Honoring Civil War dead

May 24, 2011 | news archive

Annual Memorial Day observances at Fleischmanns and Margaretville on May 30 will include a reading of the names of 35 men from the Town of Middletown who died during the Civil War. The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) has prepared this tribute to mark the 150th anniversary of the start of the war. Local citizens will read the names, and a bit of information about each person – age, parents’ names, military unit, when and where they served, and how they died. The readings will follow parades and services that begin in Fleischmanns at 9:00 and Margaretville at 11. In case of rain, the Fleischmanns parade will be cancelled and a single ceremony will be held in the Margaretville Central School gym. The primary source of the information is an 1866 accounting of Civil War veterans compiled by the Middletown Town Clerk at the time, William O’Connor. This period record listed 346 Middletown men who had served in the war, which raged from 1861 to 1865. HSM, which two years ago compiled comprehensive lists of veterans of all wars buried in local cemeteries, will now attempt to develop as thorough a record as possible of Middletown Civil War veterans, including those who migrated here in the post-war years. Volunteers who would like to work on this ambitious project, researching source materials, transcribing records and compiling a database which can be utilized by genealogists and historical researchers, are urged to contact Diane Galusha at 845-586-4973 or history@catskill.net.

History Hike

May 1, 2011 | news archive

Hikers, nature lovers and history buffs are invited to tramp to the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain Saturday, May 14 in an outing sponsored by the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM).

Laurie Rankin, volunteer coordinator at the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower, and her husband, Tom will offer a tour of the tower and the observer’s cabin and will discuss the history of the tower, which was used to spot forest fires in the surrounding Catskills for 100 years.

In the event of heavy or steady rain, the hike will be held Sunday, May 15. The group will set off promptly at 10 a.m. and expects to return at 3 p.m.

This is a moderately difficult, six mile round-trip hike to the 3,723-foot summit in the Town of Hardenburg. Participants are advised to bring a lunch, appropriate footwear and layered dress and to meet at the trailhead parking area on Millbrook Rd. Take Dry Brook Rd. off Rte 28, Arkville six miles, turn right on Millbrook Rd., and go 2.3 miles to the trailhead.

This event is free for HSM members, $2 for all others. Pre-registration is not necessary. For more information or weather questions, call 845-586-4973.

A log tower was originally built on the mountain in 1887 by members of the Balsam Lake Club to protect its hunting and fishing lands. Fire tower historian Marty Podskoch says that when that tower burned, a second was built on the site in 1901. It was later taken over by the State and replaced with the current steel tower. A cabin for the observer was built by the Conservation Department in 1919; and was rebuilt in 1931.

Laurie Baker Rankin spent a lot of time on the mountain as a child, because her father, Larry Baker, was the last full time observer there, serving from 1958 to 1972. Other observers included Edward Avery, the legendary Mike Todd and Gus Stewart. Ken Kittle and Tim Hinkley also manned the tower before the DEC discontinued its use in 1988.

In the 1990s, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development and the DEC reached an agreement to refurbish five fire towers in the Catskills and to have volunteers man them as observers once did. A tremendous local volunteer effort was successfully accomplished in 2000.

Please join us for a look at the current state of the tower and cabin. The rich history of both, some artifacts, some delightful memories, some hiker education and we hope fabulous views await all!

More information on the towers can be found at www.catskillcenter.org/towers.

For information on HSM events and activities, please visit www.mtownhistory.org.

Genealogy Lunch April 2

Mar 25, 2011 | news archive

HSM hosts second Genealogy Lunch

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown, Delaware County, will host the second in a three-part series of Genealogy Lunches Saturday, April 2 at Fairview Public Library, 43 Walnut St., Margaretville.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. in the library’s Community Room (the former garage). Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch. Beverage and dessert will be provided. Donations to cover the cost of refreshments will be welcomed.

Jean Ackerley, Karen McMurray and Barbara Moses will team up for this genealogy workshop. They will share information about members of the Archibald, Mead and other families.

 

If you have information, photographs, documents or genealogical research sources to share with the gathering, please bring them!

The next Genealogy Lunch will be Saturday, April 16, when Bill and Ann Sanford and Gene Rosa will share information on Sanfords, Rosas, Vermilyeas, Longs, Misners, Todds and other families.

The entire 2011 HSM schedule of events can be viewed at www.mtownhistory.org, where information on the Society’s projects, and features on special topics, can also be found.

Friends of Cemeteries to meet March 19

Mar 10, 2011 | news archive

Friends of Middletown Cemeteries will hold its annual spring planning meeting Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m. at Fairview Public Library’s Community Room, 43 Walnut St., Margaretville.

This informal group of cemetery lovers will discuss projects that might be accomplished over the coming year in the Town of Middletown and contiguous areas. They include completion of the Arkville Cemetery restoration, inventorying headstones at the Margaretville Annex Cemetery, creation of a cemetery driving tour, development of signage and other projects. There are volunteer jobs for every interest and ability!

Everyone is welcome to bring project ideas and information on cemeteries that need our attention.

Can’t come but want to help? Call 586-4973.

HSM hosts first Genealogy Lunch

Mar 3, 2011 | news archive

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown, Delaware County, will host the first in a three-part series of Genealogy Lunches Saturday, March 5 at Fairview Public Library, 43 Walnut St., Margaretville. The event will begin at 11 a.m. in the library’s Community Room (the former garage). Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch. Beverage and dessert will be provided. Donations to cover the cost of refreshments will be welcomed. George Hendricks and Barbara Pellett will team up for this first genealogy workshop. They will share information about members of the Hendricks, Kittle, Platt, Hall, Smith and other families, some of which go back more than 200 years in this area. If you have information, photographs, documents or genealogical research sources to share with the gathering, please bring them! The next Genealogy Lunch will be Saturday, April 2, when Jean Ackerley, Karen McMurray and Barbara Moses will discuss Ackerleys, Meads and other families. On Saturday, April 16, Bill and Ann Sanford, and Gene Rosa, will share insights into their families. The entire 2011 HSM schedule of events can be viewed at www.mtownhistory.org, where information on the Society’s projects, and features on special topics, can also be found.