Pleasant Valley Celebrates Its Sesquicentennial

PLEASANT VALLEY CELEBRATES ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

by Elizabethann Albertson

Pleasant Valley's Sesquicentennial Celebration enveloped three evenings and two days with a unique mixture of history and hoop-la that could have only come to Dutchess County at Pleasant Valley. While 150th Birthday Parties were relatively common this year, the townspeople of Pleasant Valley set out early in the year to make theirs something special.

Some forty Town organizations as well as independent citizens banded together through a Chamber of Commerce coordinating committee. What they put together ran from 4 p.m. Friday, September 17, to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 19.

Better than thirty booths and displays opened Friday along with a children's carnival of mechanical rides. The main event of that evening was a free Teen Dance held in a huge tent on North Avenue in the center of Town. A group called the Stockade provided the music from 8 to 11 p.m.

Saturday's events opened at 10 a.m. with a Fair at St. Paul's Episcopal Church joining the festivities. One p.m. saw the highlight of the day, a Rededication Ceremony on Main Street honoring the Town. Speakers included Town Supervisor John Stewart, Congressman Hamilton Fish, State Senator Jay Rolison, State Assemblyman Emil Betros, County Executive David Schoentag, County Representative Calvin Smith and County Sheriff Lawrence Quinlan. Other guests included the Pleasant Valley Town Board and the supervisors of the Towns of Clinton and LaGrange.

General Chairman of the Celebration, Herb Redl, unveiled a monument to the Town, five feet of marble with the seal of Pleasant Valley engraved on it. John Reed, Jr., president of the Chamber of Commerce, hosted the event.

The remainder of the days festivities included the annual Pleasant Valley-Salt Point Day of field events for children and adults at the Pleasant Valley Recreation Park, a saw mill demonstration by Don Robison at his local mill, a Masons' dinner and a chicken barbecue at St. Paul's Church. Little Miss (ages 5 to 8) Pleasant Valley was also selected. Local baton twirlers, the Valleyettes, entertained in the evening, followed later by the teenage New Frontier singing group. The evening ended with a free adult Tent Dance on North Avenue with music provided by the Russ Gilmore Band.

Sunday was marked by an All Faiths Service conducted under the tent on North Avenue. Pastors of all the churches in Pleasant Valley participated. The Reverend Marlin Stewart of the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church, the oldest congregation in the Town, gave the sermon. An interfaith choir inspired all who attended.

At 1:30 p.m., the longest Parade in Pleasant Valley's history moved down Main Street from the Traver Road School to the Recreation Park,

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passing in review before some 3000 spectators. Six trophies were awarded: Best Adult Float, the Salt Point Ladies Auxiliary; Best Youth Float, the Pleasant Valley Cub Scouts; Best Adult Marching Group, the Pleasant Valley-Salt Point Firemen; Best Youth Marching Group, De Malay (Mason Youth); Best Horse-drawn Float, Debby Baldwin; and Best Color Guard, V.F.W. Judges were Mr, Denise Fecketter and Mrs. Jan Hooser of the Dutchess County Art Association, for the Floats and Sgt. Fitzpatrick and Sgt. Hutton, local Army recruiters, for the marchers and the color guard.

After the Parade the West Point Band and Frivolous Sal's Banjo Band gave performances, leading to the Beauty Contest for Miss Pleasant Valley. Miss Nancy Cniger was selected the Town's beauty queen. The afternoon's events closed with a concert by the Connecticut Rebels band.

The celebration itself boomed to a close with massive Fireworks at 8:30 p.m.

The main committees behind the celebration included Herb Redl, general chairman; co-chairmen of Friday night, Andy Adinolfi and Mrs. Marian Drewes; Saturday night co-chairmen: Jack Moorehead and Andy Pink; Sunday co-chairmen: John Reed and Jim Moran. Cliff Andrews and the Pleasant Valley Jaycees coordinated Booths and Displays. Mrs. Pat Holt and Mrs. Marian Drewes co-chaired the Parade. Ken White was chairman of Fireworks, Haig Babian and Holly Panessa, the Beauty Contest, and Nick Freisitzer, the Saturday night dance.

Miss Dorothy Albertson and Joseph d'Aquanni coordinated school children participation. Art Levin coordinated publicity and event publications. John De Groodt took care of banners and much of the building of displays and booths.

Clifford Buck was historical advisor for the Sesquicentennial.

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