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Village of Warwick celebrates 150 years

| 10 Aug 2017 | 11:50
    Former members of the Queens Village Queens, which was formed in 1961 and remained active until 2001, participate in the parade.
    Former members of the Queens Village Queens, which was formed in 1961 and remained active until 2001, participate in the parade.
    Sanfordville Elementary School staff and students march in the parade.
    Sanfordville Elementary School staff and students march in the parade.
    A vintage tractor courtesy of Pennings Farm drives down the parade route.
    A vintage tractor courtesy of Pennings Farm drives down the parade route.
    Uncle Sam arrives by tractor at the parade.
    Uncle Sam arrives by tractor at the parade.
    The parade ended at Veterans Memorial Park, concluding with a free barbecue for everyone, live music and fireworks.
    The parade ended at Veterans Memorial Park, concluding with a free barbecue for everyone, live music and fireworks.
    A colorguard shows its colors at the start of the parade. (Photos by Roger Gavan)
    A colorguard shows its colors at the start of the parade. (Photos by Roger Gavan)
    Photo by Ed Bailey and Roger Gavan Members of the New York State Correctional Services mounted patrol ride on horseback during the parade.
    Photo by Ed Bailey and Roger Gavan Members of the New York State Correctional Services mounted patrol ride on horseback during the parade.

By Roger Gavan
WARWICK — The Village of Warwick celebrated its 150th — or sesquicentennial — anniversary of its incorporation Aug. 2-5 with a variety of events — from ribbon cutting to a parade.
The official four days of ceremonies, which began with a ribbon cutting on Aug. 2, concluded with a free barbecue, live music and spectacular fireworks.
The yearlong series of celebratory events began with an apple drop on New Year’s Eve.
Village of Warwick historyIn the 1860s, the Village of Warwick was a hamlet of the Town of Warwick. Until the new Warwick Valley Railroad chose Warwick as its headquarters, it was a somewhat insignificant hamlet when compared with more commercially viable ones such as Bellvale, Florida and New Milford.
The hamlet soon became a thriving business center, and in 1867 it was incorporated as a village.
Early accounts of the history of Warwick believe that “Warwick” was named after Warwickshire, England.
Therefore, the mayor of Warwick, England, Stephen Cross, and his wife, Christine, joined in the celebrations and marched in the parade.
Warwick, N.Y., Mayor Michael Newhard recalled that Stephen Cross told him, “I know mayor this sounds terribly British, but this place is smashing.”
The Warwick, England, mayor also mentioned some similarities that the two Warwicks share, including organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary Club, Odd Fellows, Masons, an historical society and a Chamber of Commerce.
“They even have a Warwick in Bloom,” said Newhard.
Earlier on Saturday, there was an unearthing of a time capsule, which was buried near the entrance to Memorial Park during the 1967 Centennial.
On Saturday, Aug. 5, a parade marched past Warwick Village Hall, ending at Veterans Memorial Park, which included color guards, firefighting and EMS apparatus, bagpipers, farm equipment and participation by former members of the Queen Village Queens, which was formed in 1961 and remained active until 2001.
Queen Village Queens was an award-winning all-girl junior marching, maneuvering and parade drum and bugle corps, which took first place in most competitions followed by a parade, at any day or even unusual times when they returned to Warwick.
The parade ended at Veterans Memorial Park, concluding with a free barbecue, live music and fireworks. Mayor Cross described the fireworks extravaganza as the “most amazing he has ever seen in his life.”
“It’s like we never left,” said Christine Cross.