Bard College Helps to Establish Theodore Robinson Community Forest in Germantown
Signage for the new forest. Photo by Germantown History Department
At an Earth Day celebration and opening ceremony for the new Theodore Robinson Community Forest, Bard College was thanked in remarks by Scenic Hudson, Columbia Conservancy, and Germantown town supervisor David Helsley for its support in establishing the land for public use. Bard, which had received the 23-acre forest through a donation, worked with local town officials to secure state grant funding and conservation easements to fund both a discounted land sale to the town and development needs to connect the land to the broader park network in Germantown. The addition of this new municipal forest completes a very unique series of interconnected parks for the town, spanning a range of recreation, historical sites, and natural habitat character.
The forest is named in honor of Theodore Robinson, a Germantown resident and Civil War veteran who was the only Black man from Germantown to serve in the Union Army. Robinson, a sergeant, fought in major battles including Fort Fisher, Petersburg, and the Battle of the Crater in 1864–1865. He lived on what is now Maple Avenue Extension with his wife, Mary Stackhouse Robinson, working as a farmer and ice cutter. He was a prominent local figure known for leading Memorial Day parades in his later years.
Post Date: 04-28-2026
The forest is named in honor of Theodore Robinson, a Germantown resident and Civil War veteran who was the only Black man from Germantown to serve in the Union Army. Robinson, a sergeant, fought in major battles including Fort Fisher, Petersburg, and the Battle of the Crater in 1864–1865. He lived on what is now Maple Avenue Extension with his wife, Mary Stackhouse Robinson, working as a farmer and ice cutter. He was a prominent local figure known for leading Memorial Day parades in his later years.
Post Date: 04-28-2026