History on display at Onatru Farm in Lewisboro

Milk bottles from local farms dating to the 1800s.Names Lewisboro formerly was known as. A rocking chair believed to have been used by an enslaved individual traveling the Underground Railroad. Historical postcards and photos. Neal Rentz photos

By NEAL RENTZ

Long before there was a Citi Field, Enron Field, the Toyota Center and the American Airlines Center, there was the town of Lewisboro. 

Town Historian Maureen Koehl said Sunday at Onatru Farm that like Citi Field and other venues, the town was named Lewisboro following a financial transaction. 

Her office is located on the first floor of the farm building, and the annual Lewisboro History Display is being held through Sunday, March 8, at the farm.

Koehl, a former elementary school teacher and journalist who has written for local newspapers, was appointed town historian in 1988 by the Town Board. 

This year marks the 186th anniversary of the changing of the name of the town from South Salem to Lewisboro. Koehl said this week that since the U.S. is celebrating its 250 anniversary this year she wanted to recognize the town’s name change this year. 

Koehl said that it was February 1840 when the town swapped its name after financier and New York City resident John Lewis approached the South Salem town fathers with a proposition. 

“Lewis was deeply interested in the promotion of public education, hence his generous gift to his hometown provided the money was used for the betterment of the town’s schools and the town be renamed in his honor,” Koehl said of the man who was born in Vista in 1793.

Lewis provided South Salem with $10,000 for public education if it agreed to change its name to Lewisboro, she noted.

“A bill was passed in Albany on Feb. 13, 1840, stating, ‘The Town of South Salem, in the county of Westchester, shall hereafter be called and known by the name of Lewisboro. Nothing contained in this act shall in any way affect the rights of any inhabitant or officer of said town, or of any other person, or of the town itself. This act shall take effect immediately,” Koehl noted. 

The display features items from the town historian’s office collection and new items and new arrivals from residents including items from a Cross River dairy farm, items from the Brady family of Goldens Bridge and letters from the Wakeman family in Vista from the 1840s, Koehl said. In addition, there is a rocking chair donated by the Bouton family of South Salem believed to have been used by an enslaved individual traveling the Underground Railroad. There are also maps, quilts, butter churns and vintage postcards on display.

“There’s so much history here in Lewisboro,” Koehl said. 

Kevin Catone of Goldens Bridge provided several historical objects to the exhibition, including milk bottles from local farms. Catone said the bottles date from the 1800s.

Catone has also provided historical artifacts he found from the former Goldens Bridge train station. Catone noted that commuters would walk across the train tracks, but there were no electrified third rails.

Micheal Brown of Goldens Bridge provided examples of his postcard collection to this year’s exhibit. 

“I asked him if he would share a few with the annual winter history display and he was glad to help out,” Koehl said. “Everyone loves to look at historic postcards, and the postcards drew much interest.”

The History Display is being held at Onatru Farm, located at 99 Elmwood Road, South Salem. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7; and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 8. It is free and suitable for all ages.