Village of East Nassau Handbook
Note to residents: This is a "living document" - website addresses, phone numbers, names of officeholders and other information can change over time, so it is advisable to check back here for the latest information when you need to reference an item listed. If you notice a descrepancy or have suggestions for additions, please send a note to handbook@villageofeastnassau.gov.
To navigate through the information in the handbook, click on the right-pointing arrow to expand the topic (click on down-pointing arrows to minimize the topic).
The Village of East Nassau was incorporated in 1998 as a self-governing municipality. The reason for the incorporation was this: the Lane mining company was threatening to level Snake Hill (aka Snake Mountain) for greywacke, a valuable stone for use in construction, fill, and road surfacing. The Town of Nassau did not at the time prohibit such mining, and so, after much research, many meetings, and a public referendum, the Village of East Nassau formed as a separate entity in order to protect its rural character and an important scenic feature of its landscape, and it prohibited commercial mining within its boundaries. Snake Hill is mentioned in the 1897 description of Nassau cited below. The story of the Village formation is told in Snake Mountain Trilogy: A Berkshire Memoir by one of the Village’s founding members, Donald Lloyd.
Historically, a village by the name of East Nassau existed long before it was incorporated as a self-governing municipality.
Some local histories in print form that include the Village of East Nassau are: History of The Seventeen Towns of Rensselaer County by A.J. Weise; A History of the Hamlet of Brainard 1743-1978 by Frances Thomson; The Early History of Nassau Village, 1609-1830 by Paul Huey and Ralph Phillips; Snake Mountain Trilogy: A Berkshire Memoir by Donal Lloyd; and a memoir about growing up in the village called Intrepidations and Funny Business by David Alter. Some of these may be available in a local public library.
The following histories are available online:
For a history of Nassau, New York, that includes East Nassau, see the following, written in 1897: http://history.rays-place.com/ny/ren-nassau-ny.htm
A compilation of abstracts from early histories of Nassau, including listings of early settlers, can be found at: http://rensselaer.nygenweb.net/nassau.htm
For Rensselaer County and the Anti-Rent Wars: http://research.stephentowngenealogy.com/wiki/Anti-Rent_Wars
For a history of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, members of which lived in this area, go to: www.mohican.com, click on Community and find “Our History”. See also The River Indians: Mohicans Making History by Shirley W. Dunn and many other sources that discuss the presence of the Mohican tribe in this area. For a Mohican history walking tour of Stockbridge, MA, originally known, at its establishment, as Indiantown, see https://housatonicheritage.org/plan-a-visit/native-american-heritage-trail/.
For accounts of the history of African-Americans in Rensselaer County, some websites are available, including: http://donrittner.com/his21.html (on slavery in Rens. Co.)
For an account of the settlements of Jewish immigrant farmers in Nassau and Schodack in the early 20th century, there are several websites, one of the best being by the Nassau village historian, Kurt Vincent. This account includes a general overview of the early history of the Nassau region: http://nebula.wsimg.com/80afee35a45118cdcd0b56e335445e2a?AccessKeyId=3150E8AC5058496F1B24&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
If you have photos from the past, we would love to copy them for our archive. If you are interested in lending photos of village buildings, folks, Central School events, or any other Village-related subject, please contact our Historian, Bill Davis at historian@villageofeastnassau.gov. Note: you may be ready to “declutter” and get rid of those old photos and clippings, but there is a home for them in the Village archive if you no longer wish to be burdened by them. Don’t assume that no one will be interested! We already are.
The Village of East Nassau includes the three hamlets of Brainard, East Nassau, and Hoags Corners.
It contains differently zoned areas: hamlet, rural residential, and waterfront. The different zones are governed by different regulations, all of which information can be found in the Land Use Regulations on the Village web site. Questions can be answered by Village officials: department heads, the mayor, or members of the board of trustees, all of whose contact information is also on the Village website home page.
The hamlet of East Nassau is informally divided into two parts approximately half a mile apart: the "upper village", upstream on the Kinderhook Creek, and the "lower village", which is the older part, downstream on the Kinderhook Creek.
The population of the Village is approximately 560, made up of approximately 240 households. Information from Census.gov including the 2020 census data (click here).
