The Alms House (or County Poor House) was established in 1837, at Viola (then known as Mechanicsville) in the town of Ramapo, for the poor and destitute (debtors). It was located 7 miles (11 km) west of New City. Rockland County had purchased the 47-acre (190,000 m2) parsonage farm of the Kakiat (West New Hempstead) Dutch Reformed Church (also known as the Brick Church) for use as an alms house. There the county originally built a wooden frame house to serve the poor. The inmates contributed to their upkeep by tending the farm. In 1883, a brick building was constructed. The facility included a school for the children. In 1957, the Alms House was moved to Building "C" at the Pomona Health Center in Summit Park, and the property would become the site of Rockland Community College. The Alms House was renamed the Rockland County Infirmary and Home. In 1977, it was removed to Building…
The building now occupied by this church was originally the True Reformed church, and stood about onethird of a mile north of Monsey, on the road to Viola, the old site being still marked by the graveyard which used to surround the church. It was purchased by Mr.
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the New City road toward the east, by the Baptist churches, we reach, after a mile and a half, what was originally known as Mechanicsville, but since the establishment of a post office at this point, in 1882, as Viola. Here, about the year 1824, a number of industries began to congregate. Luke Osborn established a blacksmith shop; Theunis Crum, and Henry, his brother, a silver plating works; Henry Shuart, a wheelwright shop;
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Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
