The Town of Olive has long been a sought-after place known for its beauty and natural resources. From the late 1600s, pioneers explored the area and established homes in the majestic Blue Hills and along the Esopus River. These early pioneers made a living in agriculture, tanneries, and mills. Later, when visitors wanted to escape the heat of New York City, residents hosted boarders, and a booming industry was born. The community drastically changed in the early 1900s, when New York City came not just to visit but to look for a new source of water.

Melissa McHugh’s Town of Olive offers a glimpse into how the Town of Olive began and how it has been affected by its proximity to the Esopus River through tourism and by industry. These images transport readers from the early 1700s to the mid-1900s and encapsulate how the various residents of the Town of Olive earned a living and spent their time and leisure through the years.

McHugh—an educator, businesswoman, archivist, and the director for the Olive Free Library in West Shokan, NY—tells the story of the Town of Olive through photographs, many of which are from her curated exhibit at the Olive Free Library about the history of the Ashokan Reservoir. She answered a few questions in anticipation of the September 2, 2024 publication of Town of Olive:

When did you realize you were going to do this book project? 

I was with my brother Mike, a big history buff, at Barnes & Noble and he was looking through the local Arcadia Publishing books and he asked me why Olive didn't have one. I had just finished curating the Town of Olive Bicentennial Exhibit through which I had met so many wonderful people. I learned so much about the Town's history and their own family stories that I realized I really wanted to write this book.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in the course of your research for this book? 

It continuously surprises me what a robust history the Town has that doesn't even include the Ashokan Reservoir. Bluestone quarried here in Olive was used to create sidewalks in New York City, there were 82 boarding houses in 1906 accommodating approximately 2,492 tourists, not including families who rented out a single room or two, and the local tanneries supplied the Union Army with leather during the Civil War.  

Can you say a couple things about your process of putting it all together in this format?  

Arcadia Publishing has a strict format they adhere to in formatting the book. In some instances there were some great images, but trying to find a place for them within the narrative was difficult. 

What do you hope this book does out in the world? Who do you hope it finds?  

I hope the book provides a small glimpse into our Town's history and creates interest in learning more. Here at the Olive Free Library, we have a wonderful local history area, museum, and archive, where I did most of my research. I hope the people of Olive smile when they see the book out in the world, already knowing what a wonderful Town we have! I hope visitors and newcomers to the area take an interest not only in Olive as it is now, but also in its beginnings and the resiliency of its people.

McHugh will be at Olive Day on Saturday, September 7 at Davis Park, West Shokan, NY, where she will have copies of the book for sale. The following Saturday, September 14, she’ll be at Tetta’s Market at 2082 County Road 3, Olivebridge, NY for a book signing at 1:00 p.m. And on Saturday, September 28th McHugh will do a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Kingston, NY. 

You can also find Town of Olive at Woodstock’s Golden Notebook, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all.