New historical ‘Legends of Lore’ marker placed

The Sugar Loaf Historical Society dedicated another William G. Pomeroy “Legends and Lore” historical marker recently. The new marker commemorates the “Mountain Witch” legend.

According to the lore, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Dobbins, one of the hamlet’s very first settlers, lived alone at the base of the hamlet’s eponymous mountain where she lit regular fires and rarely came into town. When she did, she could be seen smoking a pipe and wearing a strange, floppy hat.

The new Marker is the fourth from the Pomeroy Foundation’s Legends & Lore marker program awarded to the Sugar Loaf Historical Society. The first three were awarded for “Hoop Snake Hill,” “Nathaniel Knapp,” and the “Cat Rocks Treasure,” respectively. Orange County now hosts seven Pomeroy Foundation Legends & Lore markers in all, thanks to the Sugar Loaf Historical Society’s additions.

“We are honored by the William G. Pomeroy foundation’s grant to our historical society for another endemic Orange County legend,” Sugar Loaf Historical Society president Jay Westerveld said. “Everyone on our board worked hard to make this marker happen.

“Sugar Loaf’s Mountain Witch, while a colorful legend handed down by our ancestors to we few remaining ‘Loaf natives, serves an excellent lesson about acceptance of others’ beliefs and lifestyles, a reminder against marginalization. ‘Lizzie’ Dobbin should be celebrated as a symbol of individuality and independence, both qualities that have defined ‘Loafers since colonial times right to the end of the 20th century. Our hamlet’s historic sense of self-sufficiency played a large part in drawing a generation of young craftspeople and artisans here in the late 1960s, and Hugh and Elizabeth Dobbins personified this spirit in the 1700s. Our historical society is very proud of our work in securing four William F. Pomeroy ‘Legends and Lore’ marker grants over the course of one year,” Westerveld added.

The new “Mountain Witch” marker can be seen at its new home in the Village of Sugar Loaf, across the street from the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center.

The Board of Directors of the Sugar Loaf Historical Society is proud of the fact that, despite being a not-for-profit corporation registered with the IRS, they have never solicited public monies and they pay full taxes on their properties.