Past Events
Click on each entry to see the video recording of each program. Recent events will be posted as soon as possible! Thank you for your patience.
October 27, 2026
The Moreno Institute
From 1935 until 1982, Beacon was home to an innovative mental hospital and psychotherapy training center founded and run by Dr. J. L. Moreno, a Romanian-American psychiatrist, psycho-sociologist and educator who is considered the founder of psychodrama and the foremost pioneer of group psychotherapy. The Moreno Institute and its 259 Wolcott Avenue location are famous in the group psychotherapy world and have spawned many centers carrying on his psychodrama therapy. Dr. Moreno's son Jonathan, a 1969 graduate of Beacon High, joined us virtually to discuss the Institute and his parents' work.
September 22, 2026
Italian Immigration to Beacon
BHS Trustee Patrick Miskell delivered a fascinating presentation on Italian Immigrants who settled in Beacon… names like Papo, Amoroso, Acquaviva, Bettino, Spino and so many more! We are grateful to the 80 people who packed the Elks Lodge to enjoy it. If you missed it, enjoy its replay here:
August 25
Beacon Trivia + Show & Tell
We started with a fun icebreaker game of Beacon trivia. Next, we invited members and friends to share the stories of a keepsake/item of Beacon’s past during our popular members’ “Show and Tell” night. We learned some new things, shared many memories and had a lot of fun! If you missed it, enjoy the evening here:
The American Revolution in the Hudson Highlands
An awesome subject, a terrific speaker and a room full of fellow history enthusiasts drew a standing-room-only crowd for our June meeting! More than 100 attendees were mesmerized by Col. Sean Sculley of the West Point Department of History and his presentation on the American Revolution in the Hudson Valley. Missed it? Don’t worry! You can enjoy it here:
Landscape Architecture in the Hudson Valley
May is Historic Preservation Month! We welcomed back researcher and author Alex Prizgintas, the Town Historian for both Woodbury and Tuxedo who earned a minor in Hudson River Valley Studies from Marist University. He discussed “Landscape Architecture of the Hudson Valley,” including Beacon’s Wodenethe, Eustatia (shown) and Tioronda estates in a program that featured historic sites in both Dutchess and Orange counties. We gathered on May 26 at 7 p.m. at Elks Lodge #1493, 900 Wolcott Avenue, and we again thank the Elks for welcoming us into their beautiful and historic home.
Hopped Up On History - Game 5
Enjoy these 20 things that every Beaconite should know about our community's history!
