Town of Webb Historical Association’s Local History and Stories Series
Each week, the series will feature a different speaker to deliver a presentation and lead a discussion on a topic related to local and regional history. The public is invited to attend, enjoy the talks, ask questions, and share related information.
Thursdays throughout the summer at 5 pm at the Old Forge Public Library.
Join author Ed Pitts on Thursday, July 17 at 5 pm for a captivating presentation on his book Sketching the Adirondacks: Letters from the Wilderness.
This talk brings to life the remarkable journey of two young artists, Jervis McEntee (23) and Joseph Tubby (29), who ventured across the remote Central Adirondacks in 1851—when much of the area was still true wilderness. Aspiring landscape painters at the time, both men would later be recognized as part of the esteemed Hudson River School of American Art. The event will feature readings from the book, along with visual illustrations including engravings made from McEntee’s original sketches and landscape paintings by both artists.
Ed Pitts is a retired attorney and former Social Security Administrative Law Judge based in Syracuse, NY. A prolific writer on Adirondack history, his work has appeared in Adirondack Life, Adirondac, LOCALadk, and online via the Adirondack Almanack and the New York Almanack. He is also the author of two books published by Syracuse University Press and writes a blog of illustrated short articles titled Annals of the Beaver River. Pitts is a member of the Rap-Shaw Club on Stillwater Reservoir in the west-central Adirondacks.
Upcoming presentations in the series include:
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July 24 – Ron Patterson: Oneida Indian Culture
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July 31 – Dennis Webster: Best Haunted Evidence of the Ghost Seekers
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August 7 – Bill Blunden: Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus
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August 14 – To Be Announced
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August 21 – Town Historian Kristy Rubyor: President Benjamin Harrison’s Adirondack Connection
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August 29 – Rev. Noel Sherry: The Great Nelson Lake Train Wreck
The Local History and Stories Series is free and open to the public. It offers an opportunity to engage with local history and celebrate community heritage. Please mark your calendars and join us on Thursday evenings at the library.
