Local Historical Societies are carefully opening up to share their history

SUMMITVILLE - The Coronavirus Pandemic has forced many regional schools, libraries, and historical societies to adopt new methods, which sometimes meant suspending traditional in-person gatherings. “I have made sure to keep busy during these strange times by writing articles for various journals, starting a historical podcast series on my hometown titled A Walk Through Woodbury, and completing my book titled Spoiled Milk: The Lost Dairy Farming Empire of Orange County, New York,” says Alex Prizgintas.

One aspect of many historical societies that has been hit hard by the pandemic is the availability of in-person gatherings and public lectures. Over the past eight years, Prizgintas has given more than thirty lectures on topics of local history ranging from railroads to dairy farms, yet the pandemic forced him to take a year’s hiatus while all historical societies suspended in-person events.

“To adapt I have given several presentations over platforms such as ZOOM during this time,” says Prizgintas, “and while it is a great tool for this new normal, the lack of personal interactions simply make it, at least for me, less impactful than a live lecture.”

We still have a long way to go during the pandemic and Prizgintas hopes that more societies might begin to open their doors to in-person events. This past June, he gave his first live presentation since 2019 to the Bergen-Rockland Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society. Now, he is returning with one of his most popular shows titled “Orange County Dairies and Their Milk Bottles” before the Mamakating Historical Society.

“In the time since I last gave this lecture, I have continued additional in-depth research for my book which has given me a new perspective for this program,” says Prizgintas. “The result is a far more detailed look at the reasons why Orange County stood at the forefront of transporting and marketing fluid milk in the mid to late-nineteenth century. Furthermore, in addition to discussing a selection of the nearly 3,000 dairy farms that populated Orange County, I will also be sharing a few farms in Bloomingburg, Wurtsboro, and Ellenville since the Mamakating Historical Society sits in Sullivan County and near Ulster County.”

The program will be held on Friday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m. on 136 Summitville Road, Summitville and refreshments will also be available. Members of the Mamakating Historical Society will be able to attend for no charge, while non-members are asked to donate $5 per seat.

There are only fifty seats available, so make sure to reserve yours now by calling (845) 888-2851. For any other questions, please contact Alex Prizgintas at (845) 774-9856.