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Woodstock – An Evolutionary Tale
August 24 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
A Talk by Town Historian, Richard Heppner
Saturday August 24 at 4:00 pm.
Also – A History Harvest from 2-4:00 pm
In conjunction with the Historical Society’s current exhibit, HSW will present a talk entitled, Woodstock – An Evolutionary Tale, by Woodstock Town Historian Richard Heppner on August 24th at 4:00 pm. The talk will be held at the Historical Society’s Eames House Museum on Comeau Drive. Admission is free.
Much has unfolded within the shadow of Overlook Mountain since the founding of Woodstock in 1787. Over the course of more than two centuries, Woodstock has evolved from a rural Catskill Mountain town to what some have proclaimed to be the “most famous small town in America.” During that span, Woodstock has been buffeted by both internal and external forces unlike other small towns and far beyond what the town’s founding fathers and mothers could have envisioned as the 18th century drew to a close.
So how did Woodstock become Woodstock? While it is a tale that goes far beyond a festival that bore its name (though never held here), it is a tale that includes hardworking laborers cutting bluestone and working the tannery, artists, musicians, conservative and progressive politics, tourists, changing businesses, generational conflict, and a collective of townspeople who often saw the world through a slightly different lens.
During his talk, Heppner will explore the many facets that have combined over the years to create an uncommon history; a history unique in its telling and, frankly, hard to imagine.
Richard Heppner has served as Woodstock’s town historian since 2001. During his tenure, he has written multiple of books and essays on Woodstock history. His latest book, Woodstock – From World War to Culture Wars will be released by SUNY Press on October 1.
Also, on August 24 from 2:00-4:00 pm, HSW will be conducting a “History Harvest.” In an effort to add to the Society’s archives, if you have a unique photo of Woodstock, its buildings, an event, or a memory of another time, bring it to the Historical Society that day and it will be scanned, returned to you and the scan will be added to the Society’s collection.