Retirement in 2001 gave me the
opportunity to step aside as an educator and put my college degree in American
Cultural History to use. Did I have any concept of what lay ahead? Definitely
not! If I had known I might not have had the courage to move forward and tackle
what awaited me. As I stood in awe and
bewilderment Morris Glenn, a local historian and author, stepped forward and
provided the guidance and oversight that were essential if we were to move forward.
With each passing day the pile of articles and artifacts that we “discovered”
grew at a truly alarming rate, provoking Morris to continually remark, “This is
the gift that won’t stop giving”. To date 51,000 documents, dairies, business
records, diaries, books and a wide variety of other paper items, as well as
over 6,000 photographs and over 2,100 textiles have been handled with respect
and loving care, categorized and conserved.
In the ensuing months, and as other local “treasures” were
found, just as those of the Clark’s were, the Foundation’s mission and vision
evolved to what it is today. It is “to preserve and share 19th
and early 20th century records and documentary collections from the
Boquet River Valley
of New York State in order to facilitate the interpretation of the
agricultural, industrial, maritime, economic, social, and cultural history of
its inhabitants, to enhance a deeper understanding and appreciation of that
history, and to promote public access and scholarly research. The challenge
that now lies before us is to find a permanent home for these slices of
history. We are committed to keeping them in their native locale where they are
part of its very fabric. This is the legacy that Bruce and I are determined to leave
behind and this is the inspiration for sharing the Clark’s story with you.
Darcey Hale
January 1, 2016
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