Reed Reports -- November 2007

And the ANSWER is...

Two Scenic Hudson members correctly identified this photo as being in the Franny Reese Preseve in the Town of Lloyd.

Last month, we debuted our "Where in the Valley is Reed Sparling" contest with the picture above.

Located on a bluff due south of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, Scenic Hudson's Franny Reese Preserve affords lovely views of the Hudson River and Poughkeepsie's skyline.

According to a 19th-century history of Ulster County, the 249-acre wooded wonderland in the Town of Lloyd once belonged to prominent Poughkeepsie dentist Charles H. Roberts, one of the nation's first tooth-pullers to employ anesthesia and porcelain. Later he made a fortune investing in railroads and paper-making.

While Roberts' grand home, Cedar Glen, is today a fascinating ruin, the estate's carriage roads continue to serve visitors. To create the stretch of road sitting right upon the bluff's edge, a terrace had to be fashioned. The next time you're there, take a moment to admire its elaborate stonework.

Only two respondents answered correctly -- Michele of Kingston and Deborah of Highland, both in Ulster County. Along with our congratulations, we're sending them each an autographed copy of Reed Sparling's new book, Hudson Valley Voyage: Through the Seasons, Through the Years.