To the Editor:

We live in a place with an exceptional and an exceptionally long history. From our pre-Revolution early settlers, to our grand Gilded Age hotels, from the creation of the fairgrounds to our ’60s-era artists’ colony, history always seems to be passing through Altamont.

In celebration of our rich history, the Village of Altamont Archives and Museum and Altamont Free Library are excited to announce that we will once again be hosting our Annual Founders Day Celebration — on Sunday, Oct. 10, in Orsini Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

As part of the festivities, the Village Archives and Museum will be open throughout the day. Visitors to the archives can see an exhibit showcasing items surrounding Altamont’s incorporation.

In addition, we will be unveiling a new exhibit of artifacts from the Village Archives on display at the Altamont Free Library, celebrating the 95th anniversary of automobile racing at the Altamont fairgrounds, which will be on view in the library’s entryway.

Participants will also have the chance to sign up for a short walking tour of the village, featuring a few of the many sites on our incredible Museum in the Streets. (If you’ve never done the Museum in the Streets walking tour before, this would be a great opportunity!)

Finally, as part of the celebration, the Altamont Free Library will be recording oral history interviews of some of our longest-memoried citizens. If you or a loved one would like to reminisce about the fair in the ’40s, or Sand Street in the ’70s, or Altamont Elementary School in the ’80s, you can sign up for a one-hour recording session and you can either bring your own interviewer, or let a librarian interview you, so that your stories and memories can be preserved for posterity as part of Altamont’s remarkable history! Please see this week’s Library Notes column for all the details.

We are very grateful to all of our volunteers for helping make this event possible. We hope to see you on Founders Day!

Dan Barker

Village Archivist

Altamont

Joe Burke

Director

Altamont Free Library