Capturing a Sense of Place

Behind every artifact there is a human story that is essential for an accurate interpretation of its significance. Diaries, family correspondence, newspaper accounts, and previous historical research on an artifact’s period and place of origin help historians to understand the context behind its purpose and impact. The recent popularity of memoir adds yet another highly personal source of information to the mix. Join us for a conversation and workshop with author and local historian, Bruce Whistance, about the value of memoir in building a more nuanced view of our moment in time for the historical record.

About the speaker:
Bruce Whistance has lived in Ulster County since 1954 in the towns of Hurley, Ulster, and Rosendale and has a Master of Science in Computer Science from Union College. He has had a diverse employment background including jobs as a farm worker, filling station attendant, restaurant waiter, factory worker, teaching assistant, electronic engineer, and IBM programming manager. Working with the family antiques business he developed a keen sense of history and has served on the Historic Preservation Commission in the Town of Hurley. He has partnered with his wife Gail in creating exhibitions at the Hurley Heritage Society Museum.