Julia L. Butterfield Bicentennial Celebration 2023
Please join us in celebrating Julia's life and legacy with special community-wide events through the end of the year!
12/19 - 12/24: Celebrate Julia's Birthday with Delicious Specials at Local Establishments!
Thank you to our Bicentennial Supporters!
To learn how you can join your fellow community members in supporting the upcoming events, see details below.
Julia L. Butterfield Bicentennial Celebration Sponsorship Opportunity
Dear Friends and Community Members,
The Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library and Putnam History Museum are excited to announce a collaboration to celebrate the Julia L. Butterfield Bicentennial. As we honor Julia’s 200th birthday on December 19, 2023, we are organizing a series of events and activities to commemorate her remarkable life and enduring legacy in Cold Spring.
Her legacy positively impacts the Cold Spring community to this day as her last wishes included bequests for the construction of a library (Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library), a hospital (Butterfield Hospital), and the St. Mary’s Church parsonage.
To celebrate Julia’s enduring impact, we have planned a series of exciting community-wide events from September through December. The program includes:
September – October: Local essay contest organized by the Library.
October 18th: Guided Cemetery Walk to the Butterfield Mausoleum and Ceremonial Planting at the Library.
October 21st: Special lecture at the West Point Foundry Bed & Breakfast.
November: Art workshops related to the Butterfields.
December 7th: Butterfield History Trivia Night at the Putnam History Museum.
December 8th: Guided stroll through Main Street, as part of Cold Spring Aglow, including an outdoor historical exhibition and holiday music.
December 19th: Birthday Stroll and Party with costumed Julia and Daniel Butterfield, beginning at the Library and ending at the Museum, where there will be a children’s art exhibition on display and several historical artifacts related to the Butterfields.
The Julia L. Butterfield Bicentennial Celebration presents a unique opportunity for community members, local businesses, and organizations to show their support and participate in this memorable occasion. We are reaching out to request sponsorships ranging from $50 to $250. Your generous contribution will not only help us to fully realize this event but also enable us to provide valuable educational and cultural experiences to the community. By becoming a sponsor, you and/or your organization will gain visibility and recognition throughout the festivities, reaching a diverse audience of Cold Spring residents and visitors. We will prominently acknowledge your support in our event marketing materials, including press releases, social media posts, our websites, and event signage.
With your support, we can ensure that Julia Butterfield's legacy continues to positively influence Cold Spring for generations to come.
Thank you for your consideration!
Please see below for details on Sponsorship Levels and the Sponsorship Form, or use the button to donate online.
Sponsorship Levels
$250 – Philipstown Philanthropic Sponsor:
As a Philipstown Philanthropic Sponsor, your significant contribution of $250 will make a lasting impact on the Julia L. Butterfield Bicentennial Celebration. Your support will be recognized prominently throughout the event, including your name (and/or logo) on event signage, programs online platforms, and special social media posts that focus on you/your business. In appreciation of your generous sponsorship, you will also receive complimentary tickets to all events.
$100 – Legacy Leader Sponsor:
As a Legacy Leader Sponsor, your generous donation of $100 will help us organize special lectures, walks, and a trivia night during the Bicentennial Celebration. Your support will be recognized prominently throughout the event, including your name (and/or logo) on event signage, programs, online platforms, and special social media posts that focus on you/your business. In appreciation of your generous sponsorship, you will also receive a complimentary ticket to an event of your choosing.
$50 – Butterfield Bicentennial Sponsor:
As a Butterfield Bicentennial Sponsor, your generous contribution of $50 will help us bring Julia L. Butterfield's story to life during the Bicentennial Celebration. Your support will be recognized on our event webpages and in the printed event materials.
We appreciate your consideration of sponsorship at any level, as your support will enable us to create a memorable and impactful celebration of Julia L. Butterfield's 200th birthday.
Please return the sponsorship form to the Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library 10 Morris Ave, Cold Spring, NY 10516.
A Brief History of Julia Butterfield
Born in 1823, at age 18 Julia Lorillard Safford married Frederick James, a broker and banker in New York City. They lived on Fifth Avenue and in 1852 built a magnificent stone village house in Cold Spring that was named Cragside because it had been constructed on a hillside strewn with rocks. It was surrounded by elaborate gardens, lawns, orchards and fields, according to Trudie Grace, author of "Around Cold Spring". Haldane High School now occupies the site of Cragside, and a gatehouse built in 1866 still stands at the foot of Craigside Drive as a private residence.
Frederick James died in 1884. Two years later, Julia married Daniel Butterfield, a Civil War general who is credited with composing “Taps” and whose father co-founded American Express. He lived until 1901. When Julia died in 1913, her estate (was) estimated to be worth $3 million, or about $75 million today.
Bequests by Julia Butterfield in her 1913 will, with current values:
YMCA – $2.32 million ($62M)
Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Hospital – $150K ($4.6M)
Union College, Schenectady – $100K ($3M)
Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library – $60K ($1.85M)
Home for the Relief of Respectable Aged Indigent Females – $20K ($616K)
Association for the Aid of Crippled Children – $10K ($308K)
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (for parsonage) – $10K ($308K)
Association of New York Day Nurseries – $5K ($154K)
The library, a Georgian Revival building, was constructed on the foundation of the old Dutch Reformed Church and dedicated in 1925. The hospital, finished the same year, was built, many believed, because one of Julia’s sons had died after a fall from a horse and she felt he might have survived if a hospital had been closer.
(Adapted from a 2018 Highlands Current article)
Bicentennial Writing Contest:
Open to students in grades K - 12 who live in Philips town
Winners will receive a $100.00 cash prize and will be invited to read an excerpt of their entry at Cold Spring Aglow on Friday, December 8th.
There will also be a small ceremony at the library for the winners and their families.
Questions? Email [email protected]
Deadline: Friday, October 27th @ 5:00 P.M.
Click one of the buttons bellow to submit your Writing for the Butterfield Library Writing Contest.