Marie & Raymond Burghard Sr. Collection of Main Street, Jefferson

Jefferson Historical Society

Students standing in front of the Jefferson School

Jefferson School, early 20th century - Image Source

Collection Facts

Dates of Original:

c. 1874-1980

Historical Context

The Burghard family has been part of the Jefferson, NY community for nearly 60 years. In 1968, Raymond Burghard Sr. purchased a small cabin and 50 acres of land carved out of the George and Francis Moseman farm on Moxley Street. In 1973, he began building a homestead and barns, establishing a veal and horse farm that the family operated from 1974 to 1998. In 1976, the barns were destroyed by fire but were later rebuilt. Raymond also served as the Town Constable for many years.

His wife, Marie, was a well-respected member of the community. She served as the school treasurer for several years and was the Director of the Western Catskills Revitalization Council for a decade. During her tenure, she oversaw the construction of the senior apartment building in Stamford, located in front of the Tops grocery store, and secured revitalization grants for numerous homes in Jefferson and surrounding areas. She remains the only person from Jefferson to receive the “Woman of Distinction” award from the State of New York, an honor she received in 1997 after being nominated by Senator James Seward.

Their children, Raymond Jr. and Rosemarie Pelatti, graduated from Jefferson Central School in 1985 and 1981, respectively. The family continues to maintain a part-time residence in Jefferson on Sunrise Sunset Drive.

The core of Jefferson is notably unique, with many historic structures still standing. Few older buildings have been lost, and there has been minimal new construction since the Great Depression and World War II eras. The oldest structures are generally clustered around the town green. As development expanded outward, buildings reflected evolving architectural styles.

Early development along what is now Main Street aligned with the Albany-Delaware Turnpike, which was constructed during Jefferson’s growth period. Many of the oldest buildings feature traditional Greek Revival architecture, while later additions showcase Victorian, Italianate, Queen Anne, and Shingle Style designs. Over time, modifications such as added porches and other changes were made to existing structures. The preservation of historic homes and the lack of newer buildings contributed to the proposal to establish a state and national historic district within the hamlet.

Scope of Collection

This collection of photographs was provided primarily by the townspeople and former residents of Jefferson, which included many contributors who allowed the Jefferson Historical Society to scan and preserve them digitally. These contributors include, but is not limited to, Kenneth Bailey, Ralph Becker, George Berner, Joan Berner, Wesley R. Brown, Doug Churchill, Joan Churchill Diamond, Karen Cuccinello, Karl Dubshinski, Mabel Totten Faoro, Phil and Faye Harris, Richard Herodes, Van Hubbard, Marilynn Karp, Laureen Lawrence, Anthony Liberatore, Jim Meagley, Gerald Stoner, Ford Stryker, Ed Swartz, and Sally Swantz. Without their contributions, this collection would not have such a wide breadth of images. The photos are primarily from the 1874-1980s. This collection documents the historic buildings, most of which are still standing, in Jefferson today.

The establishment of this section of the New York Heritage site was made possible by a generous donation from the Burghard Family Foundation to the Jefferson Historical Society in memory of Marie & Raymond Burghard. This contribution supports the ongoing preservation of Jefferson’s history.