news archive | Historical Society of Middletown

Margaretville Lauded by State Legislature

May 5, 2025 | 2025 News, news archive

The Margaretville Village Board will meet Thursday, May 8 at 4 p.m. to read from a NYS Legislative Resolution honoring the village at the 150th anniversary of its incorporation. The Resolution was passed by both the Senate and the Assembly March 20, and the village was to be honored on the floor of the Senate in Albany May 6 with Village representatives present.

The Village Board will observe the milestone May 8, the day a public vote in 1875 approved the formation of a system of governance for what had been an unincorporated hamlet. The public is warmly invited. Cake will be served. The regular monthly meeting of the trustees will follow the reading and reception.

The Resolution, introduced by Senator Pete Oberacker (51st Senate) and Assemblyman Brian Maher (101 Assembly), provides an overview of village history and concludes, “. . . the Village of Margaretville continues to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents (who) have a bright outlook for the future of their community. In recognition of Margaretville’s rich history and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is proud to pay tribute to the spirited village upon the occasion of its 150th Anniversary.”

The Sesquicentennial celebration will continue July 13, with an illustrated program on Village history at the Middletown History Center, and July 26, when a Birthday Block Party will be held on Main Street.

Businesses are encouraged to hang banners, decorate their store fronts and/or create appropriate window displays.

For updates on the Sesquicentennial, visit villageofmargaretville.com or mtownhistory.org.

Folk artists spotlighted in HSM exhibit

Apr 25, 2025 | 2025 News, news archive

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) will shine a light on two folk artists whose work will be exhibited at the Middletown History Center this year.

Basket maker Karl Amor (1906-1992) and metal sculptor Joseph Schoell (1907-1993) practiced their crafts just a couple miles from each other in Dunraven. Both had escaped oppression and upheaval in their home countries of Estonia and Hungary, and both found peace and inspiration in the Catskills.

Their lives and art will be on display at the History Center, 778 Cemetery Road, Margaretville on the first Friday and Saturday of each month May through November from 10 to 2, as well as afternoons of scheduled programs.

The first opportunity to see the exhibit, and to visit the Nicholas J. Juried Archives, will be May 2 and 3 from 10 to 2, as well as during the Kids Kingdom reunion Sunday, May 4 from 2 to 4.

Karl Amor baskets, woven from willow shoots, grapevines and spruce roots gathered by the artist along roadsides and streambanks, have been highly sought by local residents as well as folk art collectors. The HSM display features baskets recently donated to the historical society by folklorist Mary Zwolinski. A selection of these baskets will be sold at silent auction in October.

Joseph Schoell, once a sheet metal worker in Hungary, is remembered for his dynamic creations in metal. A castle, a knight, a space shuttle and a striking Statue of Liberty were among the works that went from being traffic-stopping lawn ornaments to museum pieces in the 1990s.

HSM is planning spring and summer programs and events that include the May 4 Kids Kingdom Reunion, a talk on the Delaware & Northern Railroad by John Duda on June 8 and a program on the history of Margaretville July 13, part of Village Sesquicentennial festivities. An “Armchair” version of HSM’s popular Living History Cemetery Tour will be held August 23 and 24 at Open Eye Theater.

To make an appointment for a research visit to the archives, call 845-586-2400.

HSM will clean headstones during May

Apr 10, 2025 | 2025 News, news archive

Before

After

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) will offer a headstone cleaning service at Middletown area cemeteries during the month of May.
In the weeks leading up to Memorial Day, HSM’s trained volunteers will use D-2, a non-toxic cleaning agent, to remove algae, lichen and age-related grime from monuments and headstones in this annual fundraiser.

This service is provided at a cost of $30 for a single stone, $50 for two stones or a two-sided stone. To take advantage of this offer, send a check and contact information, along with name(s) on the headstone(s) and the cemetery, to

HSM
PO Box 734
Margaretville, NY 12455

For more information, leave a message at 845-586-2400, or historicalsocietyofmiddletown@gmail.com.

The Historical Society is preparing for its 2025 season of programs and special events. Find details at mtownhistory.org.

Margaretville celebrates 150th birthday in 2025

Mar 11, 2025 | 2025 News, news archive

The Village of Margaretville will mark the 150th anniversary of its incorporation this year.

The Village Board will observe the milestone when it meets May 8, the day a public vote in 1875 approved the formation of a system of governance for what had been an unincorporated hamlet.

An illustrated program, to be held Sunday, July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Middletown History Center, will detail the story of Margaretville’s development, focusing on the past century and a half. The talk will cover the impact of railroads, wars, floods and technological progress on businesses, schools, hospitals, civic groups and families.

