North Chatham Free Library and the North Chatham Historical Society
Co-Host a Reading, Book Sale and Signing of Author Allison Guertin Marchese’s Lost Columbia County New York, on 2/16 at 2 PM at the
Trolley Station, 103 Depot Street, North Chatham
Snow Date is 2/23 at 2 PM
North Chatham, NY (February 27, 2025) Prepare to marvel and be astonished by the unusual history, hidden forest retreats, and local eccentrics and celebrities who are featured in this extraordinary history of Columbia County that was lost until unearthed by Allison Guertin Marchese in her new book.
“I always love writing about Columbia County History. For me it feels like a true adventure and there seems to be an endless amount of stories, interesting facts and people to discover,” said Marchese.
About the Book
People have been drawn to Columbia County, New York, for years. Beyond
the region’s picturesque streams, lakes and mountains, the county is
filled with the magic of history. Famed pirate Captain Kidd and local
Lord of the Manor Robert Livingston were once in cahoots regarding the
plundering of the seas. A roaring nightclub fashioned as a ship
marooned on dry land, named the Show Boat, drew legendary acts like
Ella Fitzgerald and Redd Foxx in the 1930s. The hills and caves of
Austerlitz feature a pond that appears to have no bottom, there have
been sightings of the “Beast of the Berkshires” and the area was home
to outlaws, gangs and many wishing to remain remote. Author Allison
Marchese reveals the lost people, places and things of Columbia
County.
About the Author
Allison is a graduate of Fordham University in New York City with a
degree in communications and creative writing. She spent much of her
professional career in public relations in New York and has traveled
throughout the world promoting health and fitness resorts. In her work
as a writer, Allison has written plays and movie reviews, as well as
short fiction, articles and essays on local people, places and history
in her adopted home of Columbia County, New York. Allison is the
author of Hidden History of Columbia County, New York (The History
Press, 2014) and Hudson Valley Curiosities (The History Press, 2017).
NB: The official release date of Lost Columbia County New York is 2/11 at which point books can be pre-ordered from Amazon. Otherwise, inquire availability at local bookstores.