Many who grew up in Ossining, NY like I did will remember an old, overgrown algae-covered man-made pond near the Chilmark Shopping Center known simply as The Reservoir. It was the Village’s water supply for much of the pre-World War II era, and then was replaced by water towers. When I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s the Reservoir was used for skating (AT OWN RISK, as the sign said) and hanging out.
The water towers had their share of graffiti, and nobody really knew what good the Reservoir was. I learned to skip rocks there,and I spent many hours of my youth sitting quietly, watching the water, either alone or with some friends after buying baseball cards and candy at Chilmark Pharmacy. In the Spring and Autumn we’d ride our bikes around it. I had a 5-speed with high handle bars and a banana seat.
In the earlier part of this decade, the Village cleaned the place up, added an asphalt ring around it for walking, installed some park benches and tables, and dedicated it as Reservoir Park. An aerator was installed for the algae, and the towers were repainted. Mayor Perillo was vilified by some for the improvement expense, but most, like myself, applauded the move. It is an extremely popular place to sit, walk the dog, stroll the kids, and spend quiet time. The SKATE AT OWN RISK sign is long gone, replaced by 3 LAPS = 1 MILE.
Ossining Reservoir Park
You can barely make out the water towers at the other end of the Reservoir. They use to be an awful sky blue accented with graffiti. Now they are a dark green-far better aesthetics. A few years ago, an Ossining sanitation worker, Richard Wishnie, was tragically killed on the job. The park was renamed after him.
Pump House
That brick structure behind the sign is from 1869 and is an old pump house. I climbed inside a few times when I was around 12. There is nothing inside except an old wood floor and brick walls. It was a great hiding place and we flipped baseball cards inside.
Pump House Dedication from 1869
As the stone says, Ossining used to be known as Sing Sing, an Anglicization of Sint Sinck, the aboriginal natives of the area. To differentiate the village from Sing Sing Prison, the name evolved to Ossingsing and then Ossining. Ossining High’s mascot was the Indian for many years to honor the Sint Sinck, but political correctness ended the Indian mascot. The neighborhood across Pleasantville Road from the Reservoir is known informally as the Indian Village, as the streets are all Native American names, such as Mohawk, Pocantico and Iroquois. I grew up on Osage Drive West.
There is alot to like about Ossining-the diversity of the residents, the managable commute to New York City, and that magnificent Hudson View. Of course, since they finally turned around that derelict, overgrown hole in the ground, the Richard Wishnie Reservoir Park is another great thing about the place.
jphilipre