2014-2015 Annual Report
subscription newsletter text and photos are here
past newsletters are available at:  http://www.dteator.com/glhg/glhg.htm
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History found! Near the corner of O’Hara Rd and Shipley Rd sits the O’Hara house, next to the cemetery. In back of it, the barn on right still stands. But, the one being torn down in the 1920s era was re-constructed on the O’Hara/Brown/Gorneau property. One can find the “new” barn as one travels westward on CR 67 from Freehold, the first house on the right after Big Woods Road. If you see the brightly colored barn, you have found it. (photo - Peter O'Hara)

Cows loose! 
This photo from Orrin Stevens shows the Stevens’s cows 
ambling on County Route 26 by his house. 
Follow CR 26 as it splits from SR 81 by the Stewart’s store. 
This sight was not an uncommon one fifty years ago 
but one that has become rare in our gentrification 

 

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Good almost-Spring to all,

It is Annual Report time again. About 100 of you are receiving this by email; another fifty are receiving the paper copy via regular mail. (Even the expired subscriptions receive this issue.)

I trust late-winter is finding all in good health. The flu struck early, and then was not a major factor, except for the few of you who suffered through it. And the winter, that had been a typical winter until mid-January, gave new meaning to an old-fashioned winter. For those of you who stayed in the area, you get a gold star.  

I have forgotten now what the groundhog prognosticated for the winter but I vote that we listen to a different groundhog next year. All of us in the Greenville area became imparters of old-time winter lore, no matter our age. February 2015 was the coldest February that most of us have ever lived through. But mid-March is flexing a little muscle and soon we will be raking lawns. On to non-weather.

For the first time ever (1989 on), we had no share sessions this year!
          However, we managed to sneak in a few minutes most meetings for ideas waiting to be shared. And, in fact, we have taken a couple of what would been share session topics and made them regular programs.
           The 2014 programs included:

==> Freehold Airport history, with Clem and Rita Hoovler (April)
==> Mary and Allyn Shaw’s Medical Mysteries (May)
==> 40 Years of St. Patrick’s Day Parades (May)
==> Pine Lake Manor and our boarding house history (June)
==> Chuck D’Imperio’s Upstate NY Little Known Museums (July)
==> Photo slide presentation of the lesser known corners of the town (August)
==> General stores – John I’s, Grapeville General (September)
==> GLHG 2015 Calendar presentation (October)
==> Walter Ingalls Reminiscing (November)

Included in the newsletter were several other significant pieces
==> Robert Archer material
==> St Patrick’s Day material
==> Recipes and tonics from the Shaw Medical Mysteries
==> Russell Lewis’s Eagle Scout Project – historical marker
==> GCS dedication article (from Lew Knott)
==> A few photos in most issues

Again, feedback about 2014’s programs seemed overwhelmingly positive and worthy of replication. I have used some of your ideas for programs, and am always appreciative of your whispering to me an idea or two.
          And, certainly worth repeating, an appreciative thank you goes to Stephanie and Christine for providing the “light refreshments.”
          A highlight of 2014 was the production of the 2015 calendar. As always, I hope that the 50-75 hours of effort results in a practical historical artifact that  shows a range of hamlets, of time periods, of new and old acquisitions, of seasons, and of buildings and people.
          Final figures for sales of the 2015 calendar replicated those of 2014—the calendar broke even, with a few dollars to spare. Whew.
          We thank the community spots that hosted our calendar—Tops, Kelly’s Pharmacy, the Library, and GNH. Town Clerk Jackie Park kept a display copy to remind her travelers-through where to purchase a copy; thank you, Jackie.
          When our margin is so close, every sale counts. In addition, I must note that over 40% of our sales happens in Kelly’s. I dare to say that without Kelly’s, we might not produce a calendar.
          This past year found us in a different and welcome financial situation. With the contributions from Russell Lewis’s Eagle Scout project and from the Connie Teator memorial contributions, we were in the favorable spot of almost funding the calendar from the beginning. For a number of years, I have fronted the money, and hoped to break even, causing a bit of stress and concern about the viability of the calendar. For now, optimism reigns.

The 2016 calendar is in the works, with the photo selection mostly done, and a good chunk of the research started. If you have an idea of a photo we should use, let me know before I make final decisions. 
          Our 2016 recognition was decided by our most recent vote. So, the 2016 GLHG calendar will recognize Mary Heisinger. Thank you all for your help in this choice, and congratulations to Mary.