A block dance will be held on Main Street Saturday, July 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. The street will be partially closed, music will be provided by Sue’s Garage, vintage cars will be on display, food will be available for purchase, and a community portrait will be taken like those taken in 1979 and 2000. Everyone is welcome to be part of this special commemoration.

Mayor John Hubbell, with Trustees Iris Mead, Sarah Hubbell, Dave Budin and Jeff Warren; the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, and the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown are spearheading the birthday celebration. Contact Iris Mead or Carol O’Beirne if you have an idea for an activity, or would like to participate in some way.

Businesses are encouraged to hang banners, decorate their store fronts and/or create appropriate window displays.

For updates on the Sesquicentennial, visit villageofmargaretville.com or mtownhistory.org.

Margaret O’Connell with welcome sign.

HSM elects trustees, hears annual report

Nov 7, 2024 | 2024 News, news archive

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) held its annual meeting of members and friends November 2, when Gary Smith was re-elected to the Board and Iris Mead was voted in as a new trustee.

Their terms will run for three years. Mead fills the seat vacated by the departing Agnes Laub. Others on the HSM board are Pat Moore, Josef Schoell, Doris Warner, Eli Taylor, Michael Fairbairn and Diane Galusha.

The winner of the wooden bench made and donated by craftsman Mike Porter was Mary McGrane of Margaretville.

Trustee Eli Taylor shared his research on “The Lost Battalion” of WWI, and provided brief profiles of five Middletown men who served during the war in unusual units, ranging from balloon surveillance to Northwest timber harvesting. He appeared in uniform and displayed some of the accoutrements of the American Doughboy during the conflict.

Treasurer Pat Moore provided a report on the organization’s finances and noted that HSM is well positioned to follow up its recent building addition with the renovation of the Middletown History Center’s kitchen in 2025.

President Diane Galusha said the June opening of the Center and the Nicholas J. Juried Archives was “the embodiment of its founding members’ faith in this organization to save our history, explain what it means and why it matters, and to have fun learning about how we got to this place in time.”

Among the Society’s accomplishments over the past 20 years were the preservation of more than 80 years of the Catskill Mountain News which is available online for anyone anywhere to read and research; the presentation of more than 130 lectures, programs, history hikes, films, musical programs, exhibits and tours; the transcription of hundreds of headstones in many cemeteries, and the production of 50 issues of the Bridge newsletter as well as a dynamic website ”filled with stories and photos you won’t find anyplace else.”

Added Galusha, “I am proud to say that today we have an operational archives where thousands of items are protected and interpreted for posterity. Every month more people recognize the intrinsic value of historical items and entrust their treasures to our care. It is a big responsibility, but it’s why HSM was established two decades ago.”

She encouraged people to contact HSM at 845-586-2400 to discuss or arrange donations of historic materials to the archives.

For information on HSM, along with historical articles and photos and to join or donate electronically, visit mtownhistory.org.

Re-elected HSM Board members Gary Smith with newly elected Board member Iris Mead.

HSM holds archives open house, seeks donation of historical materials

Oct 4, 2024 | 2024 News, news archive

MARGARETVILLE – The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) will welcome visitors to the Nicholas J. Juried Archives Sunday, Oct. 13 from 1 to 4, when it will also accept donations of materials to add to its collection.

Those who can’t come at that time may make an appointment to do research or donate at 845-586-2400 or historicalsocietyofmiddletown@gmail.com.

Located at the newly expanded Middletown History Center, 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville, the archives preserves documents, photographs and remnants of the town’s past so that future generations may understand its unique history. From maps to business records, postcards to paintings, family genealogies to farm account books, the archives can be considered “Middletown’s attic,” says HSM President Diane Galusha.

“We are honored to protect these things because they tell the stories of people who have lived, worked and died here,” Galusha commented. “Now that we have adequate climate-controlled storage and work space, we are actively looking for more items to add to the collection. If people have materials related to Middletown and neighboring areas, like Hardenburgh or Halcott, and they don’t know what to do with them, please bring them to the archives!”

Many physical items will be on display during the open house, a National Archives Month event. Visitors may also see digital records and information available on the HSM computer. These include files on individual properties in Arena and Dunraven taken for the Pepacton Reservoir, photographs, diaries, deeds and community history compilations.

The digital collection was recently augmented with the addition of scans of 25 individual issues of area newspapers dating back to 1864. The originals and microfilm reels are stored in the archives, while the scanned versions can now be safely read and searched.

For more information on HSM and its programs, visit mtownhistory.org.