Greenwood Lake Begins Celebration of Its 100th Anniversary

By Peter Lyons Hall

Members of the Village of Greenwood Lake Board of Trustees, members of the Centennial Steering Committee, Mayor Buckley, Police Chief Eirand, together with family members and friends gathered on the morning of New Year’s Eve for the raising of the Centennial Banner displayed over the Lakes Road and Route 17A intersection, announcing the beginning of a year-long series of events and programs commemorating the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Greenwood Lake as a village in the state of New Year, 1924-2024.

 Writing in a recent edition of Chronogram magazine on-line, author Jane Anderson wrote: “By the time the village was incorporated in 1924, Greenwood Lake’s beauty, seclusion, and proximity to New York City—attributes that still hold true today—made it a popular vacation spot. The railroad and the steamboats faded away, and the Great Depression’s Works Progress Administration helped build more roads to accommodate burgeoning automobile travel. Those roads brought celebrities who vacationed at the Lake, like Greta Garbo, Gypsy Rose Lee, and legendary baseball slammer Babe Ruth. Ruth was a frequent visitor from the late 1930s until his death in 1948. Local hotels were his stay of choice before he regularly rented a cottage at Greck’s Maplewood Inn, run by Doris “Granny” Greck. Like most guests at the lake, Ruth would gamble, drink with friends at the many watering holes, and cruise the lake in a custom-built mahogany boat. Greck’s was a restaurant by the time Doris’ great-granddaughter Jackie Lowenberg grew up there, long after Ruth passed away, but Doris still ran a tight ship. ‘Granny had a personality that definitely wasn’t for the faint of heart,’ Lowenberg says, ‘or the sensitive types.’ ”

Watch for a number of interesting historical recollections during the coming months, beginning with a Trivia Night on Saturday night, January 13, 2024, (6-9PM) an evening of food, games and raffles. Hosted by Tony Donato, at the Elks Lodge on 35 Chestnut Street, Greenwood Lake, New York 10925. This will be a team event (2 to 8 per team – pre-registration is suggested). “All questions will be taken from the GWL Centennial Facebook page (so study before)! The winners will win GWL Centennial merchandise, and there will be lots of raffles (with donated art, crafts and great merchandise),” revealed Committee Chair and Village Trustee, Nancy Clifford.