Dear Friends,

A colleague recently asked me, “What’s going on with the Incline Society? Something seems to have changed.” “It has,” I replied. “We’ve found ourselves.” Of course, we were never actually “lost.” I simply meant that with the recent completion of a strategic plan, our vision has come into sharper focus than ever before. 

How do we see our future? First, we believe that the Mount Beacon Incline Railway should be returned to operation by 2013, the centennial of the City of Beacon, New York. We envision a railway that:

- Is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant

- Integrates sustainable design and historic preservation

- Operates in complete harmony with its natural setting

Second, we realized that restoring the railway allows us to achieve other ends, as embodied by our core values of Education, Community Service, Philanthropy, Historic Preservation, and Environmental Protection. With those values to guide us, here’s how we imagine the Society in 2013 and beyond:

Education: We are registered with the New York State Education Department and chartered by its Board of Regents. We operate a vibrant museum on Main Street in the City of Beacon, New York, with the nearby Incline Railway as its centerpiece asset. We have a multi-disciplinary focus on education, historic preservation, and environmental protection and are recognized for our work in these areas.

Community Service: Our associates devote their time, energy and talents to selfless service. As others volunteer to help us, so too must we help others.

Philanthropy: The Mount Beacon Incline Railway and Museum gives to others via direct contributions and partnered fundraising efforts, focusing our philanthropy upon educational and children’s programs.

Historic Preservation: We are a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Our partners are like-minded organizations, working in concert to raise awareness of our region’s past and to inspire the active preservation and protection of our national heritage.

Environmental Protection: We are members of the U.S Green Building Council. Our facilities are LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). We are partners with organizations sharing our environmental concerns, such as Scenic Hudson, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, the Beacon Institute, Clearwater, the Environmental Consortium of Hudson River Colleges and Universities, and many others.

Realizing this vision will require the support of our partners, members and friends, but it’s become increasingly clear that the support is there. With your continued help, we’ll get the job done. Climb aboard, and we’ll see you at the top!

Anne Lynch

President and CEO