Four-hundred Years And Counting

The state”™s Quadricentennial kickoff celebration at Rockland Lake Park in Congers was held Jan. 24-25. The year-long festival commemorating Henry Hudson”™s historic voyage, Robert Fulton”™s steamboat and the European discovery of Lake Champlain is also being called simply the Quad. 1- From left, Rockland Legislator Ellen Jaffe, Tara Sullivan, executive director of the Quadricentennial, and U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-White Plains, offered warm smiles despite the frigid temperatures. 2- U.S. Rep. John Hall, D-Dover Plains, joins Clarkstown Supervisor Thom Kleiner. 4- 2009 has been designated the year of “Eco-Think Environment.” 5- Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef extended welcomes since Rockland Lake was the official starting point for the year-long celebration of New York”™s history. 6- An ice sculpture of engineer Robert Fulton”™s steamboat, The Clermont, called “Fulton”™s Folly” by its skeptics when introduced. Fulton”™s invention opened commerce and passenger service between New York City and Albany. 8- Jim Brophy, bass guitarist with the State Workers”™ Band, poses with the ice podium, which held two dozen red roses, ice-handling tools and horseshoes representing the horses that hauled ice from the valley”™s Knickerbocker Ice Factory. 9- New Rochelle native Sean Kiernan now lives in New City and loved the crowds. He was busy reminding people to support the Boy Scouts. Troop 97 was pouring hot chocolate for chilly visitors at the campfire warming station where this shot was taken. The Scouts were one of dozens of service organizations that donated their time to the weekend event. 10- Rob Patalano, owner of the Rockland Lake Ice Company, shows his proficiency at turning a block of ice into a work of art while crowds watch. 11- Patalano”™s 20 foot ice sculpture of the Half Moon “chills” while the artist works. 12- “I Love New York” in ice.