Maurice Hinchey: “First of all, before I begin, I want to express my deep admiration and appreciation to the chairman of this Environment…”

“First of all, before I begin, I want to express my deep admiration and appreciation to the chairman of this Environment and Interior Subcommittee, for the marvelous job he has done in putting this bill together. It is extraordinary in all that it does and improvements that it makes. Also, I express my appreciation to the ranking minority member, Mr. Tiahrt, and all of the good work he has done and his responsibility on this committee, and particularly with regard to this bill. Ironically, I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Texas because he gives me an opportunity to talk a little bit about the Maverick Concert Hall. This small amount of money in this bill would provide for the restoration work on this Maverick Concert Hall. The Maverick Concert Hall was handbuilt in 1916 in a very unique rustic style. It was done so by famed Maverick Art Colony founder and philosopher Hervey White. Local carpenters put the building together, along with a band of resident 'maverick' artists and volunteers. The Maverick Art Colony was a key element in the emergence of Woodstock, New York, as a nationally influential art colony. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the hall is the home of the oldest continuous summer chamber music series anywhere in the United States. For 91 years, America's leading professional artists have presented summer concerts at the hall. The acoustics in this rural building are nearly perfect.”