Ossining: A Brief History

Ossining, one of Westchester County’s oldest communities, holds a legacy as deep and layered as that of the Hudson River it borders.

The first incorporated village in Westchester County, Ossining is defined by a history of remarkable firsts: the county’s first newspaper, first volunteer fire department, first childcare facility, and first official American casualty of World War I, Edmond C. Genet. One of its most enduring symbols is the infamous Sing Sing Prison, established in 1825. Although its presence has left an indelible mark on the village’s identity, the prison remains just one chapter in Ossining’s rich and textured story.

In a book packed with rare details and ＂Portal to the Past＂ entries, local authors Scott Craven and Caroline Ranald Curvan reveal the rich history of this unique community.

Scott Craven is a former captain of the Ossining Police Department whose master’s thesis focused on the environmental history of the Hudson River Valley. Born and raised in Ossining, Scott is an avid paddler, hiker and cyclist--interests that have naturally connected him with a wide range of people whose passion and expertise helped shape this compelling and richly layered narrative of the region’s past. Caroline Ranald Curvan is a professional researcher and writer who led the research team for the critically acclaimed American Masters/PBS documentary Laura Ingalls Wilder: Prairie to Page. An adjunct professor of literature, research and composition at Mercy University, she writes the popular local blog Ossining History on the Run and currently serves as the town historian of Ossining. In 2022, they collaborated on the History Press book Croton Point Park: Westchester’s Jewel on the Hudson.