Firehouse Breakfasts and Pizza Night
Both of the firehouses (Tsatsawassa Fire and Hoags Corners Fire) within the Village host community breakfasts once a month during nine months of the year. Breakfasts are all-you-can-eat for a modest price. Signs are posted prominently in advance of the breakfasts. In addition, there are occasonal pig roasts, and the Hoags Corners Ambulance offers a pizza night once a month, pizzas to be eaten there in the ambulance station or delivered to your home. Note: Check to make sure when these breakfasts and pizza nights will resume after safety measures are no longer needed.
Annual Village Cookie Contest
Once a year, on a Sunday in November, the Village hosts a cookie contest open to contestants from anywhere in the area. The event includes a Chinese auction with donations from local businesses, as well as free ice cream sundaes. A nominal admission is charged.
Annual Community-Wide Yard Sale hosted by the SAC
Once a year, on a Saturday in mid-July, a community yard sale is hosted by the Senior Advocacy Committee on a lawn in the “upper village”. Donations are accepted during the months in advance of the sale, prices are nominal, and food is served for a modest price. Proceeds benefit the Senior Advocacy Committee and support the services it provides to the community.
Voting in national elections, both primaries and general elections, takes place at the Village’s polling stations, which are the Tsatsawassa Firehouse and the Hoags Corners Firehouse, depending on where you live. All elections involving town, county, state, and federal posts are managed by the Rensselaer County Board of Elections who sends out postcards with voting information including locations and times.
Local elections for Village offices takes place exclusively at the Tsatsawassa Firehouse. Voting information, including times, for village elections are posted on the Village website (www.villageofeastnassau.org)
[overview of current Climate Smart Community efforts]
On Route 20, on the site of the former Methodist Church, which burned down in 2016, a park has been created by the Village and is maintained by volunteers. It features the former bell tower and bell of the church and is planted with lawn and daffodils.
At the end of Hayes Rd., off Route 66, is the Albert Family Community Forest, a tract of over 300 acres of land that has been made accessible to the public courtesy of the Albert family and the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. It is open sunrise to sunset for walking, hiking and, in season, hunting. There is a small parking area at the information center. The forest includes handicapped-accessible trails. Dogs are allowed on leash. Hunters need to acquire the proper permits. Hudson Taconic Lands, which manages the forest, also hosts events here including nature walks, forest bathing, and walking meditations.
The parking area for the Preserve is on Martha Hicks Road owned by The Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT), with information booth and sign-in clipboard. The preserve consists of 85 acres of trails of varying difficulty, and also a pleasant picnic/swimming area on the Kinderhook Creek not far from the parking area. It is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. During the spring and summer, there are occasional nature walks here hosted by the RLT.
The Robert Ingalls Preserve, also owned by the Rensselaer Land Trust, on Garfield Rd. in Stephentown, approx. 2 miles going east from the intersection of Routes 66 and 26 (the Garfield-East Nassau Rd.) contains 50 acres of woods and streams and features several moderate trails. Parking is along the Garfield-East Nassau Rd.
The Mud Pond Preserve, containing nearly 700 acres of forest,100 acres owned by the Town of Nassau, is a complex ecosystem including a six-acre pond surrounded by rare flora and fauna and three trail loops with buffers for sensitive areas. It is open to the public year-round from sunrise to sunset for hiking and walking. Parking is by the information board on Central Nassau Road (County Route 16).
A section of Garfield Rd. in the eastern part of the Village of East Nassau borders the enormous natural feature/geological formation known as the Rensselaer Plateau.
In Stockbridge, MA, est. 1934, 15 acres of plantings, ponds, picnicking, exhibits, events.
Within the city of Pittsfield, a 231-acre park with extensive gardens including the Hebert Arboretum and a featured Lilac Walk. (www.
The East Nassau Senior Advocacy Committee is a private, not-for-profit organization that grew out of a village committee. The group seek to reach out to, support, and advocate for senior residents in order to allow them to age in place within the community to the fullest extent possible in a safe, independent, and healthy way while maintaining a good quality of life. Among the services offered are a durable medical equipment exchange, assistance for accessing other support services, and information and engagement with local seniors.
The Rensselaer County Department of Aging has many resources available to Seniors in the county.
Food Pantries
Transportation: See under Transportation in the Rural Living section of the Handbook
Emergency Loans: Emergency loans for emergency situations not covered by other resources can be applied for from the Nassau Sunshine Fund, based in the Town of Nassau and available to all residents living within the geographical boundaries of the Town of Nassau, which includes the Village of East Nassau.