My scanner was busy this past year, with several hundred pictures added to the archives. I am currently scanning a few hundred photos from the O’Hara collection from O’Hara’s Corners, some of which will be the basis for the upcoming program.
          I need to find an efficient way to meld the old negative numbers with a system that keeps track of electronic photos. And this is also a lesson about preservation, one that might be worth a program.
          Also available on my website are all of last year’s local history group newsletters, as well as the two years previous.
          The contents of the Historian’s Files are also linked on the web page.
          One topic that has taken a back seat for a while is the boarding house project. I have managed to add a few pieces to it; it begs for much more time. (I should also note that Mary Lou Nahas has a Facebook page about Town of Durham boarding houses—Boarding Houses, Hotels and Resorts in Durham NY—that is a delight to scroll through. And worth a program sometime.) 
          I had another project or two to delve into this winter but my list was longer than I thought, and prepping for Italy has consumed a chunk of time, all of it welcome.
          And, of course, keeping track of the paper documents while knowing where the photos are is a constant challenge.
          I won’t repeat my list from last year, but I always encourage people to work on some project. If you need ideas, or have an idea, let me know.

Membership has grown the past three years, most of it because of the digital age, with nearly one hundred email subscribers, and growing.
           Attendance at meetings this past year varied from 15 to 60. Those of you who were regular attendees in the “old” days remember an average of 15 or so.

This year’s schedule is mostly set, and shown below. I have not been able to definitely fill September and November yet, was growing a little antsy about it, but, after considering three or four good leads and possibilities, I am enjoying the anticipation of filling them as summer arrives. Whatever we cannot fit in this year schedule might be able to wait until next year. Of course, if you can think of other ideas, let me know.
          We will continue to meet the second Monday of the month, at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. For now, the tentative schedule is:

==> April: a Wednesday (April 8), a combined meeting with the Civil War Round Table, the 150th anniversary of the end of the war (the third time our two groups have joined forces). Peter Lindemann will talk about With High Hopes for the Future: Lincoln in 1865
==> May: sorry, but no meeting. Deb and I will be practicing our Italian; if someone has an idea, let me know real soon. Otherwise, we will suspend our meetings for May.
==> June: O’Hara family history, O’Hara’s Corners history, led by Peter and John O’Hara
==> July: Main Street, Greenville; with help some “old” Main Street regulars
==> August: Greenville slide show #4 (with Greenville Library), a continuation of the July Main Street program
==> September: waiting for a decision
==> October: 2016 calendar presentation
==> November: waiting for a decision

Note: Remember to support other area local history groups.
          The Cairo Historical Society has been active the past few years, and is seeking support for their proposed museum.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nygreen2/cairo_historical_society.htm will take you to their web site.           
         
Mary Lou and Nick Nahas have done a nice job for Town of Durham, especially Oak Hill, material. Mary Lou’s Facebook page was mentioned above.
          Of course, there is the Greene County Historical Society that I know several of you are members of. (gchistory.org will take you to that website.)
          And I enjoy the Mountain Top Historical Society’s offerings, especially since I see the Escarpment from my back porch every time I look out my kitchen window. (mths.org is their website.)
          My apologies for leaving out others but these are the four that garner my attention most closely.

Notes about subscriptions
==> Email newsletters: No cost. And forward as you desire.
==> Web site viewing: No cost.
==>
Mailed newsletters: To cover postage, envelopes, and paper, ten dollars ($10) will keep a paper copy of the newsletter coming to your address for a year (usually April – November, plus the annual report). On the address label, the four digit number above your name gives expiration info. The first two digits is the year, the next two digits is the month. (So, 1506 means your paid subscription expires in June 2015.) (Ignore this paragraph is you use only the electronic method only.)
          Anyone wanting to start or to renew a mailed subscription should send $10 for a year (if by check, made out to Don Teator): 3979 Rt 67, Freehold NY 12431. 
          A few of you receive both email and paper.
          Also, if your address label needs changing, let me know. In addition to my address, I can be reached at 518-634-2397, and, for the computer literate, I can be emailed at
dteator@gmail.com.
          Although I am not espousing any one of these methods of keeping up to date, I will not be offended if you choose the electronic route, especially if it is easier, better, and/or more economical for you; and the content will be the same, (I will continue to print a paper copy for my records) 

Other quick notes: 
==> Included are photos from scans I have taken this past year or two.
==> I stay in touch with a few members who cannot attend the meetings but would like to be remembered. Among them are Rosemary Lambert (my Gayhead person) and June Clark (one of the original members). 
==> One more note: The Civil War Round Table, under Mary Heisinger’s leadership, meets the second Wednesday of every month, and we are part of the April meeting. 

I hope to see you at the April 8 (Wednesday, 7:30 pm) meeting with the CWRT. 

Until then, take care.