The summer research season is in full swing and from the time we open our doors between 9 and 10 a.m. each day the phone rings and the door swing.
Each contact and conversation we have enriches our knowledge of the past residents of our region and hopefully we are also reciprocating in helping our guests learn more about their ancestry.
The alumni banquet season that ended in June brought many people in and out as they were home for reunions.
In August our facility will also host the Pulaski 25- and 30-year classes for reunions.
As reported previously, we extended free year memberships to the 50-year graduates of our four school districts: APW, Camden, Pulaski and Sandy Creek.
We are still trying to add more people from these APW and Camden classes as we were unable to get the lists.
This year many of the returning alumni shared stories, family history and many photos and artifacts with us that added to our collections, for which we are very grateful.
Our last quarterly newsletter may have seemed a bit gloomy as we reported on our shortfall in available funds.
June is normally a tight period for us as we are ending the previous year’s capital work and awaiting word on impending grants.
Thus concerned we sent out a request for assistance from our members and friends.
We are very pleased to report that many contributions large and small have put us back in good condition and we are very thankful.
We had a good visit last week with Camden Historian Tim Nichols and Kirkland/Clinton Historian Richard Williams who spent time at our facility and discussed history and sustaining membership and organizational structure.
Similarly, President Doyle visited Debbie Quick at South Jefferson Historical the week prior to discuss common projects and benchmark each other’s groups.
Bilkey Moore of South Jefferson Historical brought down six school desks to the County Fair building for us to use for exhibits.
Mr. Moore is a long-time officer and volunteer at the Adams museum and has been a key part of their admirable expansion efforts in the past few years.
George and Sibil Cummins of Sandy Creek brought in a large bible from a Dewey family that originated in Indiana and lived in eastern NYS.
The bible records span 150 years and are very detailed.
The book was found among donations in the Friendship shop of Sandy Creek.
Elaine Peeters of Liverpool, NY, has been in a few times this spring sharing her information on the Moss/Masse family of northern NY.
On a visit July 16, she brought a nice cherry end table that she donated to our collection.
Rhonda Clemens of North Carolina was also in earlier in the week to donate some Pulaski Day programs from the 1960s.
That same day Beth Taplin brought in many items from her parents’ families that will add to our alumni and family history collections.
We thank all of our great members and friends who remember us!
On July 15, we received a check for $7,835 from the Greater Pulaski Community Fund.
The grant monies will cover the upgrades to our heating and air conditioning of the main floor rooms.
To this end that week Brad Pflueger of BEC Heating began the removal of the two main units from the main hall, and has them staged in their approximate new locations.
Some work to the stage corner and the store room in the northeast will need to be done before they can be reconnected.
We are very excited to see the main hall clear of these effective, but unsightly units.
The new duct work plan will centralize the heat better and add air-conditioning which will help keep humidity down.
On the weekend of July 26-28, the the family of Theo and Agnes (Duane) Grant will converge on the area for their annual reunion.
Half-Shire will be the headquarters of this weekend of activities, and we are excited to welcome the Grants back home!
Half-Shire is also busy planning the annual Redfield/Osceola Schools reunion on August 17.
All former students in schools in Redfield and Osceola are cordially invited to attend the annual luncheon and short program at Half-Shire.
Fay Yerdon Colvin has sent out 200 invitations to known former students, but many addresses are lacking, particularly for Osceola.
Cost of the dinner is $9 and the menu includes chicken and biscuits and all the fixings.
Half-Shire is open generally Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and coffee and iced tea are free.
Come and visit us, but best to call or email ahead to ensure we will be here.
315-298-2986 or [email protected]
Facebook page “Mary White” with Half Shire as a subtitle.
1100 County Route 48 in Richland Hamlet.
Half-Shire covers the towns of eastern Oswego, western Lewis and northwestern Oneida counties.
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