Who Is the Town Historian and What Does He/She Do?

Transcription

1 Who Is the Town Historian and What Does He/She Do? A presentation before the Aurora Historical Society November 15, 2007

2 Who Are We? New York State s local government historians represent more than 1,600 towns, villages, cities, and counties. The town historian and village historian are officers of the government. They take an oath of office. New York State has: 62 borough and county historians 938 town historians 566 village historians Demographics: A Recent Survey by the Association of Public Historians of New York State (response from 423 members or 27% of public historians in the state): Average age: 66 Male: 42% Female: 58% Paid?: Yes 64% Average Town Historian Salary: $2,413 Have an office in the municipal building: 49% yes, 51% no 2

3 The Local Historians Law The local government historians backgrounds, and their individual activities, are as varied as their jurisdictions. This rich variety is one of the strengths of the historians system. But it also contributes to one of its greatest difficulties defining just what the local government historian does and how to do it. But What Am I Supposed to Do: A Handbook for New York State s Local Government Historians. Sections and of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law: every town and village and county must appoint a historian. Law originally enacted after World War I to make sure that local history about the war would be properly documented. The law is still on the books, but the duties of the town historian have been naturally expanded to include all aspects of local history. State Education Law defines the duties of town historian as follows: --To collect and preserve materials related to the town and village --To file such material in fireproof safes or vaults in the government offices --To call to the attention of local authorities and the state historian any material of local historical value that should be acquired for preservation --To make an annual report to the town supervisor, mayor and the state historian --Upon retirement or removal from office to turn over to the government entity all materials gathered and correspondence related to that material. But There s More to It The job of the historian is to help interpret the history of his or her community and to preserve that history for future generations. To do this government historians keep reference collections, are advocates for historic preservation, run celebrations, carry out historical research, write, publish, lecture, and are regularly available to the government, schools, community, community organizations, the press and general public. Former State Historian Paul Scudiere in 1990 Local government historian should be open-minded and objective about the history of their community and should not ignore negative aspects of the community s history. Cross jurisdictional lines/work closely with other historians and groups 3

4 What the Historian Does Not Do According to the law, local historians do not: --Collect artifacts, rather refer citizens to the proper repositories for artifacts. --Personally conduct genealogical research for citizens. --Sit on a private or non-profit historical agency staff. --The town historian is non-partisan --Everything. Town historians cannot be everywhere, but they are expected to do their best. What the Aurora Town Historian Does: --Serves as the go-to person for local historical questions; referrals from the schools, libraries, Roycroft Inn and Gift Shop, historical society. --Works closely with the various community historical organizations, i.e. Aurora Historical Society, Roycroft Campus Corporation, RALA, Foundation for the Study of the Arts and Crafts Movement at Roycroft, Village Historic Preservation Commission, government agencies. --Acts as a curator for the Town Museum (collection owned by the Historical Society) at Town Hall. --Answers numerous questions via about the history of particular families, houses, organizations. --Speaks at various civic club meetings: Historical Society, Kiwanis Club. --Presents several times per year to classrooms; works closely with teachers to incorporate local history into the approved curriculum --Maintains the research library on the second floor of Town Hall. --Preserves current history for future generations: filing weekly newspaper articles, obituaries, photographs, etc. --Helps plan community historic commemorations --Like all town officials, represents the citizens of the Town of Aurora inside and outside the community. 4

5 Goals for the Future: --Handicapped Accessibility for the Office!!!!!!!! --Bringing back school historical clubs, i.e. Garcians, Willinkers --Increased cooperation with the community historical groups --Working on history of the town supervisors, village mayors and the municipal boards. --History of Hamlin Park.the people s park. --Heighten awareness in the community of the Historian s Office and what it does. Resources Available: Indexed file boxes with items related to Roycroft, businesses, civic clubs, etc. Obituary files - more than 5000 index cards on former residents and computer index to many newspaper notices. Marriage records - Computer index to many newspaper notices. Cemetery records and maps for area grounds. General historical reference books - Architecture, State, County and Local, People and Military. Scrapbooks scrapbooks of various events. East Aurora Advertiser on Microfilm - films from 1872 to present, and bound copies of some early editions. Other newspapers are also available. U.S. Census - data from 1810 to 1910 on microfilm. Family group files - files on more than 500 families. Photographs Maps - Sanborn, Holland Land purchase, periodic development maps, and atlases of Erie County for 1866, 1880 and Computer resources - There is an ongoing effort to index and digitize many of the Historian's Office records. The system can be used to assist in information searches. 5

6 AURORA S TOWN HISTORIANS October 1919: B. Frank Dake Persons (Office Re-established in Aurora Jan. 23, 1950) : Richard S. Persons Worked to establish the Aurora Historical Society and began efforts in earnest to begin a town historical collection. Served as Aurora Town Supervisor from Really active in getting local schoolchildren involved: formation of Garcians and the Willinkers. (Resigned in 1952, but the Town Board did not act until 1957) January (?): James L. Babcock Babcock June 1960 Feb. 28, 1974: Amy Adams Forden Great-great granddaughter of Joel and Lydia Adams, among first settlers in Instrumental in restoring the Pioneer Cemetery, which had been neglected. March 1, 1974 Dec. 21, 1986: Virginia Dawson Vidler Author of three books on antiques; concentrated research on Native American history and antiques, photographer, as historian worked on an inventory of historic sites and homes in the town. Forden Dec. 21, 1986 Feb. 28, 1987: Office Vacant March 1, 1987 Dec. 31, 1995: Warren C. Moffett Vidler Jan. 1, 1996 Dec. 31, 2006: Donald Dayer Dayer Jan. 1, 2007 Present: Robert Lowell Goller Moffett Pay: 1960: $ : $ : $4,500 Goller 6

7 Helpful Websites: NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM: INFO. ABOUT LOCAL HISTORIANS: Includes links to other historical sites, the laws regarding historians and historical preservation, programs, awards, etc. ASSN. OF PUBLIC HISTORIANS OF NEW YORK STATE: Includes a searchable database of all historians in New York State AURORA TOWN HISTORIAN: NEW YORK STATE ARCHIVES: Contact: Town Historian s Office Aurora Town Hall 5 South Grove Street, Second Floor (716) Office open Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m. and by appointment historian@townofaurora.com 7

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9 Letter of acceptance from the first Town Historian, B. Frank Dake. 9

10 Letter from former Town Historian Richard S. Persons secretary to Irving L. Price. 10

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