Rockland Lake, Hook Mountain, and Nyack Beach are located just 30 miles north of New York City. From the 1830s to 1930, the area was one of the largest producers of natural ice and was also the site of large traprock quarries. On the western side of Hook Mountain lies Rockland Lake, the only natural spring-fed lake entirely located in Rockland County. The lake was known around the world for its famous pure "blue ice" and was referred to as the "ice box of New York City." In the 1910s, the area became a popular day-trip destination for steamboats from New York City and eventually became an active summer community in the 1920s. In 1965, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission opened Rockland Lake State Park. Today, the PIPC parks of Nyack Beach, Hook Mountain, and Rockland Lake are some of the most visited New York State parks.
The family of author Robert C. Maher Jr. have been residents of Rockland Lake for over 170 years. He founded The Friends of Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Inc., in an effort to preserve this history of the area for future generations. This book is a continuation of that vision with images provided by private collections, the Nyack Library archives, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and the Rockland County Historical Society.