The Prison & The Village
If you were walking along the OCA trail in Ossining in the 1840s, you might have seen an expanding prison facility on the river when you got to the place that is now Spring Street.
Join Dana White, Ossining Board of Trustees, former Ossining Historian, for a talk about the history of the prison and the village.
The Old Croton Aqueduct was constructed in the 1830s in reaction to New York’s expanding population and its need for clean water. The chaotic and crowded City was also facing an increase in poverty and crime in the infamous neighborhood of Five Points. Sing Sing Prison was constructed as another response to these urban problems in this pre-industrial era.
The correctional facility has been a presence in the Ossining village for almost 200 years. At one time, the village and the prison shared a name. Today, the prison and the village seem worlds apart, but for a long time, the two were inseparable. The shared history can be seen throughout the community, even in places we’d never think to look.
This program was organized by NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
Space is limited and registration is required! Sign up at www.aqueduct.org/events.
