Judith Doolin Spikes, the founding president of the Larchmont Historical Society, has resigned as Larchmont village historian after thirty years of service. She will receive a proclamation at the Larchmont Village board meeting on Monday, August 16^th, at 7 p.m.  There is no word if a successor will be announced.

Spikes is one of three local historians. Gloria Pritts has been the Village of Mamaroneck historian for 21 years. The Mamaroneck Town historian is Donald March.

After 38 years in Larchmont, Spikes and her husband, James, plan to move in early September. The couple, originally from Pocahontas, Ark., raised two daughters in Larchmont. Ms. Spikes is a journalist. Her husband is a psychiatrist in private practice in New Rochelle and Manhattan.

"I remember when we first drove into Larchmont looking for a house, and I felt I'd found the place where I wanted to live," remembers Spikes, 69, who retains a Southern accent.

"We were on Larchmont Avenue, driving toward the Sound, and there were towering trees on either side that almost met in the middle, with gorgeous turn of the century homes along the way. It looked like a beautiful, archetypal American town. "

Historical society founder and historian appointment

In 1980, Spikes became the first president of the Larchmont Historical Society, which she helped found, and was appointed the Larchmont Village historian by Mayor Martin Quigley, in office from 1980 to 1984. "I've been reappointed by mayors ever since," she says.

The historian position is part of the Municipal Historians of New York State, formed in 1971, wherein the historian oversees the preservation and history of a community. Each county, town, city and village has an appointee. While some are paid positions, that's not the case in Larchmont and Mamaroneck.

Bevan House responsible for both appointments

Spikes recalls that she came to Quigley's attention because she and a group of residents united to "save" Bevan House, at 78 Park Ave. in the Manor. Built in 1884, it was open to seasonal residents whose visitors included the Barrymores.

The home fell into decline in the 1970s and attracted an unfavorable clientele. It went into foreclosure, was auctioned, and in the late 1970s was on the cusp of being torn down and turned into condos.

Spikes says, "It took massive effort to have it zoned a private residence, which we succeeded in. In the course, I met wonderful, like-minded people. We banded together to form the Larchmont Historical Society."

Spikes started researching local history several years prior, when she discovered that there was not only scant information about  "Mermaid's Cradle" [see Patch story]--the sculpture and fountain outside her front door at Fountain Square—there was little history on Larchmont.

Historian highlights

There are two other projects that Spikes is particularly proud of. One was helping to save old Larchmont newspapers, from 1904 to 1940, from decay and discard by getting a grant to put them on microfilm, where they can be viewed today at the Larchmont Public Library. The second was helping create the first Larchmont Historical Society house tour in 1980.

Spikes authored four books on Larchmont history, three of which are self-published. Her career includes being a staff writer since 2002 for Rivertowns Enterprise covering Ardsley and Hastings-on-Hudson. For fifteen years after moving to Westchester, Spikes ran programs at the College of New Rochelle and IONA, helping African American students transition into college.

Family life

Spikes first met her husband when they were children, and met again in 1963, taking the same plane to Manhattan, where he would study piano at Julliard, and she began a Master's in Spanish at Columbia.  (She had also studied at San Marcos University in Lima on a Fulbright grant.) They married in 1964.

Shortly, the couple moved to Chicago, where she began a doctorate in comparative literature at University of Chicago, and he attended medical school, later completing training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

They moved to New York City in 1969, living in Manhattan and Brooklyn before moving to the suburbs in 1973 with two toddlers.

"I bought the worse house in the best location," says Spikes of the $65,000 fixer-upper at 5 Maple Ave., where they remained. The 1890 building was the Manor House School for Girls from 1906 to 1925.

Both daughters are married. Katie is a "60 Minutes" producer living in New Jersey, and has a three-year-old son. Sarah is an analyst at a London investment firm.

New chapter

"The house is larger than we need," says Spikes of the five-bedroom home that is in contract to be sold. "It seems like a good time to move on to the next phase of our lives."  The couple will live in their Upper West Side apartment while looking for a smaller home in Southern Westchester. 

"I plan to continue part-time at the Enterprise," she says, "and keep writing on local history."

Fondest Memory

Spikes says that she began making close friends in Larchmont when she met the people who rallied for Bevan house.

Her fondest memory involves the ending of her four-year term as founding president of the historical society.

"It was a very hot night, and I was still gardening. My friend Athena Ploumis called and insisted I help her carry boxes to the home of our friends June and Bruce Allen. I didn't want to go because I was dirty from the garden. As we got closer, I said that we couldn't go in, because they were having a big party on their porch. There was candlelight and music and happy voices. Athena practically shoved me up the stairs, and everyone shouted, 'Surprise!' They were thanking me for founding the group and serving as president.  I was totally flummoxed. That was a very, very happy memory."

Spikes emphasizes that her accomplishments were achieved with the work of many people.

"I want to say that I made a lot of dear friends, and a lot of acquaintances, who have really enriched my life. My work as village historian and with the historical society have been a very important part of my life."

Katherine Ann Samon is the author of four books, including Ranch House Style, and is on the board of the Larchmont Historical Society. Her column, "Historical Wonders," about important buildings in Larchmont and Mamaroneck, will appear twice a month on Larchmont-Mamaroneck Patch. To learn more about the author, visit her Web site.