Getting to know our community (again)
It has been quite some time since we’ve interacted with our community. Back when the world came to a screeching halt in early 2020, we lost our footing, momentum…our motivation. The heart has been there, the “oomph” was not. Slowly, it’s been coming back. The approaching 250th anniversary of the American Revolution is certainly helping, but so is the bit of nostalgia for how it used to be; Having exhibits that intrigue and draw visitors to the schoolhouse, hosting small events, and engaging with the residents of Putnam Valley.
Our first step is creating Valley Voices: A History Forum – a very casual, informal discussion group. Because of our limited space and accessibility, we are partnering with the Putnam Valley Library and will meet in their community room. It’s an opportunity to connect offline with fellow local history enthusiasts, share stories, and learn something new. We will also encourage you to bring any related photos, papers or objects to share. Think show-and-tell in kindergarten, but history related. Each time the group meets the historical society will provide the general topic, some relevant ephemera and documents for talking points and of course, the snacks. There will not be a dedicated speaker or presentation – the goal is to have local conversations in real time in addition to online and social media. You can come and go at any time during the discussion, or stay the whole time.
Our first forum will be on Saturday November 2nd from 2:00PM – 3:30PM at the Putnam Valley Library and will focus on the history of Lake Peekskill, which is coming up on it’s 100th anniversary in a few short years. We will bring some old maps and photos and newspaper clippings for you to look through. Are you a second or third generation resident? Newcomer to the area? Just plain interested in chatting with some familiar, neighborly faces and meeting some new ones? Join us at the library for what we hope will become a regular get together for our community.
Our next step is working to fulfill as many of the genealogy and house information requests we’ve been receiving via email as we can. Getting our files digitized (one page and photo at a time!) will make it far easier moving forward, but for now it is still largely a paper based document search. Keep an eye out for upcoming forums, we will probably have one devoted to the family trees of Putnam Valley at some point!
