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About John Desmond

John Desmond is a retired professor from the English department at SUNY Dutchess Community College. He is also a railroad enthusiast and the co-author of Hopewell Junction: A Railroader’s Town, A Short History of Short-Line Railroads in Dutchess County, New York (SUNY Press, 2022). With South Kingstown as his second home, John was one of the organizers of the South Kingstown 300th Anniversary Committee, particularly for its speaking series.
Latest Posts | By John Desmond
Railroad Signal Tower 133+ at Kingston Station Reconsidered
3 months ago

Railroad Signal Tower 133+ at Kingston Station Reconsidered

In the hamlet of Kingston, stands—barely—a twentieth century railroad signal tower, outdated, outmoded, and tumbledown, composting in place, partially hidden by the Route 138 bridge, and mostly unnoticed by those …
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A Retrospective on Spartina, a Novel Based in South County
9 months ago

A Retrospective on Spartina, a Novel Based in South County

The classic novel Spartina by John Casey was published thirty-five years ago, in 1989, by Alfred A. Knopf. It won the 1989 National Book Award. It was reprinted by Vintage …
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