Beacon Historical Society seeks city letter for Chestnut Street dividing-line marker; grant applications due June 9

Denise Van Buren, president of the Beacon Historical Society, asked the Common Council on June 2 to provide a letter of support for an application to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to place a historic marker marking the dividing line between the two former villages that merged into the City of Beacon in 1913.

Van Buren told the council the society recently received markers for the Memorial Building and expects to unveil an elk’s lodge marker on June 8. She said the society has applied for a marker for the Mount Beacon and Klein Railway and for a dividing-line marker that would note Chestnut Street as the boundary between Fishkill Landing and Matteawan, with suggested wording limited by grant character counts: “Chestnut Street, divided villages of Fishkill Landing, Incorporated 1864; Matteawan 1886; merged 1913 to form Beacon.”

Van Buren said the Pomeroy Foundation grants are competitive and that the deadline for the current round is Monday, June 9; she said a city letter of support is needed in the next week. She also said that if the city does not want the marker placed on a public lot, the society will seek private property on Chestnut Street. If approved and funded, the society expects a spring 2026 installation.

A city official told Van Buren the marker request likely does not require council approval but that a letter of support and a site decision would help the grant application. Van Buren thanked the Department of Public Works for installing a recent marker and said the historical society is entirely volunteer-run.

Council members expressed support and appreciation for the society’s work and asked staff to provide the required letter unless any council member raises concerns by email before the deadline.