06/25/2026
Throwback Thursday: Summer in Putnam before WiFi. ☀️
Rowboats, campsites, bandstands, lake strolls, postcards, and outdoor hangs from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
With summer officially arriving last Sunday, we’re using this Throwback Thursday to look back at how generations of residents and visitors enjoyed warm-weather life across Putnam County, from boating on Lake Mahopac and Lake Oscawana to camping at Peach Lake, strolling through village centers, gathering for music outdoors, and sending the original “summer photo dump” by postcard.
Some of these images also show how closely connected Putnam communities were with neighboring hubs like Peekskill, especially when trains, river travel, hotels, boarding houses, and summer tourism helped bring visitors into the area. Lake Oscawana, for example, has long been part of Putnam Valley, but old postcards and travel routes often connected it with Peekskill.
And while the outfits, boats, and postcards have changed, the summer spirit is still here.
In the latest edition of The Putnam County Press/Times, you’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy the season now, including local summer music series, outdoor concerts, movies in the park, Free Fishing Days, fireworks, art, community events, and more.
So now we want to know:
What do you love most about summer in Putnam County?
Historic image sources/credits include Putnam Historian; Putnam History Museum; Putnam Valley Historical Society; Southeast, NY - Historian; Cold Spring, A Collective History; Kent Historical Society/New York Heritage; the Joe Ludington Album Collection; the Gregory J. Amato Collection; the Palmer Family Scrapbook/HC112 Don Hall Papers; and local postcard/archive collections as noted.
Special thanks to The Field Library in Peekskill for helping provide access to some of the postcard images included in this post.
