Hudson Falls in Washington County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

William (Bill) M. Bronk

Poet

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., July 29, 2023

1. William (Bill) M. Bronk Marker

Inscription.

William (Bill) M. Bronk. Poet. , Local poet William (Bill) Bronk was born in Fort Edward, New York to William M. Bronk and Ethel Funston Bronk. He was a descendant of Jonas Bronck, for whom the Bronx was named. William Bronk grew up in nearby Hudson Falls and lived in the same Victorian house for most of his life. After graduating from Hudson Falls High School and Dartmouth College, he continued his studies at Harvard University. Leaving Harvard in 1939, he focused on creating his work The Brother in Elysium - a study of the 19th century American writers Thoreau, Whitman, and Melville., In April of 1941, Bronk was drafted into the United States Army. He was discharged in October of 1945 with the rank of lst Lieutenant. After the war, Bronk went on to teach English at Union College in Schenectady, New York. He taught for one year and then returned to Hudson Falls to run his family's business, the William M. Bronk Coal and Lumber Company. He had a reponsibility as the sole male heir to carry on the family business. What Bronk thought would be a temporary appointment turned into a career. Bronk stayed with the company until its closure in 1978., Managing the Bronk Coal and Lumber Co. provided Bronk with financial security, and as a result he was able to harness his energy for more creative pursuits. Brook published his first book of poems, Light and Dark in 1956. He continued to produce more publications including Life Supports, for which he won the American Book Award for Poetry in 1982. Bronk also received the Lannan Literary Award for poetry in 1991. Bronk's writing often deals with the philosophical and metaphysical apects of life. The Southwest Review said of Bronk. "If Aristotle or Bernard Loengan wrote meditative verse, it would sound like William Bronk, only not as good.", Bronk continued to write and purchase works of art up until his death in 1999. His last public reading took place at Adirondack Community College's Visual Arts Gallery on November 2, 1997., [Photo captions not transcribed]

Local poet William (Bill) Bronk was born in Fort Edward, New York to William M. Bronk and Ethel Funston Bronk. He was a descendant of Jonas Bronck, for whom the Bronx was named. William Bronk grew up in nearby Hudson Falls and lived in the same Victorian house for most of his life. After graduating from Hudson Falls High School and Dartmouth College, he continued his studies at Harvard University. Leaving Harvard in 1939, he focused on creating his work The Brother in Elysium - a study of the 19th century American writers Thoreau, Whitman, and Melville.

In April of 1941, Bronk was drafted into the United States Army. He was discharged in October of 1945 with the rank of lst Lieutenant. After the war, Bronk went on to teach English at Union College in Schenectady, New York. He taught for one year and then returned to Hudson Falls to run his family's business, the William M. Bronk Coal and Lumber Company. He had a reponsibility as the sole male heir to carry on the family business. What Bronk thought would be a temporary appointment turned into a career. Bronk stayed with the company until its closure in 1978.

Managing the Bronk Coal and Lumber Co. provided Bronk with financial security, and as a result he was able to harness his energy for more creative pursuits. Brook published his first book of

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poems, Light and Dark in 1956. He continued to produce more publications including Life Supports, for which he won the American Book Award for Poetry in 1982. Bronk also received the Lannan Literary Award for poetry in 1991. Bronk's writing often deals with the philosophical and metaphysical apects of life. The Southwest Review said of Bronk. "If Aristotle or Bernard Loengan wrote meditative verse, it would sound like William Bronk, only not as good."

Bronk continued to write and purchase works of art up until his death in 1999. His last public reading took place at Adirondack Community College's Visual Arts Gallery on November 2, 1997.

[Photo captions not transcribed]

Erected by SUNY ADIRONDACK Hill Collection.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.

Location. 43° 17.199′ N, 73° 34.885′ W. Marker is in Hudson Falls, New York, in Washington County. It can be reached from Schuyler Street. Marker is in Section 8 of Union Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8 Schuyler Street, Hudson Falls NY 12839, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York

and in the Capital District.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: William Hart Hill (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Civil War Memorial

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., July 29, 2023

2. William (Bill) M. Bronk Marker

(about 600 feet away); Unknown (about 600 feet away); War Memorial (about 600 feet away); The Ghost Story of Duncan Campbell (approx. ¼ mile away); Jane McCrea (approx. ¼ mile away); The Grave of Duncan Campbell & Jane McCrea (approx. ¼ mile away); General Burgoyne’s 1777 Army Encampment (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hudson Falls.

Also see . . . William Bronk Papers, 1918-1999 at University of New Hampshire Library Special Collections. Includes a biography (Submitted on July 29, 2023, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, June 1, 2025

3. William (Bill) M. Bronk Marker

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, June 1, 2025

4. William (Bill) M. Bronk Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2023, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 629 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 30, 2023, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 3, 4. submitted on June 1, 2025, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.