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People of the Lost Hamlets

This page will introduce you to just a few of the many people displaced by the Rondout Reservoir. As construction proceeded, the New York City Board of Water Supply issued condemnation notices to confiscate properties as required, allowing folks to remain in their homes as long as possible. In a 1936 interview, James D. Sheils predicted that area residents would not go far. "A lot of people in the valley couldn't be induced to leave this section," he said. "You'll see. They'll stay as close to home as they can."