Cross Generations: Hearing from Williamsburg's Oldest and Youngest Residents

Wrapping up production on Williamsburg's "Cross Generation Discussions" video... It was so great to hear and record the stories from our town's oldest & youngest residents, which illustrated the contrasts of life during the "pre-Facebook era"...

The video will premiere at The Williamsburg Historic Society's area on Memorial Day and will then be available for viewing at The Meekins Library, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Culture Council and the help of the town's Council on Aging and the Library.

The event, held on February 26, and was attended by about 20 people. "There were people there like Jean Hemenway, who is in her 90s and was the first selectwoman in Williamsburg. She talked about things like how she went to school in a fish cart," said Marie Westburg, director of the Council on Aging, said in an article in the Hampshire Gazette. "We are hoping to continue these conversations and will be applying for the grant again. It is a great way to mix the generations and celebrate and preserve the history of our town."

Reelife recorded audio and video of the event, which will become part of the living archives collection at Meekins this summer.

Preserving the Present... and the Past

Reelife will be documenting a conversation about the experiences, memories, and traditions of residents of Williamsburg and Haydenville, this Sunday, Feb. 26th, from 2-5pm at the Meekins Library. "Cross Generational Conversations" will showcase the stories of our whole community, preserving it for the next generations. Looking forward to this... I think it will be very interesting...

For more information, call Archivist Daria at 268-7472.