Dear List Members,
 
I am displeased, disappointed and saddened to read in the Daily  Freeman that 
Florence Prehn, Town of Esopus Historian, was not reappointed  because "the 
upcoming [Quadricentennial] events would have required too much  work."  
 
Florence is a dedicated historian and has contributed greatly to  Ulster 
County history.  
 
It is unfortunate that many of our historians are unpaid, rarely  thanked, 
and in Florence's case, discriminated against because of age. What  The Town of 
Esopus could have done in this case is establish an ad hoc  Quadricentennial 
committee  in which the historian could have been an  advisor. It is my opinion 
that the duties of the historian as suggested in  the article below  is above 
and beyond the role of any single unpaid  volunteer. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Karlyn Knaust Elia
Ulster County Historian
 
 
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Esopus looks for 'proactive'  historian
By William J. Kemble
 
Port Ewen - The Esopus Town Board will form a committee to recommend the  
appointment of a new town historian, whose duties in part will include planning  
celebrations of significant historical events along the Hudson River. 
At a Town Board meeting last week, officials said Florence Prehn, who has  
been historian for several years, was not reappointed to the unpaid position  
because the upcoming events would have required too much work. The town this  
year is expected to participate in events marking the 200th anniversary of  
Robert Fulton's voyage up the Hudson in his North River steamboat, dubbed the  
"Clermont", and, in 2009, the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's journey up the  
river later named for him. 
"A lot of the communities up and down the Hudson River are going to be  
participating, and we really need someone who is going to be proactive and work  
with the town," Councilwoman Deborah Silvestro said.
Silvestro said she would like to see a candidate who could seek grant  
assistance to pay for upcoming projects. The position would remain unpaid.
"Perhaps it could be...an intern, a history student with the community  
college or state university," she said. "Perhaps if they'd like to do an  
internship for a year, that's a possibility. They could approach the (committee)  
that's going to be formed and make a proposal."
Officials said they will seek candidates for the committee in the coming  
month.
 
Source: Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY, January 31,  2007
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Karlyn Knaust  Elia
Ulster County Historian
11 Main Street
Saugerties, NY  12477
Phone: 845-246-4754
FAX: same
Please visit the Ulster County  website: _http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/_ 
(http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/) 

In  2009, New York State will commemorate landmark passages in American 
history: the  400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage of exploration aboard the 
Dutch ship,  Half Moon; Samuel de Champlain's historic expedition to Lake 
Champlain  also 400 years ago; and Robert Fulton's maiden steamship journey up the 
Hudson  in 1807, launching a new era of travel and commerce on the river. 
These  remarkable voyages established New York State's identity as America's 
gateway  and its first frontier. 
Ulster County will join other counties across NYS in  this commemoration.