A very short distance east of Marlboro NY, along the Hudson River at Danskammer Point once stood the clay and sand empire of John C. Rose (of Esopus, NY), known as The Rose Brick Company.

In 1883, Rose purchased the land because of the rich deposits of clay along the banks of the river, an abundance of nearby sand from which to make his bricks, and a nearby river to transport his product.

Rose produced what were considered high quality bricks, all bearing the “Rose” name on their face. The business was so successful that he founded a small town near to the site which he named Roseton. It was complete with employee housing, a school, a church, a community building, and a post office which later on received its own zip code designation of 12576. The company philosophy toward employees was very different from those of other companies in those times:

“The Rose Brick Company was also known for the exceptional care it provided for its workers. The surrounding community was filled with clubrooms, reading areas, stores with lower than retail prices and stocked with the best eatables, a variety of churches and Sunday schools, fairs, annual festivals, and great living accommodations. The philosophy of the Rose Brick Company was that happy, skilled workers would be the hardest workers and the best brickmakers who took pride in creating a quality product. And they were right.”