Recently, Reference Librarian Valerie Herman went through the entire local history collection to reorganize and reevaluate the materials. She removed duplicates and items in such poor condition that they were no longer legible. More importantly, she re-cataloged the items so they are easier to find and explore.
Here are a
few of the interesting items available for review:
Between the Lines: Stories of
Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution by Susan Cochran Swanson (1976);
Junior League of Pelham, Inc., Pelham, New York. This small paperback book
retells the history of Westchester County, New York, during the American
Revolution. Most of the material found in this booklet is drawn from interviews
conducted and compiled after the war by a John M. McDonald and his friend and
old Westchester guide, Andrew Corsa between the years 1844-1850. These
interviews, 407 in all, were from 241 people aged 70-96 who had lived through
the incidents during the Revolutionary War.
Perhaps the story Delancey Raids American Post at Pines Bridge, May 13,
1781 (p. 62-69) would be of particular interest to some who live in the south
Somers area.
The Somers Library Association
Program;
Fund-raiser program from the event held December 4, 1976 for benefit of the
Somers Library Association. Back in the earlier days of the Somers Library, the
library was not a public library, but an association library formed in 1875. It
was located at the intersection of Routes 202 & 116. At one time, its
funding came largely from a thrift shop called Elephant’s Trunk Thrift Shop for
the Somers Library. This is a program from a fund-raising event held at the
Lakeover Country Club in Bedford Hills. This program holds a snapshot of the town
during the mid-1970’s with ads placed by the Somers Chamber of Commerce with a
listing of its members, the Somers Junior Women’s Club, the Mexican Shack,
Billingsley Real Estate, Lakeland Lumber, Somers Cleaners & Tailors, and
the Somers Shell Service Station, Armand Fourgeot, Proprietor. There are also
ads from many generous families. Additionally, there is a President’s Message
written by the then president of the Somers Library Association, Jean Reidy.
Jean is now one of our current library board members.
Somers is Our Home Town (1976). This booklet is a result of a
bicentennial project by a group of children in Mrs. Fowler’s 1975-1976 third
grade reading class at Primrose School, Somers, New York. This pamphlet is
illustrated by the children of this class and also includes old historic photos
as well as photos of the class as they explore their town. There is a picture
of the class as a group and a page with all their signatures.
