to 20mph
Source: "The Rhinebeck Gazette", June 7, 1924
September 24
Federal prohibition agents raided the city of Rhinebeck sending several residents
to Federal Court.
Source: 27 September 1924, "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1926
July 21, 22
Rhinebeck has severe winds and rain causing several trees and limbs to fall.
Source: July 24, 1926, "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
1928
May 26
Rhinebeck votes to go with daylight savings time with a committee vote of 332 to 90.
Source: "The Rhinebeck Gazette", May 26, 1928
1930
Oct 14
Rhinebeck receives a new ladder fire truck.
1939
May 1
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visits Rhinebeck for the dedication for the new Post
Office.
Source: Link(8 mmVideo)
1950
November 30
Rhinebeck and surrounding areas were dealing another land hurricane (similiar to
one in 1938) which caused 14 trees to fall in Rhinebeck and about 40 trees in
the surrounding areas.
Source: November 30, 1950 "The Rhinebeck Gazette"
2010
August 1
Chelsea CLINTON and Marc MEZVINSKY marry at the ASTOR COURTS in Rhinebeck.
Source: Link
This web page was last updated on October 14, 2017
Return to Rhinebeck Main Page
Return to Rhinebeck Families Page
