Meredith Historical Society Program Growing Up in 1920s Delaware County

MEREDITH — The Meredith Historical Society will present a program on growing up Houghtaling Hollow in the Delaware County town of Meredith during the 1920s on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 7 PM. As depicted in Bert Santora’s writings about his youth, “The Hollow” in the 1920s was a place where a close-knit community worked, played, and depended on one another.

Utilizing PowerPoint, presenters Neil Riddell and Bill Simons will, through word and visuals, tell the story of Bert Santora’s coming of age in rural Houghtaling Hallow. Despite rapid urbanization and industrialization in much of America, The Hollow in the 1920s was still a place of hillside farms, horse-drawn plows and cultivators, treadle power by animals, hand sickles and scythes, and grain cradles. Since young Bert Santora grew up on a farm with boiler-heated water, gas lights, a wood-burning central furnace, and an in-door flush toilet not common amongst neighbors, his home boarded The Hollow’s school teacher. Cider, hearty food, square dancing and other celebratory social events, and community solidarity gave respite to the work cycle.

Bill Simons is Professor Emeritus of American History at SUNY Oneonta, a former lecturer for the New York Council on the Humanities, author of academic and journalistic publications, and teacher at Chautauqua Institute. Neil Riddell is a native of the area, former Vice President of the College Foundation at SUNY Delhi, agricultural and real estate entrepreneur, veteran Army paratrooper, and multi-sport college and high school referee.

The program is free and open to the general public. The presentation will be held at the home of the Meredith Historical Society in the former Charlotte Valley Presbyterian Church, located at 10044 Elk Creek Rd, East Meredith, New York. For further information, contact Meredith Historical Society President Frank Waterman at  Fwaterman4@gmail.com 

Light refreshments will follow the presentation.