Other: See the Community Resource Guide produced by Joseph's House.
Fire and EMS agencies
The Village of East Nassau has, within its boundaries, two fire stations. They serve not only the Village but designated areas of the Town of Nassau. Within the Village is also an ambulance station, which also serves the Town of Nassau. The emergency services stations are:
In all cases, call 911 if you need emergency assistance! And be sure your 911 address is plainly visible in front of your house.
Drought Periods of prolonged drought are increasing with the change in the climate. (Nearly half the U.S. was undergoing drought in mid-October 2020.) Prolonged drought results in a lowering of the water table, which affects household wells. It stresses trees and other yard and garden plantings and wild vegetation. Plants may react by going dormant. It also increases the risk of fire because of the dry vegetation.
There are several possible responses to the risks posed by periods of drought. We can prepare ahead of time by establishing infrastructure that will accommodate drought and dry spells and by planting drought-tolerant vegetation. We can conserve water once a drought has established itself.
In anticipation of drought:
During a drought: Conserve water! There are many websites with tips for conserving water. Often mentioned are: fixing leaks, not letting water run when you're not using it (brushing teeth, washing vegetables), and not watering your lawn when it doesn't need it. In fact, lawns, once established, do not need to be watered at all. They can be allowed to go brown during dry spells. They will revive once the rains return.
Although they are rarer than other types of weather events, tornadoes do occur in our area. We may also experience "supercell" storms that include multiple tornado-like revolving wind funnels that can do heavy damage similar to or almost as severe as the damage done by a true tornado. The revolving funnel can be obscured by rain and mist so that it is not clearly visible as such. Besides their actual direct destruction, both tornadoes and wind funnels can result in downed wires and power outages.
Extreme heat As we know, average yearly temperatures are increasing. We can expect, in future, higher temperatures in spring, summer, and fall, and more extended periods of extremely high temperatures.
More and more households depend on air conditioning, but there are things we can do to protect our buildings from the most severe impact of high heat and also to reduce the amount of air conditioning we need, thus reducing our electric bills.
Plant shade trees on the south and west sides of your building. Deciduous trees will block sunlight from windows and walls on the south and west sides of the house during summer, but allow the sunlight through in winter when the leaves are off and the house needs the heat.
Consider installing awnings on south and west windows to keep the sun from entering the building. Like a sun umbrella, an awning will keep the heat off and lower the air conditioning bill. There are several awning installers in the area, but one that has been in business for years is 4th Generation Awnings.
There are a number of resources available to help you be prepared for an emergency.
There are a number of resources that will help you be prepared for emergency situations.
FEMA's "Are You Ready?" Online course and guide: FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) has published a 200-page paperback Are You Ready: In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, based on the most reliable hazard awareness and emergency education information available at the time of publication (undated 2013; its aim is to help create emergency plans for before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property. Includes information on disaster supplies kits, natural hazards such as floods, thunderstorms, extreme heat, and wildfires, and water conservation. The FEMA online course consists of one hour of instruction in disaster preparedness. It covers emergency planning for people with disabilities, how to locate and evacuate to a shelter, and contingency planning for family pets. In includes information on Citizen Corps and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. Check out the resources available at https://www.ready.gov/.
Pets: The ASPCA on its website provides information as to how you can include your pet in your preparations for confronting the risks of natural disaster (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness) It offers a list of supplies to keep packed for your pet in case evacuation becomes necessary (https://www.aspca.org/sites/default/files/disaster-preparedness-checklist.pdf), including such items as: a first aid kit, appropriate medications, identification tags, etc. A decal is available from the ASPCA to be placed in a window or front door to let emergency responders know there may be pets inside the house. (https://secure.aspca.org/take-action/order-your-pet-safety-pack).
Escape/Evacuation Routes: Route 20 is the official Federal Disaster escape route for this area. You need to know how to reach it safely. It is a good idea to identify, ahead of time, all the different routes leading away from your house to Route 20 or to a place of safety, in case one or more routes are blocked by flooding, falling trees or wires, etc.
A reminder in case you encounter a flooded road: Do not attempt to "make a run for it" by driving across a flooded road. The water may be deeper or the current faster than you anticipate. There have been many fatalities from people getting trapped in vehicles in rising water or swept away downstream. Evacuation Plan: At the moment, the village is part of a county-wide evacuation plan, details of which can be found at the county website (rensco.com).
