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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018 Town Historian Annual ReportLouise Bement 49 Myers Road Lansing, NY 14882 2018 Town Historian Report As usual, this past year I have been president of the Lansing Historical Association and have presided at our five board meetings and two public programs. I also am editor of our four historical newsletters (which means I am responsible for writing them and mailing them to over 150 members). I am lucky to have two board members (Fannie Welch and Kathy LaLonde) meet with me at the archives on Saturday mornings as we sort and file our records and help anyone who comes in with questions. I attend the monthly Municipal Historians meetings chaired by Carol Kammen. I act as secretary at these meetings since I always take good notes anyway. In February I helped Sarah and Chris Hesse with information and photographs of the International Salt Company as they opened their brewery, of that name, next to Rogue’s Harbor. In March I was surprised and pleased to be recognized as a hard working historian by The History Center in Tompkins County. Many awards were given out that night at a lovely party and ceremony (3rd Annual CELEBRATING HISTORY Awards Gala). One week later I ended up in the hospital. Good timing, wouldn’t you say? Also in March I helped Sean Bradwese and his wife, Nichole, look over very old records at the Archives. In April I worked at the Archives for two hours with Reggie and Michelle (from the County) about the history of flooding of Cayuga Lake. Also my dentist’s mother called to visit about the Rock Salt Mine where her husband worked in the 1920’s. It seems that men from Binghamton would catch the morning train and travel to Myers where they would be dropped off at the mine. We had a happy visit that lasted for over ½ hour. I mailed a Town of Lansing map to Steve Howieson in California so he could find the location of the White Cemetery on Dates Road. I had the One-room Schoolhouse open for two hours for the Lansing Loves to Read group. In May Steve Howieson and his wife came in their BIG RV and we went looking for the White Cemetery (we used my car).We found it and the Hamilton family graves. This cemetery has been adopted by some group who keep it looking very spiffy. In June I gave a talk on local history to the Eastern Star at their picnic at Ludlowville Park. Also I met Carol Kammen at the Crossroads Restaurant to be interviewed for a project of hers. We had a nice lunch, too. July is always a busy time for historians. I spent the Glorious Fourth at the North Cabin with Fannie and Kathy where we had put up a historical exhibit. Quite a few people stopped to visit and view the exhibit. (It was the coolest place in the park on that hot, humid, day.) Then in the middle of the month I spent two days with the Smith Family Reunion. The first day was spent preparing for their visit. The people attending the reunion were descendants of Andrew Myers and they were thrilled to have their reunion in Myers Park. I showed them where Andrew, Jr. had his grist mill and saw mill on either side of the bridge crossing the mouth of Salmon Creek. And then we went to Ludowville to see more historic sites. They copied many records and bought the 1853 maps in our collection. We ended the day at the office of the Rock Salt Mine where the manager of the mine gave a nice talk. Debbie Smith from Maryland had arranged the reunion and all that happened that day. Many of the people attending were from Alberta Canada, and one mother and teenage daughter were from California. Also in July I gave a talk on Rogue’s Harbor for Historic Ithaca. It was a hot, windy day and we were lucky to be able to use the ballroom for the occasion. There were about 65 people in attendance. Also I had a long phone call from Susan Moore of Alfred Station about the Starr Cemetery. Later on she came to see me and we went to the location of the cemetery, but we did not enter as the owner of the land was not available to give permission. (She will come back later, now that she knows where the cemetery is located.) We also visited the cemetery at Lake Ridge where she took pictures of family grave stones. In August I met for two hours with Ella Holden at the Archives. We have a big file on the two Holden families. In October I met at the Archives with “The Trails” committee to find names for naming the trails. Everyone was handed an 1853 map and an 1866 map to find names on the location of the trails area. That was a lot of fun. Things slow down as November approaches, and I can rest up now until Spring!