Hamilton Public Library News by Antonio Barrera-Mejia

After a couple busy weeks, the library is taking a rest from programming. The only event scheduled for next week is Joan Ford's monthly music story time on Tuesday, May 20th, at 10:30 am. Participants may use the side door of the library.

A reminder for those who contributed to our Community Art Exhibit: any art work that has not yet been picked up will be stored in our workroom. Please pick it up as soon as possible. Our next art exhibit will be set up by the end of the week.

Due to this time of rest, I took the liberty of taking a closer look at the Village Museum located on the first floor of the library. Mrs. Prindle, a chairperson of the Hamilton Historical Commission and a Hamilton Public Library staff member, showed me around the museum.

On display right now are artifacts from the 1800’s including a fashion section, an exhibit about the O&W and a model canal boat. As Mrs. Prindle showed me around the little room of history I at once remembered when I was in fourth grade and Mrs. Prindle taught our class about the O&W.

Mrs. Prindle taught the fourth grade about the O&W and the Erie Canal for many years. The O&W was a train route set up in the 1800’s that went from up-state New York to NYC. For many years it prospered by transporting milk, coal, hops, and passengers to and from these two areas.

Among the dresses, shirts and other tid-bits there is a wonderful and very large fan collection.

All the exhibits on display deal with the history of Hamilton and up-state New York. I encourage people to come down to the Public library, sit down, read a book, surf the net, and maybe learn a little bit about where they live.