Vulnerable populations: A voluntary evacuation registry is being considered for development for East Nassau residents who may need help in case of an emergency situation. This may include the elderly or disabled, families with small children, single-parent households, or those without the full-time use of a vehicle. As always, if you need emergency assistance, call 911 if possible.
Insurance Claims: For purposes of future insurance claims in case of a natural disaster that damages your property, it is recommended that you create a file now of photographs and other documentation showing the existing condition of your home and other structures on your property. Keep this documentation updated as you make improvements, additions, etc. Include a copy in your evacuation kit. Speak to your insurance provider to see what documentation they might need to efficiently process a claim.
The Rensselaer County Cornell Cooperative Extension
Local Newspapers
Libraries: The Village of East Nassau is within a ten-minute drive of two public libraries. Both offer books, inter-library loans, DVD’s, programs for adults and children, help with taxes, etc.
DEC email notices list: You may subscribe at the following website to receive notices from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on topics of your choice, on a schedule of your choice: . These topics include hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation, solid waste and recycling and many more.
Regarding Energy Efficiency program and renewable resources available for our county
Amtrak from Albany-Rensselaer and from Hudson NY.
Within the Village of East Nassau, there are state roads, county roads, and village roads. The Village is responsible for maintaining the Village roads (plowing, repairing pot holes, etc.). Complaints or inquiries about Village roads (surfaces, ditches, signage, sight lines, etc.) should be addressed to the Village's Department of Public Works, contact information for which can be found on the Village website under "Departments"
The bridges within the Village are not the responsibility of the Village but of the Town of Nassau. Contact info for their offices and departments may be found on their website.
The maximum speed limits on all Village roads, as posted, is 30 mph. Some roads or portions of Village roads have a reduced speed limit of 25 mph and/or, for safety, a suggested speed limit of 15 mph.
ATV's: Reminder: For your own safety and the safety of others on the roads, ATV's (all-terrain vehicles, or off-road vehicles) are not allowed on any public rights-of-way, meaning state, county or village roads. If you are stopped, you may be fined and you will not permitted to drive back to your residence. ATV's may be driven only on private property.
(information to be added)
Managing your property for your own safety, for preserving and enhancing the value of your property, and for protecting the environment
Smaller Wetlands on Private Property: You may have a smaller wetland on your property that does not appear on the DEC wetlands maps. You may also have one or more streams, springs, or seeps. The Village’s Land Use Regulations provide detailed information on how close to the edge of your wetland or stream you may cut brush and trees, change the conformation of the land, build, etc. Please consult the relevant sections of the Regulations before considering activities in proximity to your wetland or stream. If you have questions, you may consult the Code Enforcement Officer.
Pesticides, Herbicides and Insects: Be aware that using herbicides and pesticides on your lawn can be harmful to the environment, especially to insects, 90% of which are beneficial. Roundup is banned in 160 countries, though not yet in the U.S. Neonicotinoids, another harmful group of chemicals, have been lethal in killing off honeybees and other types of pollinators. You might check your pesticides to see if they contain this chemical, or avoid using pesticides at all.
Lawn care:
Brush piles: It is recommend that, if you have space on your property, you maintain a brush pile at the back of your property. The carbon will stay out of the atmosphere longer in a brush pile than if the material is chipped. (Brush may not be burned: see section on fires and burning below.)
Improved infrastructure in case of heavy rainfall: Storms and rainfall are becoming more extreme, dropping more water in a shorter time. For our protection and the protection of our property, there are helpful infrastructures that can help prevent flooding and excessive storm water runoff. These include the use of what is called "pervious" or permeable surfaces for driveways and parking areas, in place of asphalt and other impermeable surfaces. “Pervious” surfaces typically resemble whitish concrete or cemented gravel surfaces, are attractive, solid, and as easy to maintain as impermeable surfaces. They allow rainwater to pass through the surface into the ground below rather than running off into drainage ditches or the public road and possibly causing erosion. (See the Village Land Use Regulations for information on the proportion of your property that may be paved.)
Other solutions to absorbing heavy rainfalls include creating tree cover, ponds and swales (ditches or trenches), streamside buffers of vegetation, creating vegetated drainage channels, and planting vegetation that can tolerate inundation. A tree captures a percentage of the rainwater in its leaves and bark and slows the water reaching the ground, where its extensive root system helps the soil to absorb and hold the water.
If you have cleared or disturbed a portion of your land in the course of construction or another project, be sure to immediately plant the bare dirt in groundcover or another suitable cover, in order to stop the soil from washing away in a heavy rainfall. Information on these enhancements to your property can be found at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/plants-for-erosion-control.htm
Organizations supporting land stewardship
Hudson Taconic Lands is a local nonprofit land trust formed by the merger of the Rennselaer Plateau Alliance and the Rensselaer Land Trust. HTL works with the community to promote and facilitate the conservation of the Rensselaer Plateau’s undeveloped and un-fragmented forests and other ecologically important areas and to conserve the open spaces, watersheds, critical land, and natural habitats of Rensselaer County for the benefit of our communities and future generations. HTL supports clean water and air quality, a working forest initiative and local forest products, preserved habitat, education for children and adults, and outdoor recreation. HLT maintains six beautiful forest preserves and eight public preserves which are free and open to the community from dawn till dusk every day of the year for recreation, hiking, and education. Contact HTL for hunting permits on conserved lands, for information on stewarding your land, for community events and nature-based programming, to volunteer, for legacy planning, or to conserve a piece of your land.
The Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) is a nonprofit, community-supported land conservancy dedicated to protecting local farmland from encroaching development. Contact ASA to discuss any goals related to conserving your farmland or for support and resources you may need.
Landowner /Land Stewardship Resources (Links/Programs/Financial Resources):
Sources of funding/tax breaks for land stewardship to be added.
The danger of wildfire has recently increased for a number of reasons:
There are measures we can take to make sure they don't start. The Village has clear regulations concerning which types of fires are permitted on private property and which are not. For information, please consult the Land Use Regulations. But, to summarize:
Pre-K, Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary schools
Post-secondary schools
Continuing/Adult education
Sports
Golf:
Winding Brook Country Club - 2839 State Route 203, Valatie, NY 12184
Frear Park Golf Club - 2701 Lavin Court, Troy, NY 12180
Old Post Road Golf Club - 92 Schuurman Rd, Castleton-On-Hudson, NY 12033
Burden Lake Country Club - 162 Totem Lodge Road, Averill Park, NY 12018
Movie Theaters
Crandell - 48 Main Street Chatham, NY 12037
Traditional-style one screen movie theater, built in 1926. Low prices and special memberships, film festivals and first-run movies.
Drive-in Movie Theaters
Hollywood Drive-In - 9270 NY-66, Averill Park, NY 12018
Museums
Hancock Shaker Village - 1843 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield MA, 01201
Just over the mountain into Massachusetts on Route 20. Events, exhibitions, craft demonstrations, history, farm animals, gardens, gift shop.
Berkshire Museum - 39 South Street (Route 7), Pittsfield, MA 01201
In the center of Pittsfield on Route 7. Art, natural history, aquarium, cultural artefacts, activities and programs for adults and children.
Mass MOCA - 1040 MASS MoCA WAY, North Adams, MA 01247
Clark Art Institute - 225 South Street Williamstown, MA 01267
Herman Melville's home ('Arrowhead') in Pittsfield, MA
The Mount (Edith Wharton's home) - 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox, Massachusetts 01240-0974
Crane Museum of Papermaking and Center for the Paper Arts - 32 Pioneer Street, Alton, MA 01226
Norman Rockwell Museum - 9 Glendale Rd / Rte 183, Stockbridge , MA 01262
Concerts
The Village of Nassau, our neighboring village, has a band called the Nassau Community Band that dates back to the Civil War era. Watch for their performances.
Tannery Pond concert series - 110 Darrow Road, New Lebanon, NY 12125
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall - 30 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180
Tanglewood - 297 West Street,Lenox, MA 01240
The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio - 339 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12206
Saratoga Performing Arts Center - 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
concerts of folk music at New Lebanon Library and outdoors in season
Historical Societies
Stephentown Historical Society
The Society’s Heritage Center, in a former Methodist church located at 4 Staples Rd., on the corner of Garfield Rd., has both temporary and permanent exhibits as well as regularly scheduled talks. Website includes listing of local family graveyards.
Various
Housatonic Heritage covers many different excursions/learning experiences in the Upper Housatonic River Valley region, including history walks, famous homes, nature preserves, botanical gardens, etc. Includes Native American and African-American heritage material. Worth checking out. All the sites are in MA and CT, but many are within a 30-40-minute drive and others may be worth a day trip.