The Historical Society of Woodstock
75th Anniversary Exhibit
1929 - 2004
Exhibit is open from 12 to 4 pm
Saturdays and Sundays
July 17 - September 19
Historical Society Meeting, 1931
Old Firehouse, Woodstock, NY
For the United States, as the nation began its spiral into the depths of the Great Depression, 1929 would be a year best forgotten. For ever optimistic Woodstockers, however, it was the year they chose to honor and preserve the past with eyes set firmly on the future. The idea to begin preserving Woodstock's past was first suggested by Professor Martin Schutze in an issue of the Woodstock Bulletin. Schutze, who taught at the University of Chicago, saw, with the development of Woodstock as an art colony, that radical changes were under way and that those changes were "epochal" and worthy of "being transcribed and preserved."
So it was, on the evening of September 20, 1929, that Schutze's vision brought twenty Woodstockers to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Konrad Cramer for the first meeting of the Historical Society of Woodstock. There, they set forth the mission of the Society which remains in effect today " to collect and preserve records, such as letters, diaries, memoirs, recollections, books, pamphlets, periodicals, illustrations, and similar sources of history of Woodstock, its environment, and its people" In addition, the Society would also work "to preserve fine arts and crafts, literary, musical, scientific and other creative writings as well as publish papers and books upon the history of Woodstock."
It was also at that initial meeting that the first officers of the Historical Society of Woodstock were elected. Martin Schutze was elected the Society's first President, as well as Editor of the Society's publications. Konrad Cramer was elected to serve as Vice-President; Louise Zimm, Executive Secretary; Anne Moore, Recording Secretary; and Bertha Elwyn, Treasurer. Much like another group of founding "fathers," the early members of the Society began, through a series of initial meetings over the next year, to forge the structure that would serve to preserve the history of our town. Within the year, by-laws had been created, committees formed, and work begun on creating the permanent record Martin Schutze had dreamed of. Dues in 1930 were assessed at $2.00 and, by the end of the first year, the Treasurer's report notes the grand total of $61.81 on hand to support operations.
Seventy-five years later, the Historical Society of Woodstock continues. Through the Great Depression, war (more than one, unfortunately), the cultural upheavals of the sixties, and urban flight, the Historical Society of Woodstock has endeavored to maintain the vision that Martin Schutze first set forth in 1929. In doing so, like our town, the Society itself has been tested at times. Fluctuating membership, financial concerns, the need for a permanent facility, and the desire by individuals to immerse themselves in the immediate moment without care or concern for the past, have often interfered with its primary focus. In spite of the occasional dark cloud, however, the Society has also been blessed with supporters and members who, like those who sat in Konrad Cramer's living room seventy-five years ago, continued to believe in the necessity of preserving and honoring Woodstock's past.
This varied exhibit, which looks at both the people, the environment and the physical structures that have shaped Woodstock, is more than just a means of marking seventy-five years. Rather, it is dedicated to the many volunteers who, for no other reason than their love for Woodstock, have provided the energy and the effort that has sustained the Historical Society of Woodstock. Through both good times and bad, they have held to Martin Schutze's belief that "by recording and preserving all the best in this continuing process, (we) will have a vital share in the rise of Woodstock as a historic center of a great civilization." To all who have served, Woodstock thanks you. To those who wish to serve, The Historical Society of Woodstock says, "welcome."
