Local History – Indians

          There used to be some Indian Tribes in Rockland County.  The Delaware Indians controlled all the land west of the Hudson and from the Catskill Mountains south into Delaware.  The Iroquois were north of the Catskills and the Mohegans were east of the Hudson.  Pearl River, Orangeburg, Nauraushaun and other places in Rockland County were the homes of our Indians for a substantial length of time.  Many arrowheads and other stone tools that were recently found proved this.  We also know that early migrations of different groups came here from different directions.  The Indians came here right after the last ice age.  They first came to Pearl River as small hunting groups.  This group was termed pre-archaic or Paleo Indians.  After the Archaic Period, the period termed Woodland came.  There were many improvements in the Woodland Period.  There was an increase in design and art projects, and an improvement of pottery type and form.   Following the Woodland Period was the Historic Period.  This brought great changes to the Indian culture.  European objects resulted in a big change for the Indians.

          On the Indian sites in Rockland County artifacts have been found that represent most of the groups mentioned.  Some of the artifacts were forms of art, diagnostic tool types and anthropological remains.  These groups have lived here from the end of the last ice age up to the Historic Period.  Most of our Indians moved westward after the Historic Period to continue the only way of life that they really knew!     

Local History-Julius Braunsdorf (father of Pearl River)

         Julius E. Braunsdorf is without a doubt the “Father of Pearl River.”  He was an inventor, city planner, humanitarian, business leader, and a great builder all at one time.  He came to Pearl River 100 years after it’s settlement.  Braunsdorf bought the Polhemus farm, where he built his home.  Braunsdorf purchased a property in 1872 in a deserted area, which soon became Pearl River.

       Julius Braunsdorf designed Pearl River to be a company town.  The company was The Aetna Sewing Machine Company. In 1872 it as completed as the largest factory in Pearl River.  He ceded land to the railroad in 1872, so workers from New York City could get to his factory.