Eagle's Nest-Lapala Project

Exploring the historic community in Hurley, NY

The Project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and administered through the National Writing Project focuses on the multi-racial community living on the mountain above the town of Hurley between 1840-1950. Dr. Wendy Saul, a retired professor and Marbletown resident, initiated the effort and is your contact person for questions and ideas for furthering the project's aims. Lead historian, Dr. Lorna Smedman, will work with local history buffs, residents with memories of the communities, and students to create a comprehensive study of the area. David Gonzalez, actor, playwright and musician, will use this research to create a performance piece to be presented at the Rosendale Theatre in March of 2023. Donna Dabney-Jeffress, a retired teacher and descendant of Eagle’s Nesters, will lead the education team. Historical information will be organized on a website by New Paltz historian Susan Stessin-Cohn. We view this work as contributing to local history as well as a national conversation about times past. Join our blog for more information at https://hurleymtn.com