2025 marks 50 years since the cornerstone was laid for the Historical Society of Rockland County’s History Center Museum, following years of work led by John Zehner, president of the HSRC from 1954 to 1978.
Zehner is widely recognized as the driving force behind the Historical Society’s success in the mid-twentieth century. On this episode of the Crossroads of Rockland History podcast Russell Woolley shared memories of working with Zehner in the early 1970s in the Society’s historic Anglo-Dutch Barn.
John Zehner was a civil engineer by profession. He played a pivotal role in the establishment and leadership of the Historical Society and contributions significantly expanded the Society’s membership and led to the establishment of a permanent museum building, helping to preserve local history for future generations.
Russell Woolley is the president and broker-owner of Wright Brothers Real Estate and a life-long resident of Rockland County.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.
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