Living History: Reservoirs and WWII

Editor's Note: Somers is rich with history and Patch wants you to help us build the story of our town. What do you know about Somers' history? Tell us in the comments section below or send historical photos to j.halewicz@aol.com. Thank you to the Somers Historical Society for providing the information below.  

One of the most significant moments in Somers' history is the flooding of the Croton and Muscoot Rivers to create the New York City Reservoir system. The work occurred between 1890 and 1910, and farms, mills and businesses were ruined.

What once was a thriving town had been hit twice--first in the 1840s with the building of the railroad that moved traffic out of Somers and toward Brewster and beyond, then by the reservoirs. A community on Primrose Street where Mt. Zion Church still stands was devastated by the economic impact of the reservoir project. 

With the town physically and economically reshaped, more change was afoot. Lake communities began thriving in the 1920s around Lincolndale, Shenorock and Lake Purdys. The communities grew as more New Yorkers had cars.

When World War II ended, returning servicemen bought local farmland that had been subdivided to meet their needs for housing. They invested themselves fully in the community and Somers began to take shape as we know it today. 

Does your family have any ties to the creation of the New York City Reservoir system and the population boom after WWII in Somers? Let us know in the comments